2027 NFL Draft preseason positional scores: Running backs

Editor’s show off: Here is the 3rd installment of Dane Brugler’s 2027 NFL Draft Summer season Scouting collection. Previous rating: Large receivers | Defensive tackles

Although the 2027 draft elegance could not include a factual superstar working lend a hand prospect at the level of Jeremiyah Respect, the approaching nick of players at that state of affairs appears to be grand deeper than this one year’s elegance right through the early rounds — and that includes only a few potential first-rounders.

Who are the working backs to scrutinize this season?

(Discover: An asterisk represents draft-eligible underclassmen. Heights and weights are what NFL teams in the intervening time include on report for each player, in line with league resources.)

1. Kewan Lacy, Ole Leave away out (5-10, 205)*

Most efficient trait: Explosive athleticism

Lacy does only a few problems at a excessive level. He is a loose runner with widescreen vision to look out plug lanes and the decisiveness to hit holes with timing. For a lighter lend a hand, Lacy could be a aggressive finisher, using his stability to jump off would-be tacklers.

However the muse of Lacy’s production is his explosive plug mannequin. He has the build-you-miss athleticism to go away defenders off stability and not able to compare the burst in his strides. This clip from very best season’s South Carolina tape illustrates exactly that:

Must reinforce: Chopping out fumbles

There are only a few information about Lacy’s recreation that scouts are short of ahead to improvement in 2026, along with his ball safety. He fumbled 3 circumstances very best season — now not a disastrous amount, however only a few of the ones miscues include been expensive, along with a scoop-and-ranking by way of Georgia throughout the School Soccer Playoff.

2027 NFL Draft outlook

A Dallas local, Lacy picked Missouri over Alabama and Ole Leave away out out of high school. After a nondescript freshman season with the Tigers, he hopped into the portal and ended up with the Rebels, for whom he completed prime-three throughout the FBS in speeding yards (1,567) and speeding touchdowns (24). Lacy scored a landing in 14 of 15 video video games very best season and led all FBS working backs in carries that led to a primary down or landing (83).

The NFL needs a number of relatively quite a few qualities at the working lend a hand state of affairs, however above all, the league covets ball carriers who acquire explosive performs. Lacy (who grew to turn out to be 20 this summer time) is arguably essentially the most explosive lend a hand in school soccer. Although now not on Respect’s level as a prospect, Lacy has first-spherical experience.

2. Jadan Baugh, Florida (6-0, 228)*

Most efficient characteristics: Burst, fluidity and effort

Baugh is a unfamiliar athlete for his dimension — that’s obtrusive. However his plug mannequin is going deeper than just being larger or faster than others. His fluid, bursty cuts are very unfamiliar for a 230-pound lend a hand. Mix that along with his frame armor and speak to stability, and he turns into a really complex player to convey down.

It isn’t simply his bodily characteristics, both. Baugh finds the patience and really feel to quick calculate tackling angles faster than breaking off attractive lateral cuts, making it complex for defenders to recognize to. Throw on tape of Baugh towards Texas or Tennessee or just about about any relatively quite a few opponent from very best season, and you may possibly per chance neatly see examples of his burst, fluidity and plug power.

That aggregate was most obvious right through his 266-yard potency towards Florida Divulge throughout the 2025 season finale:

Must reinforce: Getting lend a hand as much as fleshy chase

Baugh finds an impressive ability to slow down and decrease to construct defenders pass over, however there may well be a move slowly in his acceleration as soon as he slows after which smashes the gasoline pedal. It isn’t essentially a chase plot, as a result of he can outrun pursuit when he has a runway, however Baugh needs a second to rebuild his chase. That prolong can provide defenders a likelihood to realize higher and follow him down. He had simplest one raise of 25-plus yards very best season (and it went for 26 yards).

2027 NFL Draft outlook

Some throughout the remark percentage include been surprised to gape Baugh early in my procedure-too-early 2027 mock draft lend a hand in April. However I think even higher about it after looking at extra tape of him. A three-megastar “athlete” out of high school, Baugh throughout the slay grew to turn out to be Florida’s lead lend a hand as a factual freshman and carried out esteem one among the end backs throughout the country as a sophomore very best season.

