2025 NFL Draft Film Study: Ollie Gordon II (RB, Oklahoma State)
An in-depth look at the star Cowboys running back.
After a 2024 draft class that failed to feature a running back selected in the first round, Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon II is expected to keep that from becoming a trend in 2025.
Despite only being a 3-star recruit out of high school, Gordon became a household name for college football fans after a breakout sophomore season for the Cowboys. In his first season as the workhorse back, he finished the year with 1,732 yards and 21 touchdowns while averaging 6.1 yards per carry.
1,056 of those yards came after contact, which was tied for the second most in college football last season. He also had a knack for generating explosive runs, ranking third in runs of more than 10 yards (45) and first in runs of more than 15 yards (31).
Gordon also brought value as a pass catcher, catching 39 passes for 330 yards and a touchdown.
Not only is Gordon a big-play threat, but he’s also a well-built prospect at 6’1” and 211 pounds. Most college football fans know that he’s one of the best running backs in the nation, but the tape shows why he’s already generating serious buzz as a potential first-round pick.
One of the first things to stand out on the film for Gordon is how often he turns nothing into something. There are times where it looks like he has no avenue for escape, particularly for a taller back, but he’s able to “stay skinny” and leak through gaps that don’t even appear to be there.
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Gordon’s balance, along with good pad level, allows him to consistently play in control, which means that he can keep plays alive like the one above.
Where Gordon stands out among the rest of the running back class is with his elite short-area quickness and lateral agility. His ability to make subtle moves while cutting and accelerating looks so effortless, and yet it allows him to maximize space and catch defenders flat-footed.
Gordon is capable of stringing together multiple cuts to find the right hole and set up his blockers to generate maximum yardage. But there are also times where all he needs to do is make one cut by planting his foot in the dirt and attacking downhill.
These traits can be particularly helpful in outside zone run concepts. With Gordon running to the outside, he needs to have a good feel for where his blockers are winning, as well as when to cut and turn on the jets. That patience and vision helps Gordon on all types of run concepts.
On top of his wiggle, Gordon is such a productive runner because of his refusal to stop running his feet. Too many running backs will stop their feet as contact approaches, but Gordon understands that the key to consistently generating positive yards is to always be moving through contact.
That kind of mentality as a runner can lead to all kinds of successful players. Even ones that initially appear to be lost.
There aren’t many holes in Gordon’s game. However, it’s his top-end play speed and true burst that are a bit lacking compared to some of the other backs in this draft class.
That’s not to say that Gordon is slow. He can get up to a good speed when decisive attacking downhill. He can also take plays all the way to the house, especially when he gets an open lane like in the play below. However, he’s not going to completely burn past second-level defenders like some of the other players in this class.
That doesn’t make the play below any less impressive, especially when you notice Gordon’s footwork to slow down and get behind his blocker before taking off.
Patience and vision stand out when watching Gordon, but there are times where that patience can seem to work against him. That seems to pop up more often on inside runs, with him either missing the open hole entirely, or getting caught flat-footed by defenders instead of trying to take whatever is given to him for a handful of yards.
As a big-bodied back, however, Gordon’s patience benefits him more often than not. He doesn’t have to be a home run threat like other backs, and can rely on picking up yards in big chunks instead of trying to get all of them on one rushing attempt.
When he puts all of his skills together, it can lead to countless big runs like the one below.
When watching Gordon throughout last season, it’s hard not to think about Saquon Barkley and Breece Hall as prospects with good size who were capable of making something out of nothing.
Gordon does a lot of the same, and another strong season in 2024 should solidify his RB1 status while putting him in the conversation as a potential first-round pick.