Jadarian Price NFL Draft Film Review

Film Profile | Analytical Profile

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Jadarian Price Film Draft Profile

Prospect Information

College: Notre Dame
Height/Weight: 5’ 11’’/203
Hands: 9 5/8"
Age: 22 (at the time of the 2026 season opener)

Important NFL Combine/Pro Day/Testing Numbers

40-Yard Dash: 4.49
Vertical Jump: 35"
Broad Jump: 10’ 4’’
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
3-Cone: N/A

College Production (Stats)

Profiles similar to: Tony Pollard

Plays similar to: Raheem Mostert

Position-Specific Attributes and Grades

AttributeGradeBurst/Explosiveness8.5 (10)Contact Balance7.5 (10)Instincts/Patience/Vision9.5 (10)Power/Tackle-Breaking Ability7.5 (10)Quickness/Elusiveness8.5 (10)Route-Running/Hands7.5 (10)Ball Security4.0 (6)Pass Protection/Blocking3.5 (6)Durability3.5 (4)Long Speed3.0 (4)Film Grade63.0 (80)

Note: my usual format (citing examples for each attribute) does not display well on the site. Please click this link to access them.

Positives

• A natural runner with the ability to set up blocks and the vision to make the most out of a high percentage of his runs.
• Makes the decision to accelerate quickly and possesses excellent burst through the line of scrimmage.
• High-level spatial awareness and loose hips allow him to freeze defenders in 1-on-1 situations in the open field.
• Not a burner, but his game speed is faster than timed speed, which helps to explain how he averaged a touchdown every 9.2 offensive touches in 2025.
• Despite catching no more than six passes in any season, he appears to be a natural receiver who uses good technique to catch the ball.
• One of the best kickoff returners in college football with three TDs on only 22 career returns (career 36.1-yard return average - the highest career mark of any FBS player with 20-plus career kick returns since at least 2000).

Negatives

• Although lighter backs have fared better recently than they used to, his 203-pound frame makes him somewhat risky from a durability perspective.
• Occasionally flashes some power but lacks the lower body strength to run through direct contact or drag defenders very far.
• Contact balance was good at times but inconsistent