2025 has seen a new approach to building player profiles implemented. One which, looking retroactively, shows the highest levels of accuracy yet. Therefore the new methods (focused almost exclusively on outward markers of efficient blood flow) will be underlying all of this year’s write ups. This first post will focus on the standout RBs/ WRs, the players who showed the highest efficiency, therefore the ones predicted by these methods to show the most impactful careers over time. Every player profiled in this post shows the raw biomechanical traits of a future star or superstar.
Matthew Golden (lateral oriented posterior dominant) presents arguably the most enticing combination of traits of any WR in the 2025 NFL draft. From a biomechanical perspective, every area appears to be at least reasonably efficient, and he shows superlative speed, excellent acceleration, and strong quality hands with a very good catch radius given his size. Notably, his dense musculature shows no obviously underdeveloped areas, and in combination with his high levels of efficiency in lateral posterior and medial anterior areas, Golden also appears to show quite a bit of slack for future mechanical tightening. In pure football terms, Golden shows excellent acceleration off the line and very sharp lateral cuts (while still maintaining speed), making him very difficult to defend on breaking routes, particularly downfield. Golden also shows excellent consistency, running routes at high speed and being able to catch smoothly while maintaining stride. In terms of pure traits, Golden’s speed, acceleration, change of direction, and hands all appear to be pluses, with the only negative being average size (5’11”, 191 lbs). Furthermore, Golden still appears to be on the sharp side of his growth curve, with noticeable improvements in route running, zone feel, and general awareness over the past two seasons. Given his superlative traits, his biomechanical slack for future development, and his still rapidly developing skillset, Golden appears likely to ascend to alpha receiver status over time, as a high motor easy separator with contested catch ability on top. In Green Bay, Golden may be lethal right out of the gate on downfield play action crossers, and his skill set seems like an excellent fit with Jordan Love’s aggressive downfield throwing style.
Ashton Jeanty (medial centric posterior dominant) shows the lumbar efficiency of a generational RB talent. Not since Ezekiel Elliott in 2016 has a drafted running back shown full efficiency in every lumbar area. And unlike Elliott, who showed consistently underwhelming conditioning throughout his NFL career, Jeanty appears to show excellent fitness. If Jeanty does indeed possess the ultra rare level of efficiency seen by a young Elliott (albeit in a different orientation), then one could expect similar generational durability, even under heavy workloads. And if Jeanty keeps himself in tip top shape, he may also age more gracefully than did Elliott.
Regardless, Jeanty shows superlative burst, immediacy, and contact balance, with quality hands for catching passes as well. An easy pick (via biomechanical measures) to become a superstar running back, likely right out of the gate. The only downside to Jeanty’s profile is less than ideal size. Nevertheless, in terms of pure efficiency (and thereby projected injury rate, ability to withstand heavy workload, and consistent high quality skillset) Jeanty appears to be the most promising running back prospect drafted in almost ten years.
Cam Skattebo’s (lateral oriented anterior dominant) squat build shows well balanced areas with extremely high levels of lateral anterior efficiency, including full lateral anterior lumbar efficiency. In practice, Skattebo shows consistently excellent initial burst and control, and his very well balanced lumbar areas (with notably high medial posterior lumbar efficiency) facilitate truly superlative contact balance. Additionally, Skattebo’s thoracic areas appear quite well balanced and efficient, particularly for an RB, and he shows excellent pass catching skills with both soft/ strong hands and quality route running for the position. Where Skattebo’s profile presents some paradox is with his combination of anterior orientation and squat heavy body type– despite appearances, Skattebo is oriented more towards the finesse areas than the power centers, and his truly elite contact balance is more a product of how he is so well balanced (and low to the ground). Skattebo is therefore very well suited to quick agile movements (to sneak through the line or run deceptively sharp routes), but his power and speed in the open field appear underwhelming– once out in space, Skattebo is generally able to be caught by defenders (even if lighter ones still tend to bounce off him). Additionally, Skattebo’s lack of straight ahead pop has so far prevented high level pass blocking. Nevertheless, with such a balanced efficient overall system, full lumbar efficiency, and superlative contact balance, Skattebo appears likely to become a high level featured back once he can develop more consistency with pass blocking. One who can consistently make 5-15 yard gains running, and also serve as a legitimate receiving weapon. Even if he would likely be complemented well by a speedier back to threaten longer runs via greater open field ability.