Baugh is a uniquely proficient runner. His lowering athleticism, touch stability and proximity consciousness are remarkable, and his chase-catching and blocking abilities additionally play in his favor. He stuck 33 passes and not using a tumble very best season — some rudimentary dump-offs, however as neatly a number of objectives clear of the street of scrimmage (see his wheel direction landing as opposed to Tennessee).

3. Ahmad Hardy, Missouri (5-10, 212)*

Most efficient trait: Take on-breaking stability

The fundamental takeaway from 2025 tape of Hardy is that looking to shape out him appears to be miserable.

A brief, compact athlete, he runs with the physicality and effort to retain his ft under him, soak up touch and shed shape out makes an attempt. Hardy now not simplest has the bodily characteristics along with his piston-pumping legs, however as neatly the aggressive grit to power by way of defenses.

Together with his toughness and speak to stability, Hardy was born to be a working lend a hand — a truth that translates to any level of soccer.

Must reinforce: Receiving abilities

Hardy had a immense general of six catches for 22 yards (3.7 yards in line with procure) very best season, which left evaluators guessing how he too can deal with extra objectives. Will he be thrilled with a extra more than a few working lend a hand direction tree? Will extra objectives imply extra drops?

Proving that he is additionally productive throughout the show veil veil recreation can be a strong baseline for Hardy to maximize his draft grade.

2027 NFL Draft outlook

Slightly-town, horse-utilizing, Mississippi local, Hardy had the high school stats to be a high-stage recruit, however he was lost sight of and began his school career at Louisiana-Monroe. After earning Sun Belt Freshman of the Yr honors with 1,351 yards in 2024, Hardy now not discovered himself flying under the radar. He transferred to Missouri and flourished with 1,649 speeding yards as a sophomore (No. 2 throughout the FBS very best season).

Hardy doesn’t include the velocity of Lacy or even Baugh, however he led the SEC in carries of 10-plus yards (43) and 20-plus yards (17) very best season, as he trusted his pace and shape out-breaking abilities to realize bite performs throughout the Tigers’ open air zone blueprint. Although now not a one-to-one comparability, a few of his runs give flashbacks of Cleave Chubb on account of his touch stability.

There isn’t a big hole between the most important 3 backs in this checklist. Nevertheless, Hardy’s outlook for the 2026 season is considerably undecided after he was shot throughout the leg at a live performance in Would most likely possibly additionally. He underwent surgical remedy and is expected to construct a fleshy restoration, however his fleshy restoration timeline is unknown.

4. Mark Fletcher Jr., Miami (6-2, 226)

Most efficient trait: Flashes of Derrick Henry

I don’t know if we will ever see yet one more working lend a hand reasonably esteem Derrick Henry, however Fletcher gives off related vibes along with his patience at the street and downhill plug mannequin.

Although now not reasonably as mountainous as Henry, Fletcher has linebacker dimension and runs with remarkable physicality. He uses lengthy strides to devour up grass throughout the originate self-discipline, and too can acquire his ft and construct weaving cuts to be higher than just a battering ram. NFL coaches will love his plug talent.

Must reinforce: Colossal heart of gravity

Fletcher is constructed immense and runs immense, which gives defenders a likelihood to reduce him down at the legs. He makes an earnest effort to tumble his pads, helping him soak up touch and give protection to his stability, however Fletcher could also be extra constant using his frame development to its fleshy benefit.

2027 NFL Draft outlook

On the supply devoted to Ohio Divulge in high school, Fletcher needed to stay nearer to deal with and flipped to the Hurricanes. Segment of a rotation his first two seasons, he grew to turn out to be Miami’s lead lend a hand in 2025 and averaged 14.1 carries in line with recreation throughout the appreciated season. He then got here alive right through Miami’s plug by way of the School Soccer Playoff, averaging 126.8 speeding yards and six.8 yards in line with raise towards Texas A&M, Ohio Divulge, Ole Leave away out and Indiana.

Fletcher received’t wow along with his chase or burst, however he is a right kind shape athlete for his dimension, and he trusts his vision to guide him to sunlight. As very best season improved, he ran with expanding decisiveness and grew to turn out to be extra assured in his strengths as a runner. If that continues in 2026 and he improves as a chase catcher and blocker, Fletcher will continue to invent fanatics proper by way of the league.

