Approaching the 2025 NFL Draft, we’ll be scouting as many of the top prospects that the Pittsburgh Steelers could have their eye on anywhere from Rounds 1 through 7. We’ll break down the prospects themselves, strengths and weaknesses, projected draft capital and their fit with the Steelers.
If the Steelers want to add some speed to their backfield this offseason, Texas’ Jaydon Blue will be one of the top names on the list. The zippy running back ran the second-fastest 40-yard dash of his position group at the 2025 NFL Combine (4.38 seconds).
Position: Running back
Class: Junior
Size: 5’9, 196
Age: 21
Projected draft round: 5
Stats via Sports Reference
As referenced above, Texas running back Jaydon Blue’s game is built on his electric speed. He ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and that run was reportedly with a grade II groin strain. At his pro day, he was clocked in the 4.2s. Times, especially pro day times, aren’t everything, but Blue’s elite speed is easy to see on the field. He’s a legitimate home run threat from anywhere on the field, and he gets up to top speed incredibly quickly (No. 23 in all clips).
Having 4.2/4.3 speed as a running back is a bit of a cheat code. As the draft season cliche goes, it’s angle-erasing.
He’s the type of player you want to get in space. Long speed is one thing, but Blue is pretty elusive in the open field.
As you can imagine, Texas often used Blue as a receiving back. He’s a sudden route-runner who ate linebackers alive getting open out of the backfield. He can contribute in both the short game and downfield.
Blue doesn’t have true wide receiver/running back versatility, but Texas lined him up all over the field at times in 2024, further bolstering his resume as a pass-catcher. Blue has the floor of a solid gadget player at the next level who can make plays on screens and sweeps.
Some versatility; lined out wide and used in motion at times at Texas. Nice block as an outside WR in the first clip (bottom of the screen) pic.twitter.com/jj2VC9cWbC
— Ryland Bickley (@_Ryland_B) March 27, 2025
While Blue has sky-high upside as a receiving/third-down back, his hands were a bit shakier than you’d expect. He still hauled in 42 receptions in 2024, but there’s room to grow.
He has a small but compact build, thankfully coming in at the Combine at 5’9, 196 pounds rather than his listed 6’0 on the Texas website (an insane discrepancy, but I digress). As a result, Blue has solid contact balance for a speed back, but there will be major questions about what kind of workload he can handle in the NFL.
At Texas, Blue had 134 carries in 2024 (and just 80 carries combined from 2022-23), operating as a clear RB2 behind Quintrevion Wisner’s 226 attempts last year. Ball security is the biggest issue, with Blue fumbling five times in 2024 — a stat that looks even worse given his limited touches.
As a runner, Blue’s vision is solid but inconsistent. While his explosive athleticism is scheme-versatile, he’ll likely be a great fit for an outside zone team at the next level. He has the speed to beat defenses to the outside and the quickness to exploit the cutback lane.
However, he’s still working on his tempo, patience, and decision-making as a runner, and every now and then he’ll give me flashbacks to Anthony McFarland Jr.’s time with the Steelers with jittery, unneeded movements before hitting the hole. If Blue wants to become a more complete back in the pros, he’ll have to become a calmer, more efficient runner, especially when dealing with narrower hashes and better defenses. The good news is he has the agility in spades to do exactly that.
And finally, pass protection. Blue is still improving when it comes to IDing which defenders he needs to block, and his size means he’ll never be a brick wall against blitzing linebackers. However, effort is not an issue and I came away more impressed than the consensus at Blue’s blocking.
Blue has been a slow but steady riser in the draft process, with his testing results raising his stock to a potential late Day 2 target depending on who you ask. However, in a running back class this deep, I think Blue’s limited college touches, size concerns, and fumbling problem will keep him in the (likely early) Day 3 range.
Jaydon Blue strengths
Elite speed
Willing in pass protection
Nightmare matchup as a pass-catcher
Excellent agility and acceleration
Built for a wide zone offense
Weaknesses
Undersized, sub-200-pound back; lacks every-down skill set
Major fumbling issues
RB2 in best college season; just 214 career attempts
Vision is a little hurried
Occasional drop problems
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com
Blue played behind very good backs, so his carry count is lower, but he clearly has talent. He’s a narrow-hipped, linear runner with good speed to threaten wide and attack downfield out of the backfield. He has adequate wiggle in the open field but lacks base strength to break tackles. Blue’s lack of tempo and vision inside gets him behind schedule and could limit how teams use him as a ball-carrier. While he can be labeled a “change-of-pace slasher,” his real value will revolve around his ability to mismatch linebackers and threaten defenses as a receiver out of the backfield.
PFF
He spent 2022 and 2023 primarily as a backup before splitting carries with Tre Wisner in a two-back committee. His best trait is his excellent long speed—if he finds a crease, he can take any carry the distance. His movements are also sharp and explosive. His vision and skill set seem best suited for a man/gap-blocking scheme, where he can make quick cuts around blockers to find open space. He has natural hands as a receiver but lacks the density to consistently hold up in pass protection. He must get stronger to play through contact more effectively and reduce the fumbling issues that surfaced in 2024.
Daniel Harms of The Draft Network
He’s at home in the receiving game with natural hands and good, clean routes against man coverage to uncover quickly. He’s a threat in space, and his acceleration makes it tough for defenders to close on him out of the backfield. After the catch, he turns one-on-one situations into easy wins with his athletic ability and quickness. His technique as a pass protector must improve to stay on the field in third-down situations where he’ll be most valuable as a rookie. Blue projects as a good zone-scheme fit with the upside of being an every-down back with some tweaks to his game. … Prospect Projection: Day 3 — Developmental Traits
Blue and fellow Steelers top-30 visit Bhayshul Tuten fit a similar mold — the two fastest running backs at the NFL Combine, zone-scheme fits, and some worrying ball security woes. However, while Tuten is 10-ish pounds heavier than Blue and has better college production, Blue is a more established receiver out of the backfield.
I compare the two because if Pittsburgh wants to go with a mid-round speed back option, Blue and Tuten are going to be the two fastest options available. But despite the similarities, they do have different profiles.
Blue is not going to be an every-down contributor, especially early on. He’ll be a gadget weapon at first who can then develop into a dynamic third-down back, and then possibly a larger role if he can prove the workload is manageable.
Blue isn’t one of the many plug-and-play running backs in this year’s draft class. But if the Steelers trust Jaylen Warren as a RB1 in 2025, developing Blue and his truly special athleticism could be worth the risk, especially as his strengths as a runner fit well into Arthur Smith’s wide zone offense.
TL;DR: Jaydon Blue is a freakishly agile and fast running back whose limited role in college makes him a bit of a boom or bust prospect. He’s undersized with plus receiving ability, but a fumbling problem at Texas kept him off the field and will worry NFL teams.
What are your thoughts on Texas running back Jaydon Blue? And which draft prospects would you like to see profiled next? Let us know in the comments below!