Isaac TeSlaa (medial centric posterior dominant), shows the raw athleticism of a star WR, with size, speed, hands, and high level body control. His thoracic efficiency in particular appears extremely high, showing soft/ strong hands and a large catch radius– this is backed up on film by a two year career at Arkansas that saw him never drop a pass, while making quite a few impressive contested catches. As a runner (in fact as an overall athlete),TeSlaa profiles very similarly to Puka Nacua, with similar ability to make subtle powerful changes of direction at speed, and like Nacua, TeSlaa shows excellent contact balance. Where the two differ on their college film is that Nacua showed greater awareness of route running subtleties (such as modulating speeds, settling in/ out of zones), and Nacua was heavily featured (when healthy) by a major college program. TeSlaa, on the other hand, while running quality routes and getting open on film far more often than might be expected based on his limited production, was far from featured at a far lesser program, and appears to need substantial seasoning in the subtleties of playing WR. Nevertheless, TeSlaa’s biomechanical profile suggests that he will become a star WR (potentially even a superstar) if he can improve the mental aspects of the game to the level of his shown athleticism and efficiency. And on an offense in Detroit already filled with high level playmakers ahead of him, TeSlaa will likely be given the requisite time to learn ànd grow into a larger role.
Travis Hunter (medial centric anterior dominant) has been studied exclusively as a WR, due to lack of all 22 for defensive players. Nevertheless, what is most apparent on film is Hunter’s truly outlier level thoracic efficiency– Hunter’s upper body shows some of the highest levels of development and efficiency ever studied among wide receivers. In practice this translates to long powerful arms, soft highly controlled hands, and an enormous catch radius. Furthermore, Hunter’s anterior lumbar areas also appear to be extremely well developed and efficient– Hunter accelerates quickly, runs very fast in a straight line, and shows excellent shiort area body control. However, there is one set of areas that provide some level of concern– despite elite to outlier level efficiency in every other relevant biomechanical area, Hunter’s posterior lumbar areas appear developmentally borrowed against towards his thoracic areas. In practice, this means that Hunter doesn’t change directions at speed with the power and control to run truly high level routes, partly due to this lack of natural development, and likely partly due to inexperience playing the position. Nevertheless, Hunter’s routes don’t show quite the precision and change of direction ability one might expect given his otherwise superlative athleticism. Likewise these borrowed-against posterior lumbar areas are a red flag for future lower body injury. In some ways, this profile is somewhat reminiscent of a position-altered and more raw version of Christian McCaffrey’s profile coming out of college– all areas appear to be at the upper end of the scale with the notable exception of posterior lumbar areas. And McCaffrey has indeed interspersed an elite level career with periods of lower body injury. Hunter will need seasoning at wide receiver to play to the level of McCaffrey (at RB), but athletically he may follow a similar career trajectory. Periods of high level play, interspersed with periods of lower body injury.
Quinshon Judkins (lateral oriented posterior dominant) shows full efficiency in his favored lateral posterior lumbar areas, in combination with notably high medial anterior lumbar areas. In practice, this translates to high levels of quickness/ burst behind the line of scrimmage, as well as excellent run power, powerful lateral changes of direction, and very good contact balance. For the first ten yards of a run, Judkins is both elusive and powerful as a runner. However, some tightness/ lack of development in Judkins’s medial posterior lumbar areas prevent him from being able to fully ‘open the throttle’, and Judkins’s speed and elusiveness in the open field are thereby somewhat gated. Judkins does show quality hands for making receptions and while he doesn’t appear to run notably crisp or elusive routes, he appears likely to be a reliable outlet receiver when demanded. Overall, Judkins seems likely to fall into the Najee Harris zone of fully efficient but not overly explosive backs– likely able to stay healthy and effective with full workloads, particularly on early downs, but not provide a tremendous number of explosive downfield runs/ plays.
