Oregon RB Jordan James Fits Arthur Smith’s Zone Rushing Attack | Steelers 2025 NFL Draft Profile
The 2025 NFL Draft running back class has received rave reviews and backed up those praises by putting on a quite a show yesterday in Indianapolis during testing and drills. Not only does this class offer some pretty special options at the top of the board, the depth of this group is just as impressive. One runner that is flying a bit under the radar at the moment is Oregon’s Jordan James, an underclassmen who exploded on to the scene in 2024 after Bucky Brooks turned pro, finishing with 1,267 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns. His play has grabbed the attention of analysts such as The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, who currently ranked him 62nd on his most recent big board. Not only that, he’s also piqued the interest of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The fit certainly makes a lot of sense, especially after speaking with James during his podium scrum. I was able to ask him what he would dial up in a must have situation on third down. His response came swiftly, “I’m running outside zone just because that’s my favorite run scheme… ”
Of course, that concept is Arthur Smith’s bread and butter but not every back is best suited in that environment. So, what makes a great outside zone runner by his definition? “Just a guy that’s decisive, knows what he wants to do even before the play starts… That’s a running backs favorite play because you get to put your vision and burst on display.”
James, who was one of the 45 players that met formally with the Steelers at the NFL Combine, said that he would love to play in Smith’s system, proclaiming that he could get up there right now and draw it up right now because he knows where it hits. James admitted the meeting went well, with his first impression with Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin being a positive one.
“He seems like a players coach to me,” James said. “I hear that from everyone but to see it for myself.”
When asked for a one word synopsis to describe his game, James quickly answered “physical.” If you go back and look at lineage of talented ball carriers in the Steel City, all of those guys possessed that quality to a degree. His favorite thing about playing the position is all of the different tasks that are put on his plate. “I like to do everything, man. The running back position is unique because you get to do it all. You get to run the ball, you get to block and catch the ball out of the backfield. I just like putting all of those things on display.”
HOW DOES JORDAN JAMES FIT STEELERS?
The Pittsburgh Steelers brass has already indicated that Jaylen Warren will be brought back as a restricted free agent. Starting tailback Najee Harris is set to hit the open market, however. While the running back class is loaded, the free agent class is far from it, meaning he could have more suitors than some assume. Even if the organization is keeping healthy dialogue alive through the process, the former first-round pick has likely played his last down in black and gold. Perhaps, the bigger, more important, question is whether or not the team believes that Warren is capable of taking on a heftier workload.
Historically speaking in the Mike Tomlin era, the team has prioritized nabbing running backs earlier in the draft than later, despite it not being viewed as a premium position. Could the depth in this group force them to change course on that belief? Or does the NFL’s cyclical nature with the run game becoming more en vogue convince them that there’s a player capable of giving them good return on investment? Pro Days and Top-30 visits will help give us a clearer picture of their plans. But they definitely showed a good amount of interest in the class as a whole during combine week, which was no surprise.
James had plenty of positive reps on outside zone run last season, whether hitting it front side with zero hesitation or bending it back find a cutback lane, but he’s a capable gap scheme runner making him a fit for any system. He has a compact build with a very low center of gravity and his quick decision making as a north-south runner makes him difficult for second-level defenders to track. He’s got a nose for getting the ball over the goal line. He can make guys miss in the backfield, but when given a runaway, he shows quality burst through the hole regardless of concept. What you really love about how hard he runs and that he plays way more physical than his size would suggest, with solid contact balance due to his thick lower half. Safeties hate to see this dude coming their way due to how he finishes plays with authority at the third level. He’s also willing pass protector who is assignment sound.
For a smaller back that will start out his career as a complimentary piece, you wish that he was a more proven receiver threat or technically proficient blocker at the point of attack on passing downs. He was occasionally used on angle routes or screens, but mostly just check and release assignments and can fall victim to trying to run with the rock before securing the catch. James benefitted from an outstanding offensive line but to his credit, he got what was blocked for him and a little bit more. He’s not the most dynamic athlete in the world and his lack of creativity shows up in his yards after contact and breakaway run metrics, both of which are fairly underwhelming in relation to the top guys in this class. In college, he had enough juice to bounce runs to the outside and access the perimeter but it’s fair to wonder whether he’s truly explosive enough to defeat angles versus NFL capable athletes.
JORDAN JAMES COLLEGE STATS
Even though he split carries throughout his time with the Ducks, James was highly productive whenever given the chance to tote the rock. Unlike some backs in this class, he comes free of any injury or durability concerns, without a ton of tread worn off his tires. It’s also worth noting that as one of the few underclassmen in this draft, he will be 21-years old for the entirety of his rookie season. Over his final two seasons at Oregon, he compiled 41 receptions for 341 yards and a touchdown through the air.
| Year – Team | GS | Attempts | Yards | TDs | YPC |
| 2024 – Oregon | 14 | 233 | 1,267 | 15 | 5.4 |
| 2023 – Oregon | 14 | 107 | 759 | 11 | 7.1 |
| 2022 – Oregon | 10 | 46 | 189 | 5 | 4.1 |
TALE OF THE TAPE
Measured at the NFL Combine: 5-foot-9 1/2, 205 pounds, 29 3/4-inch arms, 9 1/2-inch hands
Tested at the NFL Combine: 4.55-second 40-yard dash, 1.62-second 10-yard split, 9-foot-9 broad jump
Relative Athletic Score: 6.10
WHERE WILL JORDAN JAMES BE DRAFTED?
His 40-yard dash time at his size won’t do him a ton of favors in draft rooms but he will another chance to shine at his upcoming pro day. His ceiling on draft weekend will be the mid-rounds, which was where his former teammate Bucky Irving was selected after underwhelming testing measurables. In the right ecosystem, James could be a useful piece early on as a one-note runner, but may never be the dynamic lead back that can be the engine of a potent NFL offense. It feels like the Steelers will likely be looking to address this need before this point, however.
FILM ROOM
ODDS AND ENDS
Former four-star recruit and was the top ranked running back out of the state of Tennessee coming out of high school. … Part of a program-record Oregon 12 recruits invited to the NFL Combine in 2024. … Totaled six 100+ yard games on the ground in 2024. … Finished his career 5th all-time in school history with 31 rushing touchdowns. … The Steelers have drafted 10 players all-time from Oregon, the last of which was tight end David Paulson in 2012.