It has been said all offseason that the Las Vegas Raiders need to find a complementary piece in the backfield to Ashton Jeanty. Klint Kubiak's two-headed monster approach cannot be employed unless Las Vegas has a viable No. 2 back, and they don't currently have one on the roster.
The Raiders have almost exclusively been meeting with late-round and UDFA prospects at the position, which begs the question of whether or not they'll sign a veteran. Either way, here is one running back prospect in (almost) every round of the 2026 NFL Draft for fans to know.
1 RB for Las Vegas Raiders fans to monitor in every round of 2026 NFL Draft
Let's start in Round 3, because taking a running back in Rounds 1 or 2 would be too rich, and there aren't that many of them set to be available anyway.
Round 3 - Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas
Washington Jr. is a rare blend of size and speed at the running back position, and he could be a bigger and more bruising counterpart to Jeanty at over 6-feet and 228 pounds. After dominating the smaller-college level, Washington Jr. took his talents to the SEC and balled out. He has great vision, thrives in multiple blocking schemes, and is improving as a pass-catching and blocking back.
Round 4 - Emmett Johnson, Nebraska
The Raiders met with Johnson at the NFL combine, so he should be on the radar. He stuck it out at Nebraska and got better each year, culminating in a senior season in which he put up 1,821 all-purpose yards and 15 touchdowns. Johnson isn't the biggest, fastest or strongest running back, but he is tough as nails, has great stamina and quickness, and he churns out yards any way he can.
Round 4/5 - Nick Singleton, Penn State
Singleton was on his way to stardom and potentially being an early-round pick before a production drop-off in 2025. Even though his yards got cut in half from 1,099 to 549, he ran for 25 touchdowns in his last two college seasons and flashed great ability as a receiving back, despite sharing the backfield with another great player. A recent injury is a bit worrisome, but he has incredible talent.
Round 5 - Adam Randall, Clemson
Randall could be the next Tyrone Tracy Jr., a guy who converted from the wide receiver position to running back. Randall is a massive runner and quite bruising, but his history helps him as a pass-catching back as well. He is still new to the position, and had 2 fumbles last year and a few at the Senior Bowl, but Randall produced quite a bit at Clemson last year and is worth a project.
Round 6 - Kaelon Black, Indiana
Raiders fans know Black because of his proximity to Mendoza. But he has 12 pre-draft visits with NFL teams, including a 30 visit in Las Vegas, for a reason. He runs incredibly tough between the tackles, is great in pass protection, and a smart NFL team will unlock his receiving ability. Black doesn't change pace well or have lightning speed, but he is fearless and never stops moving his legs or feet.
Round 7 - Roman Hemby, Indiana
Hemby shared the backfield with Black at Indiana and met with the Raiders at the combine. He is a bit bigger than Black and has more acceleration, quickness and speed. His pad level gets too high, and he isn't nearly as good in pass protection, but Hemby is a crafty runner with perhaps more pure rushing ability. He is reliable and doesn't fumble, either, which is a good thing.
UDFA - Cam Porter, Northwestern
Las Vegas met with Porter at his Pro Day and followed up with a virtual meeting. His rushing production wasn't great in college, as he topped out at 651 yards back in 2023, and only ran for 137 yards last year. But for some reason, it appears that the Raiders like him, and they might not have a ton of competition for him in the undrafted free agent market.
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