2026 NFL Draft RB Rankings: Love Leads, Washington Jr. Rockets Up After Combine

Jeremiyah Love Still Sits Pretty at No. 1

Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame) hasn't budged from the top spot in the 2026 NFL draft running back rankings. No combine numbers. No problem. The 6-0, 214-pound back from South Bend balled out in 2025 — 1,372 rushing yards, 21 total touchdowns (18 rushing, 3 receiving). That's not just production. That's a statement.

Compare that to 2024: 1,125 yards, 19 touchdowns. The jump is real. The tape is better. And NFL teams? They're still drooling.

Love's vision, patience, and workload capacity make him the safest pick in this class. He doesn't need to run a 4.3 to prove he's the guy.

Mike Washington Jr. Just Sent a Message

Mike Washington Jr. didn't just show up to the combine. He showed out. The 6-0, 214-pound back from parts unknown ran a 4.40 40-yard dash — at his size. That's not fast. That's unfair.

Pair that with a strong Senior Bowl week and suddenly he's climbing draft boards like a man possessed. Reddit's already got him ranked RB2 in fantasy leagues. NFL teams? Probably higher.

Washington Jr.'s size-speed combo is rare. Like, lottery-ticket rare. He's the kind of back who makes defensive coordinators lose sleep.

Emmett Johnson Took a Tumble

Emmett Johnson was a pre-combine top-5 lock. Now? He's falling fast. Medicals. Interviews. Maybe a bad weigh-in. Whatever it was, it stung.

This is the combine's cruel magic. One day you're a first-rounder. The next? You're hoping someone trusts your tape.

Johnson's slide is a reminder: the combine isn't just about 40 times. It's about everything. Teams dig. They poke. They prod. And sometimes, they pass.

Speed Is the New Currency at RB

The 2026 combine proved it — speed kills at running back. Multiple backs cracked the 4.5-second barrier in the 40. That's not a trend. That's the new normal.

Jaydn Ott (Oklahoma) checked in at 5-11, 208 pounds with a 4.46 40 and 18 bench press reps. Not earth-shattering production (209.3 career rushing yards) but the athletic testing? Chef's kiss.

Ott's got Day 2 written all over him. Speed. Power. Upside. The whole package — just needs reps.

Power Backs Still Have a Seat at the Table

Terion Stewart (Virginia Tech) is your classic hammer. 5-9, 222 pounds. Runs a 4.60 40. But get this — 24 bench press reps. That's not a typo.

Stewart isn't going to make anyone miss in space. But he'll move the chains. He'll fall forward. He'll finish runs. And in this league, that still matters.

His 245.5 career rushing yards don't jump off the page. But his physicality does. Late-round teams will love him.

The Post-Combine Top 5

1. Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame) — The complete, proven package2. Mike Washington Jr. (Undisclosed) — Combine riser with a rare physical profile3. Emmett Johnson (Undisclosed) — Pre-combine top-5, now tumbling due to medical/workout concerns4. Jaydn Ott (Oklahoma) — Speedster with power back upside5. Terion Stewart (Virginia Tech) — Power runner with elite strength testing

What's Next: The Final Month

The 2026 NFL Draft goes down April 23-25 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. That's less than six weeks to sort this thing out.

Pro days matter now — especially for Love, who skipped the combine. Teams want to see him live. They want to poke. They want to prod.

The gap between the top tier and the rest? Still wide. But the middle rounds? Loaded. Teams can wait on RB and still hit.

Why This Class Changes the Game

This isn't just another running back class. It's a philosophical shift. The combine results scream it: faster, more explosive backs who can do it all.

But don't bury the power backs yet. Stewart proves there's still room for a downhill hammer — especially for teams that like to punch you in the mouth.

Depth is the story here. Teams can wait. They can trade back. They can still land a contributor on Day 2 or 3.

As for the top five? Love's grip is firm. Washington Jr.'s stock is still rising. Johnson's fall might stabilize. And the rest? They're fighting for scraps.

The combine lit the fuse. Now we wait for the draft to blow the roof off.