During the 2024 NFL Draft, Ryan Parish debuted his list of “Bargain” NFL prospects the Steelers could target at positions of need. Now, Ryan’s series is back to once again highlight some of the lesser-known players in this year’s class. This series is not meant to predict who the Steelers will pick, but rather highlight some players Ryan thinks would fit with the team and should be available in Rounds 2-7. For this series, Ryan will avoid highlighting players frequently listed in the top 50-75 range on big boards. Looking for more? Check out Ryan’s picks this year at wide receiver.
With the exception of the quarterback room, running back is perhaps the position that will have the biggest changes for the Steelers in 2025. Gone to Los Angeles is former first round pick Najee Harris. Restricted free agent Jaylen Warren returns, but after an injury-plagued 2024 season, the Steelers seem unlikely to burden him with a workhorse role in 2025. Free agent acquisition Kenneth Gainwell and veteran Cordarrelle Patterson, for now, provide depth and niche roles in the offense, but neither will threaten for a lead back role.
Meanwhile, the Steelers’ brass have been doing their homework on this running back class, with six players already brought in for a pre-draft visit. With Warren and Gainwell on the smaller side for NFL backs, I paid extra attention this year to running backs who surpass the 210-pound mark. Three of the six backs on this list exceed that figure, but we’ve included three others whose talent was too good to be ignored. It should be noted that, with the exception of one runner, the members of this list would be expected to provide in a best-case scenario for 2025. I’d expect roughly 100-120 touches with a chance to earn more through performance.
As always, my list will try to avoid writing about players expected to be drafted highly or any players that garnered their own profile by one of BTSC’s own Ryland Bickley, Mike Nicastro, or myself. If you want to read about some of the better known prospects, we’ve already highlighted nine backs — and I have a Cam Skattebo profile on the way — which you can check out in our 2025 NFL Draft Hub.
But let’s stop dancing behind the line and hit the hole. These are my 2025 running back draft gems.
Damien Martinez, Miami
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Age: 21
Height/weight: 6’0, 217 pounds
Arm Length: 30 1/2”
RAS: 8.17
If the Steelers are looking for a hard nosed, versatile, blue collar back, Martinez checks a lot of boxes. Of the running backs selected for this list, Martinez is the one I expect to be drafted highest and the only one who I think could shoulder a lead back role.
He’s got an NFL-caliber mix of size and speed (4.51 40-time) with 92 career runs of 10-plus yards and 43 that went 15 yards or longer. Martinez is scheme versatile, rushing for acceleration over 1,000 yards first in Oregon State’s zone-heavy scheme and then again at Miami, where they used gap concepts more than twice as many times as zone.
And to top it off, there’s plenty of tread left on the tires. Martinez just turned 21 in January and is declaring for the draft after three years in college, where he totaled 3,173 rushing yards on 516 rushing attempts. Martinez also protected the ball well, never fumbling more than once in any season.
Watching Martinez, I can’t help but see a lot of James Conner in his game.
Martinez wasn’t used much in the passing attack — he had just 32 receptions for 391 yards in college — but I’ve scouted enough running backs to know that isn’t always a true indicator of ability. From the small sample size we’ve seen, Martinez projects to me a player with sure hands that can expand that part of his game at the NFL level.
Damien Martinez had only 32 receptions in college, but it doesn't appear to be from lack of ability. Could be a part of his game that expands in the NFL pic.twitter.com/pdWdN8txOt
— Ryan Parish (@RyanParishmedia) April 6, 2025
While PFF grades are far from the gospel, it’s worth noting that Martinez had the highest rushing grade on our list. With a score of 94.3, Martinez trailed only Ashton Jeanty (96.6) and Cam Skattebo (94.6) among qualified running backs.
RJ Harvey, Central Florida
Mike Watters-Imagn Images
Age: 24
Height/weight: 5’8, 205 pounds
Arm Length: 29”
RAS: 8.48
Every draft, you hear about players who had to adapt in college to keep their NFL hopes alive. RJ Harvey falls into that category. Harvey committed to the University of Virginia out of high school as a a three star dual-threat quarterback who had turned his high school from a winless team during his sophomore year, to the district champion in his junior year, and a state playoff participant in his senior year.
After redshirting in 2019, Harvey transferred to Central Florida and converted to running back. He was set to see an increased role in 2021, but a torn ACL in the preseason caused him to miss the year. He returned in 2022 and had good production, but really game into his own over his final two years of college, finishing with more than 1,400 yards rushing each year. He finished his career with 3,788 rushing yards (6.6 YPC), 722 receiving yards and 43 touchdowns.
Harvey ran predominately zone concepts in college and has enough speed to be an intriguing fit in Pittsburgh’s backfield, as he is fairly similar to Jaylen Warren. Harvey has the better 40-yard dash time (4.40), but I think Warren has the better burst. Outside of that, Harvey will also have a lot of work to do to match Warren’s pass blocking chops, but I’m encouraged he could with the right coaching. He’ll also need to work on ball security, as he had at least 2 fumbles in each of the past three seasons and 7 times total.
Jarquez Hunter, Auburn
John Reed-Imagn Images
Age: 22
Height/weight: 5’9, 204 pounds
Arm Length: 30”
RAS: 7.15
Three backs in the middle of my list all possess similar skillsets and body types. RJ Harvey kicked off this run of shorter, compact backs, and we continue that trend with Auburn’s Jarquez Hunter.
Hunter began contributing right away as a freshman in 2021 with 593 rushing yards. He saw his production increase each season as he earned more touches in the Tigers’ offense.
