Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr. Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Three RBs Lions could take in NFL Draft to replace David Montgomery

By Daniel Morrison | Last updated Mar 2, 2026 12:29 PM ET

The Detroit Lions have made a blockbuster trade, sending David Montgomery to the Houston Texans. While Detroit still has Jahmyr Gibbs as its star running back, the team's depth is going to be tested now. It's safe to say the Lions are going to want to address that in the NFL Draft.

At this point, the consensus is that Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is going to be the top running back off the board. Some mock drafts have him going as high as a top-10 pick. That's going to put him out of reach of Detroit, whose first pick is 17th. Besides, Detroit probably has bigger needs than Montgomery's replacement in the first round. So, these running backs are all likely to go on Day Two or Day Three.

This year's NFL Draft is very deep at running back. That means there's no shortage of players to choose from. There's also still plenty of time from now until the draft itself, which will give players a chance to jockey for position in the eyes of teams around the league. For now, though, here are three running backs to keep an eye on.

Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas

Washington is one of the more underrated running backs in this year's NFL Draft, meaning he could become a steal for someone. On his latest Big Board, Mel Kiper Jr. has Washington ranked seventh among running backs. Of course, he is also coming off a statement performance in the NFL combine, too.

Measuring in at 6-foot-1 and 223 pounds, Washington ran a 4.33 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. That was top among running backs. Coming off his first 1,000-yard season in college and his first season in the SEC, his combine was proof that he is going to be one of the best athletes this season.

Kaytron Allen, Penn State

In his four seasons at Penn State, Kaytron Allen proved to be one of the best running backs in college football. He did that while sharing carries with Nicholas Singleton, another potential option for Detroit this year. However, Allen has proven to be the better power rusher between the two.

In four seasons, Allen played in 54 games, rushing for 4,180 yards and 39 touchdowns, including 15 touchdowns in 2025. That's 5.4 yards per attempt. He also had 70 career receptions for 490 yards and another four scores.

Jonah Coleman, Washington

Another option for the Lions could be Jonah Coleman. Perhaps not a household name, Coleman had a consistently effective career with the Washington Huskies. Now, he looks like he'll be among the first running backs to come off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Over the last two seasons with Washington, Coleman played in 25 games and rushed for 1,811 yards and 25 touchdowns. That's 5.2 yards per attempt. He also had 54 receptions for 531 yards and two touchdown catches during that time. There are some concerns about his speed on the outside at the next level, but he's an experienced and powerful player.

Daniel Morrison

Dan Morrison is a writer originally from Massachusetts, now residing in Florida. He spent four years at On3, working on the National News Desk there. Prior to that, he’s also contributed at Underdog Dynasty.

More must-reads: