Factoid

May 03, 2025

Looking for nobody running backs

Sometimes it's better to go undrafted

It’s fun to kick around the potential of the later-round running backs. Devin Neal (Saints) and Kyle Monangai (Bears) are in the group. There’s not much in front of them, making it reasonable to wonder if they might get on the field.

In the case of Monangai (pictured), he played his college ball at Rutgers. The last seventh-round rookie running back to make much of an impact came from that school (Isiah Pacheco). Monangai was a much better college player, while Pacheco came out with better physical traits.

But hitting on later-round running backs is notoriously tough.

With the numbers in front of me, I see that there’s actually been fewer notable running backs drafted in late rounds than ones that weren’t even drafted at all.

In the last 10 years, there’s been only one running back selected in the seventh round who’s put up top-50 stats in his first season (Pacheco). And there’s been only one who was selected in the sixth round (Elijah Mitchell). That’s using PPR scoring.

But there have been 10 such backs who signed as free agents, with James Robinson and Phillip Lindsay leading the way.

Undrafted running backs also have outperformed those selected in the fifth round. Tyrone Tracy had a good rookie season for the Giants last year, but only four others have posted top-50 stats in their rookie season.

When we get up into the fourth round, that’s where it flips, with running backs in that group able to outperform what’s simply available on the street.

Finding these nobodies, of course, is difficult. For myself, I think it comes down to waiting to see them do something of note in a preseason game. James Robinson, Phillip Lindsay and Jaleel McLaughlin definitely fit that profile – they made it known they were something in August.

And these guys tend to come from less-heralded schools. Of the 10 best undrafted running backs listed below, only two came from major schools. Lindsay was productive at Colorado but was ridiculously small. Warren weighed 215 and had some production at Oklahoma State – he shouldn’t have been overlooked.

For each of the below charts, you’re seeing the 10 most productive picks of the last 10 years, using PPR scoring.

BEST 10 UNDRAFTED RUNNING BACKS
Year	Player	Run	Rec	Tot	TD	PPR	Rk
2020	James Robinson, Jac.	1,070	344	1,414	10	252.4	7
2018	Phillip Lindsay, Den.	1,037	241	1,278	10	222.8	13
2015	Charcandrick West, K.C.	634	214	848	5	134.8	35
2015	Thomas Rawls, Sea.	830	76	906	5	129.6	37
2016	Robert Kelley, Was.	704	82	786	7	132.6	38
2016	Jalen Richard, Oak.	491	194	685	3	115.5	42
2017	Austin Ekeler, LAC	260	279	539	5	110.9	44
2023	Jaleel McLaughlin, Den.	410	160	570	3	106.0	46
2022	Jaylen Warren, Pitt.	379	214	593	1	93.3	47
2017	Matt Breida, S.F.	465	180	645	3	103.5	47
Avg	10 best backs	628	198	826	5	140	35

7TH ROUND, BEST 10 RUNNING BACKS
Year	Player	Run	Rec	Tot	TD	PPR	Rk
2022	Isiah Pacheco, K.C.	830	130	960	5	139.0	37
2016	Dwayne Washington, Det.	265	62	327	1	48.7	74
2018	Justin Jackson, LAC	206	135	341	2	61.1	75
2017	Chris Carson, Sea.	208	59	267	1	39.7	86
2019	Myles Gaskin, Mia.	133	51	184	1	31.4	90
2020	Malcolm Perry, Mia.	5	92	97	1	24.7	99
2021	Eno Benjamin, Ari.	118	42	160	1	28.0	100
2021	Jermar Jefferson, Det.	74	23	97	2	25.7	102
2022	Zander Horvath, LAC	8	8	16	2	18.6	107
2019	Kerrith Whyte, Pitt.	122	9	131	0	14.1	107
Avg	10 best backs	196	61	258	1	43	87

6TH ROUND, BEST 10 RUNNING BACKS
Year	Player	Run	Rec	Tot	TD	PPR	Rk
2021	Elijah Mitchell, S.F.	963	137	1,100	6	165.0	26
2017	Elijah McGuire, NYJ	315	177	492	2	80.2	62
2021	Khalil Herbert, Chi.	433	96	529	2	78.9	63
2019	Ty Johnson, Det.	273	109	382	0	62.2	66
2023	Chris Rodriguez, Was.	247	12	259	2	39.9	77
2021	Demetric Felton, Cle.	24	181	205	2	50.5	79
2018	Trenton Cannon, NYJ	113	144	257	1	48.7	80
2021	Chris Evans, Cin.	77	151	228	2	49.8	83
2024	Kimani Vidal, LAC	155	62	217	1	32.7	84
2019	Darwin Thompson, K.C.	128	43	171	1	32.1	88
Avg	10 best backs	272	111	384	1	64	70

5TH ROUND, BEST 10 RUNNING BACKS
Year	Player	Run	Rec	Tot	TD	PPR	Rk
2016	Jordan Howard, Chi.	1,313	298	1,611	7	232.1	10
2024	Tyrone Tracy, NYG	839	284	1,123	6	186.3	26
2022	Tyler Allgeier, Atl.	1,035	139	1,174	4	159.4	30
2015	Karlos Williams, Buff.	517	96	613	9	126.3	38
2021	Kenneth Gainwell, Phil.	291	253	544	6	125.4	40
2016	DeAndre Washington, Oak.	467	115	582	2	87.2	56
2018	Jaylen Samuels, Pitt.	256	199	455	3	89.5	58
2016	Paul Perkins, NYG	456	162	618	0	76.8	60
2023	Chase Brown, Cin.	179	156	335	1	53.5	63
2017	Aaron Jones, G.B.	448	22	470	4	80.0	63
Avg	10 best backs	580	172	752	4	121	44

4TH ROUND, BEST 10 RUNNING BACKS
Year	Player	Run	Rec	Tot	TD	PPR	Rk
2024	Bucky Irving, T.B.	1,122	392	1,514	8	246.4	15
2022	Dameon Pierce, Hou.	939	165	1,104	5	170.4	25
2018	Nyheim Hines, Ind.	314	425	739	4	160.9	28
2017	Tarik Cohen, Chi.	370	353	723	4	154.4	28
2021	Michael Carter, NYJ	639	325	964	4	156.4	29
2016	Devontae Booker, Den.	612	265	877	5	148.7	29
2015	Javorius Allen, Balt.	514	353	867	3	149.7	29
2015	Jeremy Langford, Chi.	537	279	816	7	147.6	30
2017	Jamaal Williams, G.B.	556	262	818	6	142.8	34
2021	Chuba Hubbard, Car.	612	174	786	6	139.6	36
Avg	10 best backs	621	299	920	5	161	28

—Ian Allan

Kyle Monangai Devin Neal

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