With the updated 2025 Rivals250 being unveiled Tuesday, it's time to dive into the position rankings. The offensive position rankings are being released today, and up next are the running backs.
NEW POSITION RANKINGS: Running Back | All-Purpose Back | Pro-Style QB | Dual-Threat QB
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
MONDAY: Who should be No. 1?
TUESDAY: Five-Star Countdown | Tavien St. Clair moved into five-star status
WEDNESDAY: New Rivals250 unveiled | Gorney goes position-by-position | Biggest risers
THURSDAY: New offensive position rankings released | QB rankings breakdown | RB rankings breakdown | WR/TE rankings breakdown | OL rankings breakdown
FRIDAY: New defensive position rankings released | DL rankings breakdown | LB rankings breakdown | DB rankings breakdown | ATH rankings breakdown
SATURDAY: New state rankings released | Who is No. 1 in each state?
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NEW NO. 1 AT RUNNING BACK
LSU running back commit Harlem Berry surpassed Jordon Davison in the Rivals250 in this rankings update after multiple in-person evaluations of both prospects this offseason.
Berry’s explosiveness as a runner and receiver helped push him over the top but this race is far from settled. Davison is a well-rounded back who figures to be a workhorse at the next level. He’s a patient runner with good vision and toughness. Berry’s a dynamic ball carrier who can take a handoff and score from anywhere on the field.
There is still time left in this rankings cycle for the order of the top two running backs to change again if either of them show significant development.
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HOW MANY FIVE-STAR RUNNING BACKS?
There hasn’t been a five-star running back since the 2022 class and now there are two in the 2025 class in Berry and Davison. Will both or either remain among the elites? Could another running back make a late push for five-star status?
Penn State commit Alvin Henderson is the only other running back in the top 50 of the Rivals250 right now while Clemson commit Gideon Davidson, Ole Miss commit Akylin Dear and Ousmane Kromah sit inside the top 100.
At this point odds favor no more than one running back finishing the rankings cycle as a five-star but it’s increasingly difficult to say there should even be a five-star running back after observing NFL Draft trends. A running back hasn’t been picked in the first round in two of the last three NFL Drafts, though that might change next year thanks to Quinshon Judkins and Ollie Gordon. The devaluation of the running back is a real thing but there is room for the truly exceptional running back in the five-star ranks.
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USC AND PENN STATE LOADING UP IN THE BACKFIELD
Running backs may have been devalued when it comes to the NFL Draft but college teams still need difference makers in the backfield and some teams are willing to take multiple commits to make sure they find their guy.
USC and Penn State each hold commitments from three running backs right now. Henderson, four-star Tiqwai Hayes and three-star Kiandrea Barker are committed to Penn State while USC has commitments from four-star Daune Morris and three-stars Harry Dalton and Riley Wormley.
Morris, Dalton and Wormley seem fairly solid in their commitments to USC but Morris has an official visit to Auburn set for next month.
Penn State has its hands full trying to hold onto Henderson as Auburn and Florida State are working on flipping him. The Nittany Lions are also bringing in Rivals250 running back Jabree Coleman for an official visit next month so James Franklin and company seem intent on signing at least three running backs this year.
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RECRUITING POWERHOUSES STILL WITHOUT A RB COMMIT
There are 43 running backs with at least a four-star rating and 18 of them are still uncommitted. With commitment season on the horizon, there are a handful of recruiting powerhouse programs who haven’t picked up a running back commitment … yet.
Auburn and Florida State have a lot of overlapping targets but they’ve each invested a lot of time and effort in courting current Penn State commit Alvin Henderson. Ohio State’s recruiting efforts at running back were set back when they lost position coach Tony Alford to Michigan. The Wolverines are still looking for their running back commitment in this recruiting class, too. South Carolina and Missouri have been making big waves on the recruiting trail but still haven’t made their move on a running back.
