There has been a recent renaissance of sorts at the running back spot in the NFL Draft, as more teams are greenlighting first-round selections at the position. Three of the past four drafts have witnessed multiple running backs being chosen in Round 1. And in all those instances, a running back ended up in the top 10 picks. Many believed that would happen in next April’s draft, but opinions are changing.

There was a lot of hope in the scouting community for the top prospects at the running back position before the season began, but that has since eased. Several scouts had Kewan Lacy rated far ahead of the pack, while others believed Jadan Baugh would be the first running back selected in the middle of Round 1.

The explosive Lacy has flashed brilliance at times, but his season has been marred by injury. Lacy, graded as a top-10 prospect coming into the season by yours truly and a first-round pick by scouts, has played just four games with 46 total carries. Lacy has suffered from a left shoulder injury, something the team hoped offseason surgery would resolve. Unless he finishes strong and healthy, Lacy may be better off staying in school.

Baugh has cooled off after early-season dominance. He rushed for a combined 464 yards against Louisville, Auburn and Mississippi. But the last two games against Missouri and South Carolina resulted in just 72 combined yards. He has also registered just seven receptions this season. Baugh looked like RB1 during the Auburn and Mississippi games and has a lot riding on the rest of the season.

Mark Fletcher Jr. has not been anything spectacular this season, but the Hurricanes have not needed the big back to stand out considering how well Darian Mensah has played. Fletcher is averaging just 13 carries a game, which could be a silver lining, yet his grinding, downhill style won’t be for every team at the next level.

Isaac Brown has probably helped himself more than any other running back this season, and he continually proves to be a big-play threat. He is averaging 7.5 yards on 75 carries and has had touchdown runs of 70 and 97 yards, respectively, in the past two games while also trampling Florida State for 235 yards on the ground. Brown is a smaller back and the antithesis of Mark Fletcher, which will push him out of the draft’s initial 42 selections.

The other back who has stepped up his game is Jamal Roberts, who’s taken hold of the starting opportunity as teammate Ahmad Hardy remains sidelined. Roberts has run roughshod over opponents, totaling 828 yards in six games, including 211 yards against Florida and 222 yards against Texas A&M. He also has eight TDs on his ledger and looks like a solid Day 2 pick.

Hardy, who was highly rated entering the season, has not returned from the gunshot wound he suffered last May, and there’s no timetable for his return. LJ Martin, graded as a Day 2 selection, has also been sidelined with injury, as has Darius Taylor, another highly rated ball carrier who struggled with durability issues in 2025.

CJ Baxter, DeSean Bishop and Wayshawn Parker, as well as Jalen Buckley, have all performed beyond expectations, raising their draft stock.

With all the injuries and at times subpar play, the running back class for next April’s draft is shaping up to be below-average. There are few feature runners, and the pass-catching production, especially for the ball carriers at the top, leaves a lot to be desired.