Once upon a time, the Las Vegas Raiders had Josh Jacobs. Then, one year removed from leading the NFL in rushing yards, the Raiders decided to let Jacobs walk in free agency, opting to move forward with Zamir White instead. Fast forward to now, we see that was clearly the wrong decision.
Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, the Raiders are in need of a running back once again. Fortunately, the running back position is deep in this class.
Pete Carroll’s club should be able to find a difference-maker at the position on any of the draft’s three days.
There’s a decent chance the Raiders decide to take Ashton Jeanty with the sixth-overall pick and move on with their lives. However, for the sake of this article, we’re going to assume that doesn’t happen. Here are three running backs likely available on Day 2 who would make a lot of sense for Las Vegas.
Three Day 2 running backs that make sense for the Las Vegas Raiders
Kaleb Johnson, Iowa
If the Raiders don’t want to use their first-rounder on Jeanty, they can find a similar back in Johnson in the second round. Johnson is a powerful back who flies downhill and has excellent contact balance, allowing him to break tackles with ease.
At 6’1″, 224 lbs. Johnson has the ideal size for the position. He’s pretty athletic, too, given that large frame. This is a patient runner who keeps his feet active and is decisive once hitting the hole.
On top of Johnson’s aforementioned terrific contract balance, his ability to break tackles has helped him make many explosive plays in college. Johnson also seems well-suited for a workhorse type of role. With 1,060 yards after contact during his ’24 campaign, only Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton were able to beat the Iowa runner in this category.
While he keeps his feet chopping waiting for holes to open, Johnson can be a little slow to accelerate after coming to a stop. He doesn’t have a ton of bend, which leads to him running more upright than is ideal. He also could do with some additional lateral agility. With that all said, though, there’s little doubt that Johnson will develop into a solid running back at the NFL level, and can handle a higher workload immediately.
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Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State
Quinshon Judkins, another Big Ten player, is another guy that would make sense for the Raiders on Day 2 of the draft.
Judkins is a fun back to evaluate. He plays with urgency while running in aggressive fashion. He tends to make his cuts later in the play, but he’s smart when doing so, and quick as well. Judkins has good burst and also understands how to utilize changing his pace, keeping defenses off-guard.
Ohio State’s lead back this past season plays with the physicality NFL teams will desire, and also has a good habit of falling forwards when being tackled. This allows him to pick up an extra yard or two in the process. Finally, Judkins’ determination in pass-protection makes him a viable three-down back at the NFL level.
While he shows good burst when making cuts, his tight hips still keep him from being as agile as he could be. He can get to the second-level, but doesn’t quite have the breakaway speed. Judkins also wasn’t incredibly efficient during his time at Ohio State.
There definitely are some differences between these two, but when watching Judkins, I just can’t help but be reminded of Josh Jacobs.
TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
Not to be so Ohio State-heavy on Day 2, but Henderson is the next most-likely back available at this point in the draft.
Henderson is a smooth runner who knows how to set up his blocks at all three levels. He possesses great vision and instincts, and his impressive footwork makes him difficult for defenders to stay in front of. He can accelerate off those cuts quickly, and loves to press the edge before cutting back inside.
Henderson is also able to make an impact in the passing game. He’s not just a check-down option; he can line up and run legitimate routes. Henderson is solid in pass protection as well.
There are a lot of things Judkins’ partner in crime at Ohio State does well, and if the Raiders find themselves looking for a running back on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft, he’s a player the team should strongly consider.
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