RJ Harvey (medial centric posterior dominant) is the only running back profiled in this post not to show full efficiency in any lumbar areas. However, his apparent combination of extremely high lumbar efficiency (particularly posterior), excellent balance, and superlative athleticism may make him the most explosive back profiled this year. Specifically, Harvey’s lumbar areas appear boosted, borrowed towards from his thoracic areas, so he actually shows more overall potential muscular action available quickly than even a fully efficient back. While this contributes to elevated injury risk (and Harvey does have a history of major lower body injuries) this supercharged lumbar system also can be seen in Harvey’s rare combination of excellent acceleration, top tier speed, and powerful/ quick changes of direction. Although Harvey apparently lacks subtlety of movement in small spaces, and may struggle to ‘fall forward’ when holes aren’t opened by the line (again, due to lack of full lumbar efficiency), his disarming speed and ability to instantly launch himself quickly in a new direction makes him uniquely dangerous to break a big play when given any sort of runway in the backfield. Although Harvey’s posterior thoracic areas appear to be borrowed against towards his over-efficient posterior lumbar areas, his anterior thoracic areas appear reasonably efficient and Harvey shows soft hands, albeit without a huge catch radius or the ability to quickly change directions while making a catch. Where Harvey’s posterior thoracic tightness is most apparent is when pass blocking, where Harvey appears to struggle generating enough push from his upper body. Nevertheless, Harvey is such a dangerously explosive playmaker when healthy that, paired with a complementary play caller such as Sean Payton, Harvey will likely be highly productive and breaking explosive runs/ catches with regularity as long as he is healthy. Harvey is also twenty four, which means he is near the biomechanical apex at age 25, and is therefore likely to be at his very best for the next few seasons. Overall a truly top tier explosive playmaker as long as he is used correctly and kept healthy, Harvey should become a vital part of Denver’s offense in short order.
Omarion Hampton (lateral oriented anterior dominant) seemingly combines some of the most impressive straight ahead run power, acceleration, and speed in the class, with somewhat stiff shown lateral posterior hips and thereby a lack of sharp change of direction skills. Hampton’s apparent full efficiency in lateral anterior areas pairs with high levels of shown medial posterior lumbar efficiency to give Hampton very quick start and stop ability, excellent agility/ control in tight spaces, and both power and speed going straight ahead. Where Hampton shows substantially less fluidity however is when he is forced to run parallel to the line of scrimmage and then cut upfield via those seemingly stiff/ underdeveloped lateral posterior areas, either by design (wide zone etc), or through the defense clogging the middle. Hampton does show soft/ strong hands for making receptions, and his quick acceleration and high speed contribute to strong playmaking ability when receiving the ball out in space. Likewise, Hamptons straight ahead agility and power appear to give him excellent pass blocking ability, meaning Hampton can likely remain very effective on all three downs. Hampton may be better suited to gap and/ or inside zone heavy schemes rather than stretch/ wide zone ones, but overall, Hampton appears likely to be a durable powerful playmaking feature back as long as he is used correctly.
*Tetairoa McMillan (medial centric posterior dominant) would, in almost any other class, show the most well developed and efficient upper body of any wide receiver– McMillan’s thoracic appears appear extremely well balanced and efficient (just not to the freakishly high levels of Hunter), and he shows consistently soft/ strong hands within a very large catch radius. In combination with McMillan’s large size and height, this means that McMillan has almost always been able to ‘go up and get it’ in college, even when he is covered tightly. And while McMillan’s lumbar areas appear nicely independent from his thoracic ones and generally well balanced and developed, he doesn’t show truly exemplary efficiency in any of his lumbar areas. His short area quickness appears good but not great (solid anterior lumbar efficiency), while his sharp change of direction skills (for hard cuts on breaking routes) appear somewhat underwhelming (lacking in lateral posterior strength/ efficiency). McMillan’s favored medial posterior lumbar areas do appear nicely efficient, and he runs and can stop powerfully, and change direction subtly with power. But overall, McMillan at present seems like more of a possession receiver then one who can generate significant separation at the NFL level. McMillan’s highly balanced and well developed system, with excellent independence between areas (and thereby superlative body control) suggest there may be considerable untapped potential for McMillan to further strengthen his lumbar areas and thereby generate greater separation. But even without further development, McMillan should be able to become quite productive right away, as long as his QB is willing to throw him the ball even when he is seemingly covered.
*right before posting, a few potential errors were found in McMillan’s profile. His profile will be double-checked over the next few days and either corrected, or this asterisk/ disclaimer will be removed