“He has arguably the best contact balance I’ve ever seen in my life at the running back position.” – Simms on Boise State’s Jeanty (No. 1)
“He is in the same tier as Ashton Jeanty, just like I said (Lions RB) Jahmyr Gibbs was in the same tier as (Falcons RB) Bijan Robinson in 2023.” – Simms on North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton (No. 2)
“Can he be a superstar and run for over 1,000 yards as a rookie? I think there’s that potential here…I love this guy, and I think he’s flying way under the radar right now.” – Simms on UCF’s RJ Harvey (No. 3)
STAMFORD, Conn. – April 2, 2025 – With three weeks until the 2025 NFL Draft, NBC Sports’ Chris Simms discusses this year’s top running back prospects and unveiled his RB draft rankings on the Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast, listing Boise State’s Heisman Trophy-runner-up Ashton Jeanty No. 1. In this episode, Simms ranks and breaks down Jeanty, North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton, UCF’s RJ Harvey, Virginia Tech’s Bhayshul Tuten, and Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson.
Simms, a third-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2003 NFL Draft who played eight NFL seasons, is joined by NBC Sports’ Ahmed Fareed on the podcast. The two offer in-depth breakdowns, rankings, and NFL comparisons for this year’s top running back prospects.
Simms has had recent success in projecting college running backs – including naming Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs as his respective No. 1 and 2 RBs in 2023 and Kenneth Walker III and Breece Hall as his No. 1 and 2 RBs in 2022.
In the lead up to April’s NFL Draft, Simms will rank and break down every position group, provide a list of sleeper prospects, and issue a final mock draft. Last month, Simms ranked his top 2025 NFL Draft quarterback prospects, listing Miami’s Cam Ward as No. 1, and ranked his top wide receiver prospects, naming Colorado’s Travis Hunter No. 1.
This month, NBC Sports provides comprehensive NFL Draft coverage in the leadup to the 2025 NFL Draft (April 24-26), featuring live shows with player analysis and rankings, insider access, interviews, mock drafts, and more across NBC Sports NOW, Peacock and NBC Sports digital platforms this month. Click here for more.
Simms’ Top Five RB prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft:
The following are highlights from Simms’ RB draft rankings:
No. 1: Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
“He’s a difference-making type of football player. The first thing you notice is that he literally gets to top speed in one or two steps. He’s crazy strong and has arguably the best contact balance I’ve ever seen in my life at the running back position. Is he going to be able to do that at the same capacity in the NFL? I think that’s a fair question, because we’ve seen this type of guy get to the NFL and only break one-third as many tackles as he used to. Either way, it doesn’t change what you see on film – that people cannot get him to the ground. He weaves and cuts through traffic without ever slowing down…You hold your breath every time he runs, because he might break it.”
No. 2: Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
“He is in the same tier as Ashton Jeanty, just like I said (Lions RB) Jahmyr Gibbs was in the same tier as (Falcons RB) Bijan Robinson in 2023. I understand that most of the league has Jeanty ahead of him, but you’re going to have teams in the NFL that have Hampton as their No. 1 running back because his style of run and size are more comfortable. His physical stature is like a Greek god. The twitchiness and the jump cuts are the first thing you notice as a player…He is the guy who can cross you over and make you look silly. The comparison is (Texans RB) Joe Mixon…There are so many runs where there’s nothing there, he puts his head down and pushes the pile, and he gets four yards. Those are things that I know NFL evaluators love about him.”
No. 3: RJ Harvey, UCF
“He’s one of my draft crushes. You turn on the film and go, ‘Why is nobody talking about this guy?’ Can he be a superstar and run for over 1,000 yards as a rookie? I think there’s that potential here. His body reminds me of J.K. Dobbins and (Packers RB) Josh Jacobs. He has thick thighs that are (Pro Football Hall of Famer) Barry Sanders-ish. The first thing that popped out to me is his jump-cut ability is as good as you will see. On top of that, he is a huge big-play guy. He is a guy that plays faster than his 4.4 flat speed and can go 70, 80, 90-yards to the house. I love this guy and I think he’s flying way under the radar right now. I’ll be shocked if you don’t start to see RJ Harvey thrown into, at least, the third round.”
No. 4: Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech
“Smaller type of running back but I do like him. I’ll be shocked if he’s not in the mix with the second or third round talk. Love his body, similar to (Ohio State RB) TreVeyon Henderson, except I like this kid’s body even more. He just looks fast standing there. As soon as you turn on the film, the first carry you see him take to the hole you say, ‘Wow, he hit that hole hard.’ Can hit the hole or turn the corner about as good as anybody we see in the draft. He is a no-nonsense type of runner.”
No. 5: TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
“He’s the smallest of the group so far but he’s another speed guy. Speed-type of legs, not like powerful, run-you-over-type of legs. His ability to hit the hole with a burst of speed is the first thing you notice. He’s another guy where nobody told him he’s 202 pounds. He thinks he’s 240. Yes, injuries have been a problem because he’s crazy, he runs so hard into people that at times it’s violent. I love it, he wants to go downhill at 100 miles per hour and those are his best runs because when he does hit it, he has the type of speed to run through a gap or split defenders in a capacity where I think it surprises the defense.”
Honorable Mention: Cam Skattebo, Arizona State
“There is a lot to like about Skattebo. You worry about if it will all translate to the NFL, and I do worry about the way in which he runs and the amount of hits he takes. He does have a great natural feel to the game and knowing when to get skinny. He can make you miss and make you break your ankles. His speed is a little deceiving. I don’t think it’s blow-you-away speed, but I think it’s high 4.5 seconds, maybe low 4.6. He does have great change of direction and contact-balance.”
--NBC SPORTS--