5. Justice Haynes, Georgia Tech (5-10, 208)

Most efficient trait: Staying at the lend a hand of his pads with widescreen vision

Haynes has a herbal really feel for the working lend a hand state of affairs. He sees the street of scrimmage accurately and makes well timed reads to maximize each raise. He additionally ceaselessly remains at the lend a hand of his pads while holding his legs churning to move slowly off touch and grind out complex yards.

Oklahoma had one among the most convenient plug defenses in school soccer very best season, permitting simplest 2.39 yards in line with raise (second simplest throughout the FBS). However Haynes ripped off 6.6 yards in line with raise towards the Sooners, along with a 75-yard shuffle on which he confirmed the vision to look out the cutback at the counter:

Must reinforce: Speedy-space creativity

Although he is managed in his cuts, Haynes is existence like by way of suddenness, which limits his ability to glue and construct defenders pass over throughout the originate self-discipline. He has the velocity to trudge clear of pursuit (esteem throughout the clip above) however is dependent extra on vision and pace to realize the ones breakaway runs, rather than ingenious burst.

2027 NFL Draft outlook

A 5-megastar recruit in Alabama’s 2023 elegance (along with Caleb Downs and Kadyn Proctor), Haynes spent two seasons as a backup for the Tide faster than moving to Michigan very best season. He rushed for 100-plus yards in six of the seven video video games he carried out in 2025 faster than injuries slowed him down. Haynes figuring out to be the NFL faster than deciding to come back to the portal. He throughout the slay landed lend a hand in his space advise, at Georgia Tech, for his senior one year.

Haynes is a simple player to esteem on account of his vision, pace and stability to maximize what’s blocked for him. I include some questions about his short-space burst to realize as opposed to NFL chase, however his passing-down abilities and reliability with the ball are cast selling sides. He will acquire relatively numerous carries in Georgia Tech’s legit-model offense, and NFL scouts are hoping he remains wholesome.

Prime 25 senior working lend a hand possibilities

1. Fletcher
2. Haynes
3. LJ Martin, BYU (6-2, 226)
4. Raleek Brown, Texas (5-8, 193)
5. Darius Taylor, Minnesota (5-11, 215)
6. Carson Hansen, Penn Divulge (6-1, 223)
7. Abu Sama III, Wisconsin (5-10, 210)
8. Wayne Knight, UCLA (5-6, 194)
9. Marcellous Hawkins, Virginia Tech (5-11, 220)
10. Quintrevion Wisner, Florida Divulge (5-11, 199)
11. Waymond Jordan, USC (5-9, 210)
12. Jeremiah Cobb, Auburn (5-10, 202)
13. Cam Cook dinner dinner, West Virginia (5-9, 202)
14. Malachi Hosley, Georgia Tech (5-9, 196)
15. Jalen Buckley, Western Michigan (6-0, 219)
16. Eli Gillman, Montana (5-10, 213)
17. Victor Dawson, Illinois Divulge (5-11, 221)
18. Marquis Gillis, Arizona Divulge (5-11, 211)
19. Mel Brown, Colorado Divulge (5-8, 179)
20. Sutton Smith, Arkansas (5-9, 192)
21. Cam Edwards, Michigan Divulge (5-11, 201)
22. Kenji Christian, UConn (6-0, 202)
23. Charles Pierre Jr., South Dakota (5-9, 208)
24. CJ Campbell Jr., Duke (5-9, 205)
25. Rayshon Luke, Fresno Divulge (5-8, 174)

Prime 15 draft-eligible underclassmen

1. Lacy
2. Baugh
3. Hardy
4. Nate Frazier, Georgia (5-10, 205)
5. Antwan Raymond, Rutgers (5-11, 205)
6. Isaac Brown, Louisville (5-9, 190)
7. Hollywood Smothers, Texas (5-11, 195)
8. DeSean Bishop, Tennessee (5-10, 215)
9. Fluff Bothwell, Mississippi Divulge (5-10, 230)
10. Wayshawn Parker, Utah (5-11, 205)
11. Joe Jackson, Kansas Divulge (6-0, 210)
12. Jamal Roberts, Missouri (5-10, 217)
13. Bryson Washington, Auburn (6-0, 210)
14. Jordan Marshall, Michigan (5-11, 215)
15. King Miller, USC (6-0, 215)