I think the Colts are a sleeper team for a RB. Taylor has had injury issues 3 straight seasons, and I think could be a possible trade candidate if Indy blows it up in 2026, which I think is very possible if they miss the playoffs again this year. Could easily see them moving on from Ballard, Steichen, Richardson, and Taylor next offseason.
Now I'm not saying they'll draft Jeanty or Hampton, but I could absolutely see a guy at #45, or more likely #80. That could end being one of the Ohio St guys, or Johnson, or Sampson.
Probably ruffle a few feathers here but IMO mid players like James Cook, Chase Brown, Bucky Irving, Rachaad White, Raheem Mostert, Tony Pollard, Deandre Swift, Kenneth Walker, etc. etc.... should all be very, very nervous. I think there are easily 8 backs in this class who are already better than almost all of them. And there are another 10 backs who even if they are only comparable in talent/skills, they are younger and cheaper. The clocks are about to reset on 80% of the leagues RBs IMO. You have a few vets with a couple more good years before they retire/fall off the cliff, and maybe 3-5 young ones who are talented enough to keep their lions share of the touches on lockdown.
I will argue if Seattle drafts a RB, every team with a RB need should stop what they are doing and offer a trade for Kenneth Walker. He's more in line with Jeanty and Hampton as a talent in my eyes, Seattle just gets blown up in the run game, so he's breaking tackles just to get back to the line. Put him on a team that run blocks, and while not Barkley, he probably has a Josh Jacobs like jump in production.
This is a really good RB class, but I think the statement that there are 18 RBs comparable to that group (other than Mostert, White, and Swift) is really pushing it in my eyes. Honestly, I think 8 might be asking too much. If any of the non-Jeanty/Hampton RBs are as good as Irving was as a rookie, that'd be a win for them.
To be fair it's just my opinion and I could be wildly wrong. It wouldn't be the first time haha. And I don't think 18 of them will actually work out, just that as prospects they are. Really it's not a fair comparison I'm making as the incoming rookie class we have no NFL barometer so all I/we can go by is college career and evaluation (which is typically rooted in optimism and best case outcomes). These other guys we have NFL info on. As a prospect I'd agree Walker cleared most of them. Probably would have been in that flat tier of 4-5 guys after Jeanty. I just haven't been impressed with what he's done the past 3 seasons so I'm holding that against him. I can 100% see someone making a case it's line/scheme/coaching/workload/etc etc etc and that he should still be viewed just about as highly as he was coming out. I just don't personally.
Like I said, I knew it would ruffle some feathers. And obviously situation matters almost as much, if not more sometimes, than talent alone. Barkley in NY.... Barkley in Philly. Dozens of examples. Personally, the TB super run friendly offense is another IMO. Sorry Bucky-stans. He was not a good prospect, had late 4th round draft capital, but was lucky enough to fall in a great situation and get a the lions share of workload. Rachaad White did practically the same thing the previous season. They could plug and play another 4th round RB from this years class and they would very likely do the same thing yet again in 2025.
Let me say the obvious for people who might still be misunderstanding; if you are drafted to play in the NFL you're almost assuredly a .01% level athlete and one of the best players of the game in the world. No one "stinks" or is "mid" in reality lol. But we are comparing Porshes and Lambos here so forgive my playing a little fast and loose with my syntax. I figured that should go without saying. But then lets also be honest with ourselves about some of these RBs I called out. We have two sets of info to look at, what they were at draft time and what they've done since. They deserve adulation for stepping up and doing the most with opportunities given. And it's no question all 18 or so rookies getting graded as NFL contributors will not similarly rise to the occasion. You'll get injuries, guys who are head cases, lack of worth ethic guys, guy who just never get a shot, etc. But the majority of them have profiles that look just as good if not better than the current crop did coming out. It's just the reality.
Some may be in the camp that it's harder to unseat an established player. I think the opposite, especially at RB.
As much as the league might shift to a more run heavy focus with all the teams playing this two high shell that opens the running lanes; they still aren't going to hand out bags of money to RBs. It's a position that ages quickly, gets injured often, and is quite replaceable outside of the truly elite. That's all leading me to my prediction. Which again, could be horribly, horribly bad and wrong. Feel free to blast me in a few years when Bucky Irving is on his 5th straight 1k+ yard season and all these 2025 backs are washed out of the league. I'll deservedly eat my crow.