Jarquez Hunter is already a pro in zone schemes. Great center of gravity/contact balance. Doesn't have any elite athletic traits, but he is Mr. Dependable across the board. pic.twitter.com/llU8gEvcsM
— Ryan Parish (@RyanParishmedia) April 7, 2025
Hunter is just a hair slower than Harvey (4.44 40-time), but has the superior contact balance and tackle breaking. In fact, of all the backs on my list, Hunter averages the most yards after contact (3.96 per play), though it should be noted that only two backs on this list have fewer career carries. Still, Hunter’s low center of gravity and penchant for contact are a key part of his game. Hunter’s vision, timing, and pacing are all exceptional as he excelled in both zone and gap concepts that Auburn called at an equal amount. Lastly, like Harvey, he needs to improve his ball security to stick at the next level, with 7 fumbles during his college career.
Jordan James, Oregon
Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
Age: 21
Height/weight: 5’9 1/2”, 205 pounds
Arm Length: 29 3/4”
RAS: 4.63
Jordan James rounds out our triumvirate of short, stocky backs. James’ athletic testing did not wow anybody at the Combine, but he’s the type of player where I’m trusting the tape more than the numbers he posted at the Underwear Olympics. I don’t find his 40-time (4.55) prohibitive because of how sound his game is. Earlier, we mentioned Martinez finished with PFF’s third-highest rushing grade for the season. James is the next-highest scorer on our list, finishing 7th in the nation (90.9).
If you watched any Oregon games over the past two seasons, you already knew James’ long speed was not the key to his success. James doesn’t breakaway from defenses as often as the rest on this list, but he does methodically wear them down while averaging 5.8 yards per carry. Watch enough of his film and you realize he has a knack for getting the most out bad situations. Jones may not raise a team’s ceiling as much as some of the more explosive runners in this class, but he considerably raises an offense’s floor if deployed correctly.
James has a nose for the end zone, something the Steelers’ red zone offense has desperately needed. Despite just one season acting as the Ducks’ lead back and having the fewest career carries on this list by a wide margin, James has the third most rushing touchdowns with 31. And the turnover-conscious Steelers will love that James did not fumble even once during his college career.
Another back to file away as a Steady Eddie, Oregon's Jordan James. He underwhelmed at the Combine, but he's a bucket getter at the goal line.
Nothing flashy to his game, but he's the type of guy who is always falling forward and turns a TFL into a 4-yard gain consistently pic.twitter.com/u4JX7Ow4D2
— Ryan Parish (@RyanParishmedia) April 7, 2025
Kyle Monangai, Rutgers
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Age: 23
Height/weight: 5’8, 211 pounds
Arm Length: 28 3/4”
RAS: 4.01
Another intriguing Day 3 option is Rutgers’ Kyle Monangai. He has our lowest RAS score of any of the backs I’ve selected, but his tape was too fun to knock him off my list. Monangai ran a relatively slow 40-time (4.60), but he looks much faster on tape. And with breakaway plays against competition like Ohio State, Michigan, and Miami on his tape, I believe his long speed shouldn’t prohibit him at the next level. He projects as a rotational back who could serve as a team’s closer and be the “thunder” to a speedier running mate’s “lightning.”
Monangai was Rutgers’ workhorse the past two seasons and finished his career with 3,225 yards rushing and 27 touchdowns. He was not featured much in the passing game, totaling just 36 receptions for his career. He has decent enough hands, but will probably be limited to the screen game and checkdowns in the flat. Critically for the Steelers, he didn’t fumble once with 706 career touches.
Lan Larison, UC Davis
Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Age: Turns 24 in October
Height/weight: 6’0, 215 pounds
Arm Length: N/A
RAS: 9.63 (unofficial)
Every year, I promise that this series is for the true Draft sickos. Nothing is further proof of that concept than when I found myself grinding FCS tape to watch fifth-year senior Lan Larison out of UC Davis.
To give you a sense of what Larison’s game is like, the pro comparison I saw somebody give him was Taysom Hill. That’s likely because the Aggies frequently deployed him out of the Wildcat, especially in the redzone. But don’t get it twisted, Larison has the potential to be more than a gimmicky gadget player at the next level. If nothing else, he should be an effective weapon in the passing game with several highlight catches on this tape.
When scouting FCS guys, you want them to have numbers and catch them sonning the competition
UC Davis' Lan Larison got the memo
2024
2,387 scrimmage yards (284-1465 rushing/62-847 rec/75 KR) 23 TDs✅
Career
3634 rush yards, 1626 rec yds 51 tds✅
1 pass TD, 1 KR TD✅
️✅ pic.twitter.com/LJxFkk1Uu7
— Ryan Parish (@RyanParishmedia) April 7, 2025
Larison reportedly ran a 4.46 40-time at his pro day. It’s always a good idea to take any pro day numbers with a grain of salt, but Larison would be an interesting combination of size and speed if that number is accurate. His burst doesn’t pop off the screen, but he looks like he has enough juice to be the second back in a rotation as a pro, with the potential to grow into more.
When you’re scouting FCS players, you want them to dominate not just their competition but to be the driving force of their offense. Larison checks that box, leading the team in rushing and receiving in 2024 while accounting for 49.7% of the offense’s yardage production and 38.3% of the Aggies’ offensive touchdowns.
Larison produced 5,256 offensive scrimmage yards in his college career, with 51 combined rushing and receiving touchdowns, a passing touchdown, 1,216 yards and a score as a kick returner, as well as healthy career marks in yards per carry (5.6) and yards per reception (12.4).
Larison is a player who might sneak into the draft at the end of Day 3. If not, the Steelers should consider him a target as a priority free agent.
