The Washington Commanders have to revamp the working sport, and will benefit from a very deep working again class within the 2025 NFL draft. If common supervisor Adam Peters decides to attend till after their first two rounds of the draft to pick out a working again, he has loads of sleeper choices that would make a right away influence that are not being talked about sufficient.
Jarquez Hunter, RB, Auburn
Jarquez Hunter is palms down my favourite Day 3 working again within the draft, and I believe he is worthy of choose 104 for Washington. Jarquez has the right mix of velocity and energy to be an every-down again within the NFL. The previous Tiger lacks dimension at 5-foot-9 and 204 kilos, but it surely does not present on movie along with his contact stability and bodily enjoying type. Hunter makes use of his dimension to his benefit, particularly when working by way of gaps and discovering an open lane to interrupt upfield.
When concentrating on the A and B gaps on a run, Hunter averaged eight yards per try on 92 carries, and 27% of his runs went for greater than 10 yards. Hunter suits into a number of run schemes on the subsequent degree with 88 zone makes an attempt and 98 hole makes an attempt in 2024. He rushed for over 2,000 yards in his final two seasons and could be a superb addition to the working again room for Washington. The Commanders met with Hunter on the Senior Bowl, Auburn’s Professional Day, in addition to a Zoom assembly not too long ago.
DJ Giddens, RB, Kansas State
I debated placing Giddens on this record as a result of he is seemingly a third-round draft choose and Washington does not have a third-round choose, however he is too underrated to not be on the record. If Washington trades again from 61 and collects a choose within the 70-90 vary, I am hoping for Giddens. DJ Giddens is an elite athlete with the ceiling of a premier every-down again within the NFL. Giddens performs with persistence and imaginative and prescient, and flips the swap to hurry and energy when it is time to rise up the sector.
He has a 6-foot, 212-pound body to combine along with his athleticism of 4.43 40-yard sprint velocity (1.49 10-yard cut up), and 10-foot-10 broad bounce. Giddens rushed for over 2,569 yards within the final two seasons and likewise added 11.6 yards per reception in that very same time-frame, making him a whole risk within the backfield. He is an enormous play ready to occur as he completed tied for seventh within the nation with 25 runs of 15+ yards in 2024. Washington would have their RB1 for a very long time in the event that they drafted DJ Giddens. That is my dream choose after the second spherical.
Jo’Quavious “Woody” Marks, RB, Southern Cal
Woody Marks is a well-recognized goal for the Washington Commanders, as they’ve met with the working again on the Senior Bowl, at USC’s professional day, and a proper assembly on the NFL mix. It is easy to see why Washington is within the working again while you watch his movie and see his short-area explosiveness and residential run risk along with his lengthy velocity. Washington loves skilled gamers who can are available as a rookie and contribute immediately, and Marks transferred to USC from Mississippi State for his final season, making him a five-year starter. Woody Marks ended his profession on a excessive be aware within the Massive Ten with 1,133 speeding yards (5.7 ypc) and 9 touchdowns on the bottom.
Marks additionally completed his profession with ample expertise as a receiver within the backfield, having made 261 catches for 1,546 yards. Woody is an elite athlete with true acceleration on the working again place, making him a landing ready to occur sort of risk. My favourite Woody Marks play this season occurred to be a excessive effort play in opposition to Michigan when DT Kenneth Grant recovered a strip sack fumble from USC, and Marks chased the first-round defensive deal with down, ripped the ball out, and recovered it for his offense. That is the form of play that Dan Quinn and Adam Peters will circle again to when constructing their boards.
Jordan James, RB, Oregon
Jordan James does not have the identical athletic profile as the opposite working backs listed, however all he does is run the ball at a excessive degree. After splitting the backfield with stud rookie working again Bucky Irving in 2023, James turned the main again for a stacked Oregon workforce in 2024, taking advantage of his alternative. The Oregon again had his carries elevated from 108 in 2023 to 233 in 2024, and nonetheless maintained a PFF speeding grade of 90.9 (fifth highest within the nation). James has additionally NEVER fumbled in his 386 profession speeding makes an attempt, making him one of the crucial reliable backs within the league.
Jordan James is a really affected person runner, however when his imaginative and prescient exhibits him the place to go, he shows elite decisiveness and sharp cuts to get there. He runs behind his pads and is each linebacker’s nightmare within the second degree along with his fast burst and skill to interrupt tackles. On his 233 carries, he pressured 58 missed tackles and gained 740 of his 1,268 speeding yards after contact. James has already proven that he will be elite in a working again committee, however as a premier again, he isn’t. Washington met with Jordan James at Oregon’s professional day and had a proper assembly with him on the NFL mix as effectively.
Peters loves to seek out his worth picks within the draft and will resolve to prioritize different positions that are not as deep within the draft earlier than choosing a working again. Quite a lot of the depth within the working again class would go a lot earlier in another draft, so you possibly can discover a second or third-round working again on day 3 of the draft this yr.