The Rivals250 for the 2025 class has been updated and now it’s time to break down each position. We move to running back by looking at four big storylines moving forward.
NEW POSITION RANKINGS: Athlete | Cornerback | Safety | Outside Linebacker | Inside Linebacker | Strongside Defensive End | Weakside Defensive End | Defensive Tackle | Offensive Tackle | Offensive Guard | Center | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Running Back | All-Purpose Back | Pro-Style QB | Dual-Threat QB
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Sunday: Who should be No. 1?
Monday: Five-Star Countdown | Meet the new five-stars
Tuesday: New Rivals250 unveiled | Gorney goes position-by-position | Biggest risers
Wednesday: New offensive position rankings released | QB rankings breakdown | RB rankings breakdown | WR/TE rankings breakdown | OL rankings breakdown
Thursday: New defensive position rankings released | DL rankings breakdown | LB rankings breakdown | DB rankings breakdown | ATH rankings breakdown
Friday: New state rankings released | Who is No. 1 in each state?
Saturday: Roundtable on the new Rivals250 rankings
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WILL DAVISON REMAIN A FIVE-STAR?
Only the season and the all-star games can determine whether Jordon Davison remains a five-star or not.
The Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei standout, who had more than 1,000 rushing yards as a sophomore and then split carries with Georgia signee Nate Frazier last season, has all the tools to be special. Whether he fashions himself like Ezekiel Elliott or he was compared with Le’Veon Bell this summer by Rivals Camp Series coach Brandon Jacobs, Davison has a lot of tools.
But there are two things to watch here: First, running backs just do not regularly go in the first round of the NFL Draft. Secondly, Davison’s weight became an issue this summer as he parted ways with Ohio State and then picked Oregon over Alabama.
Davison is super talented. There is no doubt about that. But given NFL Draft trends and issues around top-end speed, position and how that all plays into where he will eventually get picked, a dominant senior season could really go a long way in helping the Mater Dei standout keep his five-star ranking.
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IS BERRY MORE THAN A GADGET PLAYER?
At the Rivals Five-Star this summer, Harlem Berry was one of the best players there. He won the Fastest 40 competition. He was devastating in one-on-ones and 7-on-7 play. He has elite athleticism and ability, and the five-star all-purpose back can take the top off any defense.
But at only 182.5 pounds, how does the Metairie (La.) St. Martin’s Episcopal standout translate to the weekly pounding of SEC football. On top of that, how will he be utilized in NFL schemes? There is a difference between an elite athlete and someone who projects as a first-round pick.
The word is that USC told Berry during the recruiting process that he reminds the coaches of Reggie Bush, who was about 180 pounds in high school and then played in the NFL a hair over 200 pounds. Bush is one-of-a-kind but Berry has phenomenal playmaking ability.
However, the five-star will need to add significant weight. The average of all the starting SEC running backs this season is 210.5 pounds. Not a single projected starter is under 200 pounds. LSU’s projected starter, Kaleb Jackson, is 235 pounds and the only running back on the Tigers’ roster under 200 pounds is Trey Holly at 192.
Berry is special. He can be used in so many different ways in LSU’s attack from running the ball to catching it out of the backfield to jet sweeps to lining up in the slot. But does that translate to a first-round NFL Draft pick?
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IS THERE ANOTHER FIVE-STAR IN THE GROUP?
Auburn commit Alvin Henderson has more than 7,000 yards and 132 touchdowns in three seasons. If the Elba, Ala., four-star keeps this pace, he should eclipse 10,000 rushing yards in his high school career.
Clemson pledge Gideon Davidson looked like a million bucks at the Rivals Five-Star. Four-stars Akylin Dear and Ousmane Kromah look like they could be breakout stars, if they were only seen more at national events. Ole Miss lean Shekai Mills-Knight, originally from Canada and now playing at Chattanooga (Tenn.) Baylor School, is someone who could shoot even higher up the rankings.
There are draft trends hindering higher rankings for running backs but there’s no question that this is a strong running back group. Whether there are other five-stars, though, is another question to consider.
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A LOOK AT THE UNCOMMITTED PROSPECTS
The top three running backs – Davison, Henderson and Davidson – are all committed but then there are some interesting names down the list that still have to make their choices.
Dear looks like an Alabama lean. Kromah, who doesn’t do interviews hardly at all, has Auburn, Florida State, Georgia and others involved. Mills-Knight will decide this week and Ole Miss is his leader. Byron Louis has Miami and Florida State among others leading the way for him.
Prospects have come off the board at a rapid clip this summer – hundreds of commitments came through both in June and July – but there are still some high-level running backs waiting to make their choices.
