From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Oregon RB Jordan James
NO. 20 JORDAN JAMES RB/OREGON – 5100, 210 POUNDS (JUNIOR)
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Jordan James | 5100/210 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
THE GOOD
-Shifty and elusive in the open field, can make you miss in a phone booth
-Some versatility in alignment, used occasionally as wideout by Oregon when in spread formation
-Quick and has good instincts in the open field
-Consistently hits hole full speed with no hesitation
-Small stature allows him to squeeze through small holes bigger running backs wouldn’t be able to
-Welcomes contact despite small stature
-Has great vision at line of scrimmage, uses instincts to set up blocks in the second level
-Able to catch the ball out of the backfield and pick up yards as a checkdown option
-Runs with low pad level, which allows him to pick up yards after contact
-Has a good habit of falling forward when tackled to pick up extra yard
-Protects ball well
-Speed and agility make him constant home-run threat
-Had career high 1,267 rushing yards and 1,476 scrimmage yards in 2024 against top competition in Big Ten conference
-Only 20 years old
THE BAD
-Small size hinders him in pass protection, which could limit his third-down usage in NFL
-Limited route tree, only produced as pass catcher in check-down role
-Could be smarter in pass protection, doesn’t seem to know when to release as check-down option
-Tendency to run incomplete routes when ball isn’t coming his way
-Small frame leads to concerns about his durability in NFL
-Lacks experience in lead-back role
-Could be more creative when line doesn’t open up a hole
-Contact balance can be improved
BIO
-20-years old
-Hometown: Nashville, Tenn.
-Attended Oakland High School
-Rated four-star recruit out of high school by 247, ESPN and Rivals
-Ranked 13th RB coming out of high school by 247, and 17th by both ESPN and Rivals
-Played in 10 of 13 games during freshman year in 2022 with 46 attempts for 189 yards with five touchdowns in predominantly short-yardage role
-Saw the field in all 14 games in 2023, and made massive improvement with 11 rushing touchdowns, 759 rushing yards and a Pac-12-leading 7.1 yards per attempt
-Reached new level in 2024 with 1,267 rushing yards on 5.4 yards per attempt and 15 rushing touchdowns
-Spent three years in college before declaring for draft; played in 38 total games
-Enjoys watching other running backs and tries to incorporate things he sees from them into his game, most notably Ashton Jeanty
TAPE BREAKDOWN
There are a lot of aspects to James’ game worth talking about. The first one, and likely the most enjoyable to watch, is his elusiveness in the open field. James is a quick, extremely shifty player, and once he hits the second level it’s hard for defenders to bring him down.
Starting with this clip, which shows a move James likes to use often. Here, the run is designed to go to the left, but that side of the line gets completely blown up. James cuts back across the field, where he’s met by the safety who came all the way up to the line of scrimmage.
Jordan James makes a quick cut with his right foot and leaves the defender on the turf. He doesn’t have all the juke moves in the world, but James is able to consistently make sharp cuts like this in the open field. It will be harder to throw off NFL defenders with such a simple move, but it shows that James does have that elusiveness.
Once James gets into the open field, he is quick and decisive. James is fast, but he’s not a track runner. However, there is absolutely no hesitation in anything he does with the football in his hands. Take a look at this clip. Once James gets a glimpse of daylight, he shoots up the field like a rocket.
This is another designed run to the left. The offensive line does a good job, and James is able to break a tackle, allowing him to get to the sideline. It’s a good run, but once he reaches the 20-yard line, there are four defenders around him. Most backs aren’t able to pick up an extra 15 yards in that scenario, b