Continuing on with the 2025 NFL draft prospects, Ollie Gordon IV is going to be the first offensive player that is not a quarterback we analyze in this series. I believe that this upcoming draft class has the potential to be the best class for running backs of all time and Ollie Gordon IV leads this spectacular class off.
How Ollie Gordon performs against different competition is not a question whatsoever. Number 0 had over 150 total yards and 2 touchdowns against the 9th ranked team at the time, the Oklahoma Sooners. In the Texas Bowl Ollie had over 120 total yards and a touchdown against Texas A&M. Even before Ollie was viewed as a premier back by Oklahoma State this season and started to get premium touches Ollie was dominant having 97 yards and 2 touchdowns in the very first two games of the season on just 16 carries. The only games of the season Ollie Gordon IV struggled to produce on the ground were against Texas in the Dr. Pepper Big 10 Championship in which his offensive line gave him no room to run, but Ollie still managed to be a playmaker for the team having 54 yards through the air. The other game he struggled to produce was against the UCF Knights in which Ollie was given extremely limited carries with only 12 in a game that the Cowboys got mollywhopped losing 45 to 3.
Statistically Ollie Gordon IV was very clearly one of if not the most dominant runners in all of college football. In his first year starting Ollie had a ridiculous 1,732 yards with a heaping 21 touchdowns rushing on 285 carries. That is an average of 6.1 yards per carry on nearly 300 touches, this consistency at such an elite level is incomparable to anyone. On top of his ridiculous production on the ground, Ollie added 330 yards and a touchdown through the air on 39 catches. That is a total of over 2,000 combined yards for Ollie with 22 touchdowns. For comparison, the most recent elite prospect at running back was Bijan Robinson who was selected 8th overall by the Falcons in 2022. Bijan had less yards both rushing and receiving, as well as less total touchdowns in his best season than Ollie did last year. On top of that Ollie still has a junior year to have an even BETTER season than he did before. As I said before I believe that this draft class has the potential to be the best running back class ever, so let’s compare Ollie to the other runners coming out this next season. The consensus RB2 in the draft class as well as the player that comes closest to Ollie in touches is Quinshon Judkins of Ohio State University. Judkins on just 14 less carries however only had 1,158 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns, over 500 less yards and 6 less touchdowns than Ollie. To make it clear, Ollie statistically has without a doubt already proven to be an elite running back and is only looking to improve somehow this year.
How does Ollie Gordon IV rank athletically though, does he have the upside from an athletic perspective to be elite at the next level? The answer is without a single doubt, absolutely. For one Ollie Gordon has a standout frame at 6’2 225, his height being in the 96th percentile of running backs, which allows him to be an extremely physical runner and great power or red zone threat. On top of that though Ollie has killer speed running a 4.45 40 yard dash making Gordon IV one of the fastest running backs in the country. His blend of size, athleticism, and speed is generational and certainly makes for a spectacular do it all NFL prospect.
Diving into the tape of the standout running back he simply does not stop impressing. Ollie has impeccable patience and vision while carrying the ball that allows him to find a hole for a massive gain time and time again. As said before Ollie does not shy away from contact and has the ability to bounce off of or break through any tackle and turn it into a massive gain, if not a long touchdown. On top of having great agility and burst, Ollie also has build up speed that I can only compare to the likes of Derrick Henry. Once Ollie sees the open field he keeps chugging and gaining steam like a train and the further he goes the harder it is to take him down. He has really solid ball security as well having only 2 fumbles on his 285 carries. His strong legs and long body allow for a dominant goal line back that can punch in the rock for a score seemingly effortlessly once the offense is short and goal. His consistency is no question at an elite level as he produces so heavily even on average with so many carries. Many people are concerned about Ollie having his wheels run off however his durability is extreme as he had so many carries without injury and never slowed down unlike how other college players have. Gordon isn’t the best receiving back you could ask for however he has proven to be a reliable option out of the backfield with soft hands. Ollie is without a doubt a work horse back that is ready to carry an NFL team to victory.
As for the negatives, they are extremely limited. The biggest concern by far is if Ollie will get hurt and decline this upcoming season with his ridiculous touches and production. However that is only a hypothetical at the moment and shouldn’t tank his draft stock compared to the other top runners who have dealt with injuries on a fraction of the touches. One minor concern I have is that Oklahoma State doesn’t nearly run a pro style offense, so there may be a minor adjusting period for Ollie in the NFL. This is not nearly as much of a concern for a running back as it would be for other positions though such as a quarterback or wide receiver. His pass protection is something that could use some work as well as his fundamentals as a blocker in the backfield are extremely lackluster. On the other hand though Ollie has without a doubt shown effort as a blocker willing to get physical to protect his quarterback and he certainly has the size to develop into one of the best blocking running backs.
If I’m a team looking to add a star running back, I may find Ollie Gordon IV to be way more than I could ask for. I believe Ollie is a generational talent at running back and will prove to be an elite playmaker no matter where he ends up in the NFL based on what I saw last year. Ollie is a do it all work horse that has proven to be durable enough for the NFL with enough effort and motivation to push himself to be the best. I would go as far to say that Ollie Gordon IV last year put up a very strong debate to be the best running back I have ever scouted. I project Ollie Gordon IV to continue his dominance, and even develop, with even more touches this season and have over 2,000 yards rushing with 27 total touchdowns. I’m not a fan of drafting running backs in the first round, however if Ollie keeps up the pace that is certainly where he’s headed.