- Kaytron Allen is the premier workhorse: The Penn State standout is the “gold standard” for early-down grinders in the 2026 class. Standing 5-foot-11 and 216 pounds, Allen posted an elite 91.3 PFF rushing grade in 2025.
- Seth McGowan’s green-zone dominance: McGowan ranked third in the Power Four in green-zone conversion rate (58.8%) and missed tackles forced per attempt (0.29). At 223 pounds, he possesses the ideal “grinder” frame for a lead NFL rushing role.
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Although running backs with receiving roles have a positional edge in points-per-reception (PPR) scoring, early-down rushers with double-digit workloads per game who can secure a team’s primary role in scoring position can still provide weekly flex value.
The article below breaks down the 2026 running back class’s top three early-down rushers.
RB Kaytron Allen, Penn State
Penn State running back Kaytron Allen was a four-year contributor and a senior-season starter who possesses prototypical NFL size and a powerful rushing skill set. Landing spot pending, Allen could achieve touchdown-driven fantasy football RB2 production in Year 1. He is the incoming running back class’s best early-down rusher. His 89.5 PFF grade tied for fourth among the 107 Power Four running backs with at least 240 offensive snaps in 2025.
Allen, 23, measures 5-foot-11.375 and weighs 216 pounds, with a body mass index of 29.8. He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2023, along with first-team All-Big Ten and second-team All-American honors in 2025.
Allen produced or tied 12 career-best rushing metrics in his 2025 season at age 22.
Kaytron Allen: Rushing data and rank among 30 Power Four running backs with at least 165 rushing attempts in 2025
| Metric | Value (Rank) |
| PFF Rushing Grade | 91.3 (No. 5) |
| Rush Att. | 210 (No. 11) |
| Missed Tackles Forced | 57 (T-No. 7) |
| Missed Tackles Forced Per Rush Att. | 0.27 (T-No. 8) |
| Yards After Contact Per Rush Att. | 3.8 (No. 7) |
| Yards Per Rush Att. | 6.2 (No. 4) |
| 1st Down &/Or TD Conversion Rate | 33.3% (No. 4) |
| Explosive Run Plays | 30 (T-No. 12) |
| Stuff Rate | 11.4% (No. 7) |
| Fumles | 0 (T-No. 1) |
Across Allen’s 2022–2024 seasons, he earned PFF rushing grades of 84.2, 90.6 and 86.3, respectively, while recording at least 167 rushing attempts in each season. His 67.1 PFF pass-blocking grade on 58 pass-protection snaps in 2025 ranked first among his four college seasons.
Allen is the 2026 running back class’s best early-down rusher.
RB Seth McGowan, Kentucky
Kentucky running back Seth McGowan has a chance to assume a run-centric starting role for a team that employs an early-down grinder. He profiles as a mid-tier Power Four rusher. His 70.1 PFF offense grade tied for 83rd among the 107 Power Four running backs with at least 240 offensive snaps in 2025.
McGowan measures 6-foot-0.25 and 223 pounds, with a positionally ideal body mass index of 30.0, standing out in a smaller, lighter running back class.
He turns 25 in October 2026 and did not play from 2021 to 2022. McGowan spent three months in jail and one year on probation after pleading guilty to “larceny of a person at nighttime.” He enrolled at Oklahoma in 2020 and was dismissed after the arrest. He spent 2023 at Butler Community College, 2024 at New Mexico State and 2025 at Kentucky.
McGowan earned PFF receiving grades of 74.1 (2020), 77.6 (2024) and 43.4 (2025). His pass-protection grading followed a similar trajectory, culminating in a 27.0 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2025. He earned 38 targets in 2024, averaging 1.81 yards per route run (YPRR).
Seth McGowan: Rushing data and rank among 30 Power Four running backs with at least 165 rushing attempts in 2025
| Metric | Value (Rank) |
| PFF Rushing Grade | 77.2 (No. 28) |
| Rush Att. | 166 (No. 30) |
| Missed Tackles Forced | 35 (T-No. 19) |
| Missed Tackles Forced Per Rush Att. | 0.21 (T-No. 17) |
| Yards After Contact Per Rush Att. | 2.7 (No. 30) |
| Yards Per Rush Att. | 4.4 (No. 29) |
| 1st Down &/Or TD Conversion Rate | 24.1% (No. 26) |
| Explosive Run Plays | 13 (No. 30) |
| Percentage Of Rushing Yards After Contact | 61.9% (No. 20) |
| Stuff Rate | 12.7% (No. 12) |
| Fumles | 2 (T-No. 18) |
Among the 34 Power Four running backs with at least 17 green-zone rushing attempts, McGowan ranked third in first-down or touchdown conversion rate (58.8%), missed tackles forced per rushing attempt (0.29) and yards after contact per rushing attempt (2.2). He ranked eighth among qualifying players in PFF rushing grade (75.7).
McGowan has the requisite skill set to operate as a lead NFL rusher.
RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price edges UTSA running back Robert Henry Jr. for the 2026 running back class’ No. 3 early-down rusher ranking. Both players are undersized. Price will likely receive superior draft capital and, therefore, be afforded more opportunities to earn a meaningful role. Price’s 78.6 PFF grade ranked 39th among the 107 Power Four running backs with at least 240 offensive snaps in 2025. Henry earned a 74.2 PFF offense grade in 2025.
Price, 22, measures 5-foot-10.625 and 203 pounds, with a 28.6 body mass index, and demonstrated moderate athleticism in pre-draft testing.
Henry, 24, stands at 5-foot-9.25 and 196 pounds, with a 28.7 body mass index, and showed slightly better leaping and change-of-direction ability in pre-draft testing.
The table below compares Price and Henry’s rushing data from 2025.
| Metric | Jadarian Price | Robert Henry Jr. |
| PFF Rushing Grade | 79.9 | 77.7 |
| Rush Att. | 113 | 152 |
| Missed Tackles Forced | 32 | 33 |
| Missed Tackles Forced Per Rush Att. | 0.28 | 0.22 |
| Yards After Contact Per Rush Att. | 3.9 | 4.3 |
| Yards Per Rush Att. | 6.0 | 6.9 |
| 1st Down &/Or TD Conversion Rate | 31.0% | 24.3% |
| Explosive Run Plays | 24 | 24 |
| Percentage Of Rushing Yards After Contact | 65.7% | 61.5% |
| Stuff Rate | 17.7% | 17.8% |
| Fumles | 3 | 2 |
Price earned first-team All-American honors as a kick returner in 2025. Among the 73 Power Four players with at least 12 total special teams returns, he ranked second in yards per kick return (37.8) and longest return (102 yards), sixth in missed tackles forced per kick return (0.7) and fourth in PFF kick return grade (77.6). These are positive indicators of his overall ball-in-hand ability.
Both players’ smaller frames add risk to their prospect profiles, though Price should get the opportunity to function as an NFL team’s lead rusher.
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