Yahoo Sports’ “Football 301” podcast features in-depth position-by-position draft previews, starting with the top running backs in the 2026 NFL Draft. With the expertise of host Nate Tice and special guest Connor Rogers from NBC Sports, here are the details on the biggest names and debates involving running backs you’ll want to know about in April’s draft.
Consensus: This is a relatively thin running back class, especially for true Top 100 talent. There’s star power at the top, but it drops off after the first few names, with several interesting committee and special teams types emerging on day three.
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As always, how NFL teams weigh traits, versatility and special teams value will have an impact when these backs come off the board, but as the draft approaches, Jeremiah Love, Jadarian Price and Jonah Coleman are the clear standouts.
Jeremiah Love: Unanimous RB1
There’s little disagreement as to who’s No. 1 running back in this round — Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Love. As Rodgers said: “Love is bingo room for everybody… I’d be surprised if anyone thought he wasn’t the best back in this class.”
Love offers a complete package: vision, physicality and game-changing speed, making him the most likely guy to hear his name called at the RB spot.
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Jadarian Price: A teammate with a high ceiling
Rodgers emphasized Price’s appeal to NFL talent evaluators: He excels in the open field, shows untapped potential in the passing game and is very physical on defense. While Notre Dame doesn’t throw the ball to Price very often (due to Love being a passing weapon himself), his flashes in zone schemes and willingness to protect should earn him a spot in the Day 2 conversation.
Jonah Coleman: High floor power back
Next to Price is Washington’s Jonah Coleman, who provides a fascinating contrast.
Rogers described him as “[that] Bowling ball, fire hydrant, whatever you want to call it, stump, 5ft 9in – he’s lost a little bit [of weight] but [is] Still like a real 220 [pounds] He can drop the pads and run over you. “
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Coleman is more than just a slugger, he has surprising footwork, soft hands and short-yardage speed. While he may not have home-run speed, his reliability and floor make him a favorite for a long NFL career.
Jonah Coleman would be a good choice if he joined the NFL’s running back committee. (Photo by Stephen Chambers/Getty Images)
(Stephen Chambers via Getty Images)
Mike Washington Jr.: A speed-scoring miracle
Washington is the quintessential “trait” bet. He has size, speed and downhill hitting skills.
Rodgers painted him as a third-to-fourth-round type with good initial burst but less separation than his testing suggested. Concerns include limited creativity and an inability to consistently make defenders miss one-on-one opportunities, which limits his upside compared to top prospects.
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Penn State duo: Kaytron Allen over Nicholas Singleton
The Nittany Lions have two draftable linebackers, but the Football 301 consensus is clear: Allen beats Singleton.
Nicknamed “Fat Man,” Allen has been described as a “Honda Civic” backstop — reliable, physical, able to attack on schedule, but lacking explosive home run potential.
Singleton, on the other hand, has straight-line speed and size, but is still a “running back athlete” rather than a great pro player.
Tess: “If you could [Allen] Let the last one miss, this is actually a similar discussion we just had [Mike] Washington. But like, man, I really liked him going from size 0 to size 5. But beyond that, I just don’t like him anymore. “
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Singleton’s lack of short-field wobble and feel in zone play makes him likely to be a Day 3 rookie at best.
Emmitt Johnson: Creative Powerhouse
Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson is considered to be in the late Day 2/early Day 3 range, but Rodgers describes him as one of the biggest breakout stories of the year.
Johnson was praised for his creativity, short-range moves and durability. He rushed for over 1,400 yards in 2025 and added significant value as a receiver, forcing 20 missed tackles on 46 catches. His undersize size as an interior lineman raised concerns, but Johnson has gotten strong ahead of the draft process (5-10, 202) and his intangibles (football IQ, coaching ability and enthusiasm) should make him desirable to NFL teams looking for a committee returner who can quickly acquire a position.
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Other notable names
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Jamari Taylor (Virginia): The quintessential “muscle hamster” – a tight, tough, short-yardage specialist whose style and mentality make special teams determined and situational.
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Demond Claiborne (Wake Forest University): A true home run hitter with track speed and game-changing ability on video, questions about size and ball security have clouded his path to big numbers in the NFL.
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Roman Hemby (Indiana): This versatile, pass-protecting, hard-working back who, while not an overpowering athlete, offers everything you want in a no-nonsense NFL backup.