Nov 30, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Jordan James (20) carries the ball for a first down during the first half against the Washington Huskies at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
Jordan James RB Oregon | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Jordan James RB Oregon
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Work-Horse Back | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/01/2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.55 seconds (54%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 20.11 DOB: 03/29/2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Work-Horse Back | |
| Last Updated: 03/01/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.55 seconds (54%*) | |
| Age: 20.11 DOB: 03/29/2004 | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 83.4 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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78% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Rushing: |
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92% |
| Break Tackles: |
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71% |
| Receiving/Hands: |
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56% |
| Pass Blocking: |
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44% |
| Run Blocking: |
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50% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
4th
Overall Rank:
#115
Position rank:
#11
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| College Games: 36 College Snaps: 896 | ||
ESPN RATING: 82/100
College Combine Results
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247 RATING: 93/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.8 (95%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Kevin Harris - Georgia Tech |
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78% |
| Sean Tucker - Syracuse |
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75% |
| Jerome Ford - Cincinnati |
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73% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Jordan James came from Tennessee high school powerhouse Oakland as a decorated four-star recruit before bringing his explosive talents to Oregon. The Murfreesboro native originally committed to Georgia before flipping to the Ducks, where he steadily climbed the depth chart over three seasons. After contributing in specialized roles as a freshman and sophomore, James exploded onto the scene in 2024 with over 1,200 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, cementing himself as the focal point of Oregon's ground attack in their inaugural Big Ten campaign.The 5'10", 210-pound junior made efficient use of limited opportunities early in his career, particularly impressing as a sophomore when he led the Pac-12 with a stellar 7.09 yards per carry while scoring 11 touchdowns on just 107 attempts. His patience paid off in 2024 when he seized the feature back role, displaying the same efficiency (7.1 YPC) that defined his earlier work, but with significantly increased volume. Perhaps most impressively, James accomplished this production without significant tread wear - entering the draft with just 363 career carries over three seasons.
Despite playing in a crowded Oregon backfield throughout his college career, James consistently capitalized on his touches with remarkable efficiency. From his short-yardage specialist role as a freshman (5 TDs on 46 carries) to his breakout junior campaign, James demonstrated an uncanny knack for finding the end zone with 31 rushing touchdowns in three seasons. His gradual progression culminated in a Second Team All-Big Ten selection in 2024 as he helped power the Ducks toward a college football playoff appearance.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Detonates through running lanes with exceptional burst, consistently turning potential negative plays into positive gains through immediate acceleration and decisive north-south commitment.
- Displays veteran-level patience pressing the line of scrimmage, allowing blocks to develop before exploding through creases - showcases natural timing that can't be taught.
- Lateral agility jumps off the tape with sudden direction changes that leave linebackers grasping at air, showing particularly nasty cutting ability when transitioning from horizontal to vertical.
- Thrives in tight quarters with compact frame and low center of gravity, allowing him to navigate traffic with minimal surface area for defenders to target.
- Shows surprising punch as a runner despite middling size, consistently falling forward and driving through arm tackles with churning leg drive and determined finish.
- Red zone efficiency borders on elite with 31 career touchdowns on limited touches, demonstrating natural instincts for finding creases near the goal line.
- Ball security stands out with remarkably few fumbles throughout college career, showing high and tight technique even through contact situations.
- Arrives with minimal wear and tear after operating in committee backfields, suggesting significant tread life remaining compared to higher-volume college workhorses.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Pass protection technique remains rudimentary at best, displaying questionable positioning and inconsistent anchor against blitzers - will struggle earning third-down trust initially.
- Receiving development lags significantly behind rushing skills, showing limited route diversity and occasional concentration drops when asked to contribute in passing game.
- Vision occasionally narrows when approaching line of scrimmage, missing backside cutback lanes while locking onto predetermined running paths regardless of developing holes.
- Lacks truly elite long speed to finish home run plays, getting caught from behind on potential breakaways that more explosive backs would convert to touchdowns.
- Injury concerns emerged with a head injury that knocked him out of the CFP game against Ohio State, plus limited playing time against Maryland (2024) due to undisclosed injury.
- Benefited substantially from elite Oregon offensive line play, raising questions about ability to create independently when blocking breaks down.
Scouting Report: Summary
James profiles as an immediate contributor in a committee backfield with clear potential to develop into more. His combination of decisive running style, tackle-breaking ability, and exceptional burst through the hole will translate immediately to NFL game speed, particularly in zone-blocking schemes where his one-cut ability will shine.The limited receiving production and pass protection concerns will initially restrict his third-down usage, but there's enough natural athleticism to suggest growth in these areas. Teams utilizing heavy inside zone concepts like Baltimore, Cleveland, or Green Bay would maximize his talents immediately while developing his complete skill set. His fresh legs and limited college usage represent significant appeal for teams seeking running back value in the middle rounds.
While not likely to emerge as a bell-cow back early in his career, James brings day-one rotational value with potential to develop into a high-end committee back or low-end starter by his second season. His ability to convert in short-yardage and goal-line situations while providing explosive play potential makes him an ideal complementary piece in today's running back-by-committee NFL landscape.
Written By:
Lennox Tate
Jordan James percentiles vs other Running Backs (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Jordan James (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
128.6
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
12.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.