Ollie Gordon II: The Man Who Will Restore Running Backs

First Round Mock welcomes NFL Draft Analyst Rajvir Bal to our growing staff of evaluators and he goes big right off the bat starting with Oklahoma State running back (RB) Ollie Gordon II.

The previous draft marked a historic year for the running back position, signaling an era where no running backs were selected in the first round, with only one chosen in the second round. It underscores a stark truth: running backs are undervalued in today’s NFL.

The modern game revolves around two things:

1. Passing on offense

2. Stopping the pass on defense

So, when I began crafting this report, I didn’t expect to label a running back as franchise-changing. I was wrong. Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II is a game-changer of the highest order.

His game film footage will reignite your passion for the game like nothing else.

Background

Coming out of high school, Gordon was a three-star recruit from Texas who committed to Oklahoma State in 2021. Gordon’s talents were acknowledged as he clinched the title of ‘Fort Worth Male Athlete of the Year’ (2020) and earned the District 3-6A Co-Offensive MVP.

Gordon falls within the 89th percentile for height and the 43rd percentile for the RB position, according to NFLDraftBuzz.com.

#0 Ollie Gordon II 6-foot-1, 211 pounds
Rajvir Bal’s 2025 NFL Draft Grade: Early First-Round (I would select him)
Projected by 32.2% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of May 8, 2024 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

2023 game film reviewed: Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Kansas State, and West Virginia (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report

The Good

At Oklahoma State, as a freshman, he was mediocre, only producing 308 yards on the ground. However, he exploded in his sophomore season running for 1,732 yards and 21 touchdowns. These numbers got him voted as the Big-12 Offensive Player of the Year.

Gordon POPS on film. His best traits become apparent as soon as he touches the ball. Upon taking the handoff, he springs into action and his relentless drive keeps him going even after contact, frequently resulting in him breaking tackles at the line of scrimmage. Defenders struggle to get a good grip on him due to his shiftiness and initial burst. Even if they manage to wrap him up, it’s tough to bring him down. Gordon is a physical football player (my favorite kind) and he’s an extreme pile pusher.

Gordon additionally brings the quality of being a natural pass catcher out of the backfield, demonstrating agility in open space (a quality not present in every RB). But wait, there’s more. My favorite ability in a back is not breaking tackles, catching the ball out of the backfield, or even juking defenders. It’s the ability to block. And boy, can Gordon block. He is more than willing to put a blitzing linebacker or defensive back into the ground. He is tough and he is powerful.

The Bad

Gordon lacks the long-range speed an NFL team would like out of a franchise back.

Despite his physicality and burst compensating for this, this could still be viewed as a valid criticism against him. Additionally, his plays at Oklahoma State are often ‘boom-or-bust.’ In other words, last season, he lacked the consistency in getting three-to-four yards per attempt. However, when considering his full body of work in 2023, he averaged 6.1 yards per carry.

Final Thoughts For Now

I’m calling my shot: Gordon’s college game film warrants a pre-draft Hall-of-Fame grade. That’s based on his God-gifted natural ability and his incredible work ethic. Gordon is THAT good. If he makes the jump we so often see from sophomore-junior seasons, we are looking at a Heisman dark horse candidate.

Rajvir Bal is a high school student from the Virginia area. He grew up a rabid Washington Redskins fan, attending more than 30 games, and has enjoyed the team’s high points and low points throughout his life. He plays varsity football and basketball. Rajvir has taken an interest in the NFL Draft since middle school when his team picked Montez Sweat and Dwayne Haskins in the first round. His favorite NFL player ever flips between Rob Gronkowski and Brett Favre, and his favorite athlete is LeBron James. He has been writing his own scouting reports since 2020, and is excited for the opportunities FirstRoundMock provides.