Packers Draft Preview: Running Backs to Replace Josh Jacobs, Emanuel Wilson

The Green Bay Packers’ backfield is in a state of transition. This offseason, Emanuel Wilson signed with the Seahawks in free agency. Next offseason, a 29-year-old Josh Jacobs will be owed $13.5 million in salary and bonuses.

With short- and long-term needs compounded by MarShawn Lloyd’s constant injuries, here’s our 2026 NFL Draft preview of the running backs.

Packers Depth Chart

Josh Jacobs: Jacobs’ rushing total plunged from 1,329 yards in 2024 to 929 yards in 2025. It wasn’t his fault. Green Bay’s backfield endured an across-the-board drop in production. Of the top 20 in rushing, only one had a higher percentage of rushing yards after contact than Jacobs.

Green Bay Packers running back Chris Brooks could be the team's RB2 in 2026. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Chris Brooks: The Packers opted to keep Brooks over Wilson this offseason. Wilson is the better runner, but that’s an easier skill-set to replace than the blitz-beating ability of Brooks. Of note, of the 99 running backs with at least 82 carries the last three seasons (that’s Brooks’ number), he is third in average yards after contact.

MarShawn Lloyd: A third-round pick in 2024, Lloyd has played in one game in his career. This might be a do-or-die training camp.

Pierre Strong: A fourth-round pick by the Patriots in 2022, Strong has 499 yards in 99 carries (50 average), 26 catches for 193 yards (7.4 average) and 17 tackles. He spent last season on Green Bay’s practice squad and didn’t play in a game.

Damien Martinez: Martinez was a seventh-round pick by Seattle in 2025 who failed to make its roster and joined Green Bay’s practice squad late in the season. Can he be Beast Mode 2.0?

What Do Packers Need?

For now, the Packers could use a productive No. 2 runner behind Jacobs. That, of course, was supposed to be Lloyd, who was the second part of Green Bay’s one-two punch of additions to the backfield in 2024.

Over the long haul, the Packers could use their running back of the future. Jacobs isn’t getting any younger or any less expensive. So, while the Packers have some critical needs to address in the draft, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they used one of their early picks on their potential No. 1 back of the future.

Ranking the Running Back Prospects

There’s no point in breaking down Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love, who will be a first-round pick. Everyone else in the class could be available when the Packers are on the clock with the 52nd overall pick. Skipping Love and the backs who probably will not be on Green Bay’s draft board, here’s our ranking of the running backs in this year’s draft class.

Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas

Height and weight: 6-1, 224. 40: 4.33. Hands: 9 1/4. RAS: 9.88.

Washington has a startling combination of size and speed, which will make him a much hotter candidate than the stats might forecast. In five seasons at three schools, he rushed for 2,914 yards (5.0 average) and added 28 receptions for 226 yards (8.1 average).

In his lone season at Arkansas, he set career highs with 1,070 rushing yards (6.4 average) and 28 receptions. He had a combined 660 rushes and receptions in his career.

There are 52 FBS-level running backs in this draft class who had at least 113 carries. He ranked ninth with 3.86 yards after contact per carry, according to Pro Football Focus. His drop rate was 2.7 percent (one drop). He averaged 2.0 fumbles per 100 touches and broke or forced a missed tackle on 15 percent of his touches, according to Sports Info Solutions.

He had a predraft visit with the Packers.

“I like Josh Jacobs a lot,” Washington said at pro day. “I’ve been watching him since he was at Alabama. The way he runs, he’s a physical downhill runner, but he can also make you miss and has breakaway speed. I just like his game.”

Jadarian Price, Notre Dame

Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price was not used much as a receiver. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Height and weight: 5-10 5/8, 203 pounds. 40: 4.49. RAS: 8.58.

Playing behind Jeremiyah Love, Price in three seasons rushed for 1,692 yards and 21 touchdowns. He caught only 15 passes in his career but returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in 2025 and three for his career.

“I tell them I do a lot of hard work and practice,” Price said of his pass-catching ability at the Combine, “things behind the scenes that you don't see. We just did so good running the ball that we didn't need to pass too much.”

There are 52 FBS-level running backs in this draft class who had at least 113 carries. (That’s Price’s number). Price ranked eighth with 3.92 yards after contact per carry, according to Pro Football Focus. His drop rate was 0 percent, though he was only targeted seven times. He averaged 2.5 fumbles per 100 touches – a terrible rate – and broke or forced a missed tackle on 31 percent of his touches, according to Sports Info Solutions.

The scouts have brought up his fumbling problem. “Every interview you're going to go into, they're going to talk about the good stuff, and they're obviously going to bring up the bad stuff that you need to work on, because at the end of the day, the ball is the program.”

A running back only has so many hits in his body. Price had a combined 295 rushes and receptions in college.

Kaytron Allen, Penn State

Height and weight: 5-11 3/8, 216. 40: DNP. Hands: 9 1/2. RAS: None.

