Part 2 of my Devy freshman series has arrived! This edition will cover my favorite 2025 freshman running back prospects from a Devy perspective. I’ll cover their production profile and my notes on their high school tape. To round things out, I’ll be posting my top freshman quarterback prospects within the next few weeks (once I find time to get some serious Hudl grinding in). That article may get pushed to the back burner for a bit while we place our focus on the NFL Combine results this weekend. (Who else is as pumped as me?! FOOTBALL!!!)
If you missed Part 1, where I covered my top freshman wide receiver prospects, you can check that article out here. Alright, enough rambling; let’s jump right in!
Running Back
1. Ousmane Kromah – Florida State
Production:
Ousmane Kromah attended Lee County High School in Leesburg, Georgia, where he was the focal point of the offense since his sophomore year. Kromah’s best season came as a junior in 2023, posting 1,783 rush yards and 20 touchdowns on 9.8 YPA. He also tacked on an impressive 31 receptions for 522 yards and nine receiving touchdowns. In this three years on varsity, Kromah amassed over 4,600 rush yards, 1,400 receiving yards, and 74 touchdowns. Truly incredible.
He did all this playing for an elite high school program. Lee County was the 6th ranked team in Georgia and the 29th ranked team in the nation.
Film:
- Extremely physical runner. Stout build, thick lower half
- Measurements vary online, but he’s likely around 6’0-6’1” and 205-215 lbs.
- Tons of burst through the hole
- Great contact balance and play strength. Should translate to the college game.
- Lateral agility makes you say, “WOW”. Not afraid to hurdle, either
- Lacks some breakaway speed
Ousmane should find himself competing for the RB1 role right away on a team that is in desperate need of some sort of offensive weapon. He’s my RB14 overall in Devy right after CJ Baxter Jr. and Jordan Lyle. The receiving upside has me very excited.
2. Shekai Mills-Knight – Ole Miss
Production:
Mills-Knight’s production was much tougher to locate than most. He actually grew up in Quebec, Canada, and didn’t move to the United States until his junior year. He played for Baylor High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, who was ranked 2nd in the state and 57th in the nation this past season. Mills-Knight posted over 1,100 rush yards and 15 touchdowns in 2023, also lettering in basketball, volleyball, rugby, and track. Talk about an athlete!
Film:
- Good size/frame (similar to Kromah, maybe slightly heavier)
- Burst and breakaway speed aren’t elite but sufficient given his size
- Similar strengths to Kromah – contact balance and physicality
- Patience and vision were impressive – has a good feel for the position
- Limited receiving highlights but hands look fine
The RB1 role is wide open for the taking at Ole Miss, with their top two rushers in 2024 being out of eligibility. Mills-Knight has the size and skill set to be an every-down back and could make some serious noise in Year 1.
3. Harlem Berry – LSU
Production:
According to 247Sports, Harlem Berry finished his high-school career with four consecutive 2,000-yard seasons, racking up over 8,000 career rush yards and 150+ touchdowns in that span. Berry played some really low competition, at least in comparison to the other top recruits. His high school team, St. Martin’s Episcopal, was ranked 157th in the state of Louisiana in 2024.
Film:
- Good long speed, great short-area quickness
- Lateral agility is elite, can make a guy miss
- Not the most physical runner – more finesse
- Good receiving back – ran several deep routes on tape
- Smaller back (probably 5’11” and 180-185 lbs.) – needs to fill out
- Competition was poor so expectations may need to be tempered early
Berry’s high school tape is maybe the most electric in this entire class. But as mentioned, size is a concern, as is the competition level he faced. Jumping from 1A football to the SEC is no small task. He’ll be firmly behind Caden Durham in this backfield, who is coming off an incredible freshman year. At the same time, he offers a unique skill set and could still make an early impact if used properly. I’ve seen comps to De’Von Achane, which I don’t hate.
Honorable Mention
Anthony Rogers – Ohio State
This may be a hot take, as I imagine most Devy players would prefer freshman teammate Bo Jackson over Rogers. Rogers was an early producer in high school rushing for over 1,000 yards as a freshman and sophomore. He’s listed at 5’8” and 190 lbs, which I think is fine for an incoming freshman, and he has the frame to put on mass. His biggest strengths are his receiving ability and his physicality. This guy always keeps his legs churning through contact for extra yardage.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope you got some valuable information you can use for your fantasy team! If you’d like additional insight into Dynasty Football news and analysis, please follow me on Twitter at @jim_DFF. Until next time, keep grinding out there, DFF family! #DFFArmy #AlwaysBeBuilding
