The Kansas City Chiefs had a great first night of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Instead of trading up. like some suspected, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach actually traded back one spot and landed Josh Simmons, the high upside left tackle from Ohio State, at pick number 32. He also added a 5th round pick in the process.
Now the Chiefs can look ahead to day two of the draft and the best players still available, where one position is absolutely loaded: running back.
I wasn't shy about my opinion that Simmons' teammate at Ohio State, running back TreVeyon Henderson, was one of my top options for Kansas City at the end of the first round. Not only is Henderson still available heading into Day 2, but I've got 10 running backs that I feel are good enough to be worthy of a day two pick.
In fact, there are so many good backs available that unless someone like Henderson slips, the Chiefs should wait until the third round to select one. Some of these guys are going to be there as late as the Chiefs' pick at No. 95 overall at the bottom of the third.
Here are the running backs the Chiefs should think about on day two of the draft (in the order they should be considered).
10 running back targets on Day 2 for the Chiefs
1. TreVeyon Henderson - Ohio State - 5'10" - 202 lbs
Henderson should go off the board before Kansas City picks in the second round, but if he doesn’t, he would be perfect for the Chiefs with his mix of big-play explosiveness, pass catching, and pass protection abilities.
2. Quinshon Judkins - Ohio State - 5'11" - 221 lbs
Henderson’s Ohio State backfield partner, Quinshon Judkins, is another top back available. More powerful and more of a workhorse back than Henderson, he does have three-down upside but isn’t as polished in the passing game and isn’t as explosive.
3. Kaleb Johnson - Iowa - 6'1" - 224 lbs
I’m a big fan of Johnson, but he isn’t as good a fit for K.C.'s offense as the first two on this list. Johnson is a guy who will thrive if given 20 carries per game behind a good run-blocking offensive line. That’s not the Chiefs.
4. Cam Skattebo - Arizona State - 5'10" - 216 lbs
A guy who is fun to watch because of how hard he runs. His top speed isn’t impressive, but he can catch the ball well out of the backfield and will find every possible yard available. Think of a more powerful Isiah Pacheco with better vision and more pass-catching upside.
5. DJ Giddens - Kansas State - 6'0" - 212 lbs
Giddens has a ton of upside with his mixture of size, athleticism, vision, and lateral agility. If he hits his ceiling, he could be a star, but sometimes there are plays where he seems to just be going through the motions.
6. Tahj Brooks - Texas Tech - 5'9" - 214 lbs
If you look at many running back rankings, I’m WAY higher on Brooks than the consensus. I see a guy with the power, vision, and quick feet to thrive on early downs between the tackles, along with the pass-catching and pass-protection skills to play on third downs too. He’s not as fast or explosive as others on this list, but he’s just a really solid all-around back.
7. RJ Harvey - UCF - 5'8" - 205 lbs
RJ Harvey is an undersized early-down runner with good vision and great burst. I wish he were an inch taller and 10 pounds heavier, but his tape is a lot of fun. He’s flashed some pass-catching ability on wheel routes, but his pass pro needs work, and he probably wouldn’t be trusted to play on third downs early in his career.
8. Dylan Sampson - Tennessee - 5'8" - 199 lbs
There are a lot of similarities between Sampson and Harvey. They’re both undersized guys who will probably have to make a living on early downs until they can prove they can be better in the passing game. Most rankings have Sampson higher than Harvey, and while Sampson is fantastic running the ball, Harvey, being a little thicker to handle the punishment and having a little better hands, puts him just ahead for me.
9. Devin Neal - Kansas - 5'11" - 213 lbs
Devin Neal is another back who isn’t flashy but does everything pretty well. He’s not overly powerful or fast, but he has just enough speed and power to get the job done. He’s not great in pass pro, but he’s better than some of the backs on this list and is a proven pass catcher too. I like his three-down potential; I just wish his ceiling was higher.
10. Damien Martinez - Miami - 5'11" - 217 lbs
If you’d like a power runner between the tackles, Damien Martinez is your man. He’s more powerful and has better vision than Pacheco, and would give the Chiefs a more intimidating force on early downs. Once again, I’m not sure how much third-down upside he has.
Those are all running backs that would be good value on Day 2 of the draft, especially in the third round. There are also enough different types of backs that Kansas City can probably find exactly what they want if they wait. Henderson is my clear favorite, but if he goes early on Day 2, I would be just fine waiting until the late third and taking one of the other backs on this list that falls to them.