Brashard Smith's Underrated Upside. Rookie RBs—Tiers 6-8
The top of the 2025 RB class is very impressive. The premium depth of the class is also unusually strong. The combination of these elements makes it highly likely that talented running backs will be taken too late in this year's draft or fall out of it entirely.
But we should also see some of these dart-throw RBs land in good situations... with better profiles than you'd expect for the associated draft capital. None of the RBs in this article are safe bets, but they aren't safe to write off, either.
Tier 6 - If You Squint
Brashard Smith
At a Glance
Brashard Smith is a converted WR who profiles as an NFL receiving back. But he might offer enough as a runner to play on early downs as well.
Positive Indicators
Smith spent his first three seasons at Miami, playing WR. He maxed out at 395 scrimmage yards in those three years and opted to transfer to SMU, where he converted to running back.
His position switch was a major success. In 2024, Smith rushed 235 times for 1,332 yards and 14 touchdowns, adding 39 receptions for 327 yards and 4 touchdowns through the air.
Smith was immediately trusted to handle close to the entire backfield, posting an 82% backfield dominator rating. Smith wasn't a hybrid player at SMU; he was a workhorse RB.
Smith also showed burst as a runner, with a 45% breakaway percentage.
Encouragingly, at SMU, Smith remained highly efficient through the air, with 1.69 YPRR. His career mark of 1.90 is the highest in the 2025 RB class.
Smith's expected draft capital makes his NFL opportunity murky. It's helpful then, that he was a special teams ace. Smith returned 49 career kicks, averaging 24.4 yards per return with one TD. With the NFL truly hellbent on generating more kickoff returns, Smith's return ability should help him make the active roster on game days.
Smith's special teams ability also points to football athleticism, backed up by a very impressive 4.39 40 at the Combine.
As we'll get to, Smith will need to win with receiving versatility and breakaway ability—but he has the athletic profile to do so.
Red Flags
As a converted RB, Smith's career rushing numbers are unsurprisingly lacking. But even in his one season as an RB, Smith wasn't all that impressive of a tackle-breaker. At SMU, he posted a 77 elusive rating, a 44th percentile mark.
Smith also has a 44% success rate for both 2024 and for his career, which ranks 40th percentile.
So Smith is not really an RB you want on the field for short yardage; he's not super consistent and not great at dealing with contact.
This makes sense, given Smith's undersized build. His weak jumps also indicate a potential lack of power.
Smith profiles as an intriguing complementary back, and in another draft class he might be projected as a solid Round 3 pick. However, given the depth of this year's class, it's rare to see him in a Big Board top 100. We shouldn't expect to hear his name until Day 3, and it's possible he falls into Round 6 or 7. Obviously, that would dampen his outlook. At that point, we'd be banking on his kick-returning ability to keep him off the the practice squad.
Statistical Comps
- Darwin Thompson
- T.J. Logan
- Travis Homer
- Tony Pollard
- Jason Huntley
- Nyheim Hines
Fantasy Outlook
Smith's main draw is the fact he's a converted WR—we can count on him to be used in the passing game. Even after converting to RB, Smith showed that he's a receiving weapon out of the backfield. We can trust that when on the field, he'll be involved as a receiver.
The concern is how much Smith will be on the field. Smith's receiving ability is impressive by traditional RB standards, but it's not like he has elite receiving efficiency. He might not flash enough to convince a coaching staff that they have to find a way to get him on the field.
And that's where Smith's draft capital is a major concern. If he's not drafted with a role in mind, if he's drafted as a solid depth player, he might not be able to displace the veterans ahead of him. There's risk that he quickly disappears from the fantasy landscape, like Darwin Thompson, his closest comp.
But, the nice thing about Smith, is that he's not necessarily limited to being a change of pace back. Like Michael Carter, he looks capable of being a real RB, the type of guy who can handle a 1A role. Smith is unlikely to be anyone's long-term plan as a starter on draft guy. But if he gets an opportunity, we could be looking at solid RB2 production rather than a pure PPR scam.
To that point, it's worth noting that Smith's 7.22 RAS is actually slightly better than Tony Pollard's 7.18. Both flashed football athleticism in college, with strong breakaway rates and YPRR efficiency. It'd be nice if Smith had tested better overall beyond his 40 time, but his college profile points to upside beyond what his weak jumps would lead you to believe.
And because of Smith's kick-returning ability, I think he's a better bet to be active on game days than we'd normally expect for a player with his expected draft capital. I think we could be looking at a potential Kenny Gainwell-type play—a versatile handcuff with spot-starter upside.
If Smith hits the landing spot jackpot like Michael Carter did, I expect we'll see a solidly productive rookie season.
Best Ball Recommendation
Smith is going outside the top 200, making him a clear target.
Post-draft, he'll probably be a last-round dart throw. But if he lands on a weak depth chart in Round 4 or 5, he could emerge as a training camp hype candidate, rising into the early double-digit rounds.
Superflex Rookie Draft Grade
3rd round.
