Jordan James 2025 NFL Draft: Scouting Report For Oregon Ducks RB

Tale Of The Tape

It is easy to love the way Jordan James carries the rock. This is an aggressive, confident runner who will take creases and slivers of daylight to maximize his yardage opportunities when he’s not given gaping holes. His commitment to churning out hard yards is accentuated by his low pad level and leg drive, both of which make him a difficult assignment to tackle head-up in the hole. 

As a ball carrier, James shows sufficient vision and decision-making out of the mesh point. He’s capable of making shallow cuts and redirecting with anticipation to avoid color flashing at the mesh point.

Still, his willingness to slow play the backfield and allow blocks to develop can be further enhanced — it would allow him to pop more chunk gains instead of rushing to work out of the backfield and bearing the weight of plus yardage on his contact balance. That said, the contact balance is quite good. 

James does not have ideal speed to press the corner and defeat angles from defenders scraping over the top, but when he presses the hole and finds a bounce opportunity, he does see it well enough to pivot off his track and can add extra yards. He’s scored a number of touchdowns in the red area in this fashion. 

This is not an overly creative player in space, but thanks to his short strides and his low center of gravity, he does boast a good initial change of direction to facilitate poor fits on his frame with the rock. 

In the passing game, James offers effective pass protection reps with the needed edge and attitude to stick-free runners. He stonewalled Ohio State safety Lathan Ransom on a blitz in the first matchup of 2024 between Ohio State and Oregon, which showcased how stiff his punch and pads can be.

He seeks contact and is willing to cut when necessary while simultaneously showcasing discipline to step up, close down angles, stand in to punch, and use his hands. 

The receiving profile is modest but efficient. James does not offer a large catch radius, and the separation quickness in isolation vs. man coverage won't stress viable coverage defenders at the NFL level. He’ll likely be a delayed checkdown option starting out as he tries to round this phase of his game into form. 

In all, this is a talent who protects the football and protects the quarterback while offering a skill-specific value as a violent short-yardage runner. That profile makes him a viable early contributor who, in the right situation, could gain the trust of a coaching staff and be weaned into a bigger role with time. 

Ideal Scheme Fit, Role

James projects as a physical complement to a running back room. He’d be best implemented in gap concepts that give him a predetermined hole to hit, cutting down on his need to allow blocks to develop and instead letting him hit gaps with force and confidence.

He’s a viable pass protector entering the league but will need to be developed from a receiving standpoint in order to maximize his opportunities and snap share. 

Grade: 73.00/100.00, Fourth Round Value

Big Board Rank: TBD

Position Rank: TBD