Jordan James is only a junior, but after a 1,267-yard, 15-touchdown season as the RB1 for the Oregon Ducks, he has decided to forego his final year of eligibility and declare for the 2025 NFL Draft. James and the Ducks had their 2024 season cut short by Ohio State a few weeks ago. But that just means the running back has more time to prep for April.
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At 5’10” and 205 pounds, James may be a bit slight of frame for the NFL game, but he’s got all the skills and attributes you could ask for to make up for that. He’s got excellent vision, quick-twitch burst, and he can run away from defenders when he finds daylight thanks to his 4.45 speed.
While James is a bit small, he has had no trouble churning out tough yards between the tackles. He’s known for his second and third efforts, which usually help him snare another one or two yards as he falls forward.
While James needs work on his pass protection and route-running, he’s a capable receiver out of the backfield, grabbing 26 receptions for 209 yards for the Ducks in 2024. He is currently being projected as a Day 3 pick in the 6th or 7th round. Let’s take a look at a couple of possible destinations.
3) Denver Broncos
The Broncos have had a bit of a running game problem for a while now. They have ranked in the bottom half of the league in rushing in each of the last three seasons. They drafted a bowling ball of a running back in Audric Estime last year, so perhaps they could pair him with a more shifty sort of back like James. Javonte Williams has had four years to figure it out, and he has yet to do so.
The last time the Broncos were half decent on the ground was in 2021, when Williams and Melvin Gordon both went for 900+ yards. Jordan James will need time and space to develop, so bringing him on in Denver where there’s already some depth will reduce the pressure on the 20-year-old, as he delves into Sean Payton’s complex scheme.
2) Miami Dolphins
Miami had an ugly run this season, so they will be looking to inject their offense with some new energy this offseason. De’Von Achane is locked in as the starter for the Dolphins, but Raheem Mostert will be 33 in April and seems to be on his last legs after a 278-yard disaster of a season in 2024.
Jordan James would fit into head coach Mike McDaniel’s scheme well as a player with good short-area burst but also home run potential. The Dolphins are likely to need some of that too. It seems that Tyreek Hill could be headed out the door sooner rather than later.
1) New York Giants
The Devin Singletary experiment didn’t work out great for the Giants in 2024. But they sort of made up for it by drafting Tyrone Tracy Jr., who looks like a really solid player, in the 4th round. However, they could still stand to improve, and their offense was lacking in explosiveness this season apart from Malik Nabers.
The Giants ran for just under 105 yards a game this season, which is the 10th-fewest in football. Their 4.2 yards-a-carry could be better as well. If Jordan James can refine his pass blocking, he could become the perfect change-of-pace back to pair with Tracy as both youngsters develop in Brian Daboll’s offense.