Allen was a big-time performer with a school-record 4,180 rushing yards, 70 receptions and 43 touchdowns in four seasons. In 2025, he was a second-team All-American with 1,303 rushing yards (6.2 average) and 18 receptions (for just 3.8 yards per catch).

“It meant a lot because I put it down on my record board, something that I wanted to do,” Allen said at pro day. “And I told my aunties that I wanted to do it. They passed, unfortunately – they couldn't see it, but I told them I wanted to do it.”

There are 52 FBS-level running backs in this draft class who had at least 113 carries. He ranked 11th with 3.77 yards after contact per carry, according to Pro Football Focus. His drop rate was 5.3 percent (one drop). He averaged 0.4 fumbles per 100 touches and broke or forced a missed tackle on 24 percent of his touches, according to Sports Info Solutions.

Allen had a combined 839 rushes and receptions in his career.

He has a great nickname.

“When I was a baby I was fat, so (my mom) named me ‘Fatman’ as my nickname, so it’s always stuck with me,” he said. “Everybody calls me that in the city for real. I don’t really like Kaytron. … I like Fatman way better for real.”

Emmett Johnson, Nebraska

Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Emmett Johnson (21) jumps to avoid a tackle from Penn State cornerback A.J. Harris. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Height and weight: 5-10 1/4, 202 pounds. 40: 4.56. Hands: 9 3/4. RAS: 5.56.

Johnson emerged in 2024 and then broke out in 2025, when he was the Big Ten’s running back of the year with 1,451 rushing yards (5.8 average) and added 46 receptions (8.0 average).

There are 52 FBS-level running backs in this draft class who had at least 113 carries. He ranked 41st with 295 yards after contact per carry, according to Pro Football Focus. His drop rate was 2.1 percent (one drop). He averaged 0.3 fumbles per 100 touches and broke or forced a missed tackle on 31 percent of his touches, according to Sports Info Solutions.

Johnson had a combined 550 rushes and receptions in his career.

He was the only running back at the Combine to do every drill.

“I’ve been competing my whole life,” he told NFL Draft On SI. “That was another opportunity for me to show that I never run from competition. I’m not afraid to compete. Doing everything at the NFL Combine, that was basically me showing who I am as a person. I’ve always had to compete for everything I have. My entire life has been that way.”

Jonah Coleman, Washington

Height and weight: 5-foot-8 1/8, 220 pounds. 40: DNP. Hands: 9 1/8. RAS: None.

Coleman historically is too short for Green Bay’s preferences. However, he’s shot but not smll, and and he’s got elite intangibles as a finalist for the William Campbell Trophy (aka the Academic Heisman).

Between two seasons at Arizona and two at Washington, Coleman rushed for 3,054 yards (5.5 average) and caught 87 passes (9.6 average). He rushed for a career-high 1,053 yards in 2024 and caught a career-high 31 passes in 2025.

“I feel like once you hone in on the small details, the more productive you can be,” he said before the Senior Bowl. “I played a lot of football. My football IQ got better as a result. I played around 50 games. I felt very experienced and prepared. You play that many games, you begin to adapt and get better. I perfected my craft.

There are 52 FBS-level running backs in this draft class who had at least 113 carries. He ranked 16th with 358 yards after contact per carry, according to Pro Football Focus. He had the most catches without a drop. He averaged 0.5 fumbles per 100 touches and broke or forced a missed tackle on 23 percent of his touches, according to Sports Info Solutions.

He had a combined 639 rushes and receptions in his career.

Nicholas Singleton, Penn State

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton (10) runs for a touchdown against the Hoosiers at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Height and weight: 6-0 1/4, 219. 40: DNP Hands: 9 3/8. RAS: None.

Even with Kaytron Allen on the team, Singleton had an excellent career with 3,461 rushing yards and 102 receptions. He added 23.7 yards per kickoff return with one touchdown. In 2025, he had a career-low 549 rushing yards (4.5 average) and 24 receptions (9.1 average).

There are 52 FBS-level running backs in this draft class who had at least 113 carries. He ranked 50th with 2.72 yards after contact per carry, according to Pro Football Focus. His drop rate was 4.0 percent (one drop). He broke or forced a missed tackle on 13 percent of his touches, according to Sports Info Solutions, and did not fumble.

Singleton suffered a broken foot at the Senior Bowl, which sidelined him for testing.

“(I tell them) I'm getting better every day,” Singleton said at pro day. “I'm still that same player, run the ball, catch the ball in the backfield, be able to go block, just show them that I’m a complete (running back).”

He had a combined 724 rushes and receptions in his career.

Kaelon Black, Indiana

Height and weight: 5-9 1/4, 211 pounds. 40: 4.45. Hands: 8 7/8. RAS: 9.14.

In four seasons at James Madison and two at Indiana, Black rushed for 2,595 yards and caught 55 passes. He saved his best for last with 1,039 rushing yards (5.6 average) to help the Hoosiers win the national championship in 2025. He caught only four passes in 2024 and again in 2025 but grabbed 27 for the Dukes in 2023.

There are 52 FBS-level running backs in this draft class who had at least 113 carries. He ranked 20th with 3.47 yards after contact per carry, according to Pro Football Focus. He had only one drop in his career (1.9 percent). He averaged 1.0 fumbles per 100 touches and broke or forced a missed tackle on 15 percent of his touches, according to Sports Info Solutions.

He had a combined 551 rushes and receptions in his career.

Chip Trayanum, Toledo

Height and weight: 5-10 5/8, 224. 40: 4.50. Hands: 9 3/4. RAS: 9.62.

After stints at Arizona State, Ohio State and Kentucky – including some dabbling at linebacker with the Buckeyes – Trayanum found his home at Toledo. As a sixth-year player, he rushed for 1,015 yards (5.6 average) and caught 21 passes (10.2 average).

There are 52 FBS-level running backs in this draft class who had at least 113 carries. He ranked 36th with 3.08 yards after contact per carry, according to Pro Football Focus. His drop rate was 8.7 percent (two). He averaged 1.7 fumbles per 100 touches and broke or forced a missed tackle on 15 percent of his touches, according to Sports Info Solutions.

Trayanum had a combined 464 rushes and receptions in his career.

Adam Randall Clemson

Height and weight: 6-3 3/8, 232. 40: 4.50, Hands: 9 3/4. RAS: 9.44.

After three seasons at receiver, Randall shifted to running back for his final season. The team captain wound up setting career highs with 814 rushing yards (4.8 average), 36 receptions (7.1 average) and 13 touchdowns.

Clemson Tigers running back Adam Randall (8) runs with the ball against Penn State. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

There are 52 FBS-level running backs in this draft class who had at least 113 carries. He ranked 35th with 3.13 yards after contact per carry, according to Pro Football Focus. His drop rate was a shockingly high 14.3 percent (six drops) given his background. He averaged 1.5 fumbles per 100 touches and broke or forced a missed tackle on 17 percent of his touches, according to Sports Info Solutions.

“I think I bring a lot to the offensive side of the ball, just my versatility,” Randall said at pro day. “I think I am a positionless player and a player that can plug in and play in a lot of spots, and also a smart player, somebody that can pick up an offense very well. With my size, speed, and ability, I think I bring a matchup nightmare for a defense.”

Randall had a combined 256 rushes and receptions in his career.

C.J. Donaldson, Ohio State

Height and weight: 6-1 5/8, 230 pounds. 40: 4.61. Hands: 9 1/2. RAS: 6.04.

Donaldson spent his first three seasons at West Virginia, where he rushed for 526 yards as a freshman, 798 as a sophomore and 734 as a junior. He closed his career with one season at Ohio State, where he rushed for only 361 yards (3.8 average) and caught 16 passes (6.4 average) but had his third consecutive season of 10-plus rushing touchdowns.

There are 70 FBS-level running backs in this draft class who had at least 90 carries, which was Donaldson’s tally. He ranked 69th with 2.30 yards after contact per carry, according to Pro Football Focus. He did not drop a pass. He averaged 0.9 fumbles per 100 touches and broke or forced a missed tackle on just 7 percent of his touches, according to Sports Info Solutions.

He had a combined 564 rushes and receptions in his career.

Jam Miller, Alabama

Height and weight: 5-10 1/4, 209 pounds. 40: 4.42. Hands: 8 3/4. RAS: 7.17.

Miller rushed for 1,595 yards (46 average) and caught 40 passes (8.4 average) in four seasons at Alabama. As a senior, he rushed for 504 yards (3.9 average) and caught 19 passes (5.7 average)

There are 52 FBS-level running backs in this draft class who had at least 113 carries. He ranked 51st with 2.45 yards after contact per carry, according to Pro Football Focus. His drop rate was 13.6 percent (three drops). He averaged 0.7 fumbles per 100 touches and broke or forced a missed tackle on 13 percent of his touches, according to Sports Info Solutions.

Miller had a combined 389 rushes and receptions in his career.

Seth McGowan, Kentucky

Height and weight: 6-0 1/3, 223. 40: 4.49. Hands: 9. RAS: 9.34.

McGowan was with six schools in six seasons. After his debut season at Oklahoma in 2020, he was kicked off the team after being arrested for robbery and battery. He rushed for 823 yards with 23 receptions at New Mexico State in 2024 and 725 yards (4.4 average) with 19 receptions at Kentucky in 2025.

There are 52 FBS-level running backs in this draft class who had at least 113 carries. He ranked 49th with 2.72 yards after contact per carry, according to Pro Football Focus. His drop rate was 21.7 percent (five drops), the worst in the draft class. He averaged 1.1 fumbles per 100 touches and broke or forced a missed tackle on 23 percent of his touches, according to Sports Info Solutions.

McGown had a combined 430 rushes and receptions in his career.

SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY PACKERS NEWSLETTER

Packers Predraft Visits