Ollie Gordon NFL Draft Overview
The running back position remains one of the most hotly contested debates in the sport. The premise of drafting a running back in the first round has become somewhat taboo in recent years. In 2024, only two running backs were selected in the top 75, with none coming until pick 46. Many teams have opted to go with a healthy stable of running backs. Being selected in the first round is now reserved for truly special players who impact the game both as a runner and as a pass catcher. In 2023, Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs were both selected in the top twelve. Both of those players enjoyed productive rookie seasons and look to be solid picks thus far. In 2025, it is likely that no running backs will hear their names called on night one of the NFL Draft.
LB #22 is still trying to figure out how Ollie Gordon escaped.
Such a fun player to study. pic.twitter.com/jTnUTsNC2I
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) June 29, 2024
While it may be unlikely, there are still some running backs holding out hope to be first-round picks in 2025. One of them is Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon. Gordon made waves in the 2024 off-season with a DUI arrest but appears to have no other off-field concerns. On the field; Ollie Gordon was the breakout star of college football. He amassed over 2,000 yards from scrimmage for the Cowboys in 2023 and was the biggest factor in their surge to the Big 12 championship game. Gordon racked up awards in 2023, finishing as a unanimous All-American, the Big 12 offensive player of the year, and the recipient of the 2023 Doak Walker award. Gordon looks to build off of his remarkable season and earn himself a top-32 selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Position: RB
Height: 6’2” (Unofficial)
Weight: 225 Pounds (Unofficial)
School: Oklahoma State
Ollie Gordon 2025 NFL Draft profile
Strengths
- Above average size and mass to take RB1 workload
- Willing, but unrefined, blocker
- Can turn upfield quickly after catching the ball
- Strong legs that stay moving to break tackles
- Eliminates tackling angles
- Can hit max speed quickly and burst through open lanes
- Elite footwork
- Utilizes several different moves to evade defenders
- Elite vision to always find an open window to run through
Watch: 2025 Dynasty Rookie Rankings
Weaknesses
- Plays tall with a high pad-level
- Needs work in overall passing game; both as a receiver and blocker
- Not much of a burner, possesses average breakaway speed
- Has the tendency to play hero-ball in the backfield instead of just picking up positive yardage
- Will be brought to the ground too often on first contact
- You expect more power than you actually get at his size
Projection: Early Second Round Pick
Bottom Line on Ollie Gordon
Simply put; Ollie Gordon is one of the most talented players in the country. He enters the 2024 season as a Heisman Trophy candidate and will potentially be the first running back selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. Gordon is somewhat of a unicorn at the running back position. When he lines up in the backfield you may be expecting to see a long and powerful strider who runs through defenders and picks up tough yards. However, it is a much different story when Gordon touches the ball. A fluid mover with quick and precise cuts, Gordon moves like someone who may weigh 20 pounds less than he actually does. He racks up yards like few others in this class can. He pairs this with the size and durability to take the workload of a starting running back.
Here is Ollie Gordon rushing on 21 attempts, for 136 yards, and a touchdown against Kansas State. https://t.co/eVqvNAoeo6 pic.twitter.com/Kkbop2kGC9
— OKSTProbs (@OKSTProbs) July 24, 2024
Gordon was elite in 2023 and has generated some first-round buzz ahead of what is likely his final season in college. Can another elite season land him in the first round? The biggest factor that could help him is his low workload. Gordon barely saw time on the field as a Freshman. Last season was his first full season as a starter. When he enters the draft, he will be a young player with only two years of meaningful college football carries. Gordon is something of a magician with the ball in his hands and the NFL loves players who make plays on their own.
Main Photo NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK
