NFL Draft
3/20/25
7 min read
2025 NFL Draft: Ranking The 7 Fastest Running Backs
Speed isn't everything for running backs, but the players at the position who can consistently generate explosive plays can quickly become fan favorites.
Jahmyr Gibbs has quickly turned into one of the most exciting players in the NFL because of his track speed, generating nearly 3,200 total yards with 31 offensive touchdowns in just two seasons. Some of that is scheme fit, but there aren't many RBs in the NFL who can replicate that speed.
This year's draft class is loaded at the running back position, with all kinds of play styles at the position. That includes more than a handful of home-run hitters, so let's break down the seven fastest RBs in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Combine tracking data provided by NFL.com.
The 7 fastest running backs in the 2025 NFL Draft
7. Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State 
Quinshon Judkins is known best for being a physical downhill runner, but that's boosted by his explosiveness and top-end play speed when finding a seam.
Judkins split carries in Ohio State's backfield but still broke 1,000 rushing yards with 14 touchdowns on the ground and 28 runs of more than 10 yards.
I always saw the burst + short area explosiveness Quinshon Judkins had on tape.
— Snoog's Fantasy HQ (@FFSnoog) March 17, 2025
At 220+ pounds he gets to top speed very quickly and that's the only speed I care for really at running back.
He did run a 4.48 though 😊 pic.twitter.com/tUTJ9k4nKj
Judkins is a bigger back at 221 pounds but still ran the 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds with one of the best 10-yard splits at 1.51 seconds. He posted a strong top speed of 22.53 miles per hour, resulting in a ton of on-field force with pads on at that size with that kind of speed.
While he's known more for being a physical power back, don't discount Judkins' overall speed.
6. RJ Harvey, UCF 
RJ Harvey's play style is more burst and elusiveness, but the numbers from the Combine suggest that the UCF running back is actually one of the fastest running backs in this year's draft class.
Harvey is a 5-foot-8, 205-pound running back who keeps a low pad level, sheds off tacklers with great contact balance, and makes sharp cuts to bounce and press into gaps with urgency. He had 54 runs of at least 10 yards last season while forcing 69 missed tackles on 231 carries.
The testing at the Combine came as a surprise because it also showed that Harvey has a legitimate top gear to his game. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.40 seconds while posting the fourth-best max acceleration at 5.65 yards per second.
Those numbers aren't a total shock, but they're surprising enough that Harvey could be climbing up draft boards as a potential Day 2 prospect.
5. Brashard smith, smu 
There aren't a ton of sub-200-pound running backs in the NFL, but Brashard Smith is hoping to add to that group thanks to his legitimate play speed.
Smith had a terrific season for SMU, running for 1,332 yards and 14 touchdowns while averaging 5.7 yards per carry. He had 31 different runs for at least 10 yards and also saw significant action out of the backfield with 39 receptions for 327 yards and four scores.
Brashard Smith Folks 📈🔥 #NFLDraft2025 #TheDraftStartsInMOBILE pic.twitter.com/BlZ3O5gDme
— NFL Draft (@NFLDraftOG) January 29, 2025
At just 194 pounds, Smith needed to put up strong athletic testing numbers to make up for his lack of size, and he did exactly that at the combine, running the 40-yard dash in just 4.39 seconds.
That's exciting speed for a dual-threat scat back, and Smith hopes it will make him a valuable rotational back for an NFL franchise.
4. Jaydon Blue, Texas
Jaydon Blue didn't have many breakaway opportunities this past season with the Texas Longhorns, but when he did find a seam, that speed showed up on tape.
Blue showed off his speed in 2024 not just as a runner but also as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. He averaged a very strong 1.59 yards per route run for a running back, catching 41-of-58 targets for 365 yards and six scores through the air and another 728 yards and eight scores on the ground.
That kind of dual-threat ability is only possible with legitimate track speed, and Blue put numbers behind that speed at the Combine. He had one of the best 40-yard dash times at 4.38 seconds, along with one of the fastest 10-yard splits at 1.52 seconds.
Blue is flying under the radar in this draft class, but his speed is near the top of this year's group of running backs.
3. treveyon Henderson, Ohio state
The Ohio State Buckeyes backfield featured its own version of Thunder and Lightning in 2024, with TreVeyon Henderson bringing his own electricity to the position.
Henderson's play speed was on full display all season, generating 21 different runs of at least 15-plus yards. He had nine different games with a longest run of at least 20 yards and was a reliable explosive playmaker for the Buckeyes on their way to a national title.
Ohio State RB Treveyon Henderson did “Jesus Loves You” in sign language after scoring a TD vs Tennessee 👏 pic.twitter.com/b9V0dx5skV
— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) December 22, 2024
The combine data backs up Henderson's on-field play speed. His 40-yard dash, clocking in at 4.43 seconds, reached a top speed of 23.38 miles per hour. He's an experienced running back with plenty of touches at the college level, and his burst and elusiveness in open space should make him an exciting contributor to a backfield at the NFL level.
2. Raheim "Rocket" Sanders, south Carolina
With the nickname "Rocket," Raheim Sanders' play style definitely backs that up.
Sanders posted the fastest top speed in the 40-yard dash this year, reaching 23.55 miles per hour by the end of his run. That ranks eighth all-time in the NFL Combine's database of player tracking since 2023, just behind Jaylen Wright.
Sanders is a bigger back at 217 pounds but has legitimate explosiveness and vision to find openings to take off. He can be too hesitant at times and needs to clean up his pad level along with his ability to pass protect, but that speed cannot be taught.
1. Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech
Is Bhayshul Tuten scootin'? You're darn tootin'.
The Virginia Tech prospect burned past the competition at this year's NFL Combine, posting the fastest 40-yard dash among running backs by a wide margin with a time of 4.32 seconds.
Not surprisingly, that track speed shows up on tape, with Tuten finding creases in the defense to generate explosive plays, sometimes for huge touchdowns. His burst after the handoff and feel for cutback lanes make him an ideal fit for an outside zone scheme looking for a true home-run hitter.
Bhayshul Tuten is a big play waiting to happen pic.twitter.com/JYljankqym
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) March 8, 2025
The lack of size and ball security concerns might hurt Tuten's overall draft stock, but his play style is electric, and he could land with a team that can properly utilize his explosiveness and top-end play speed.
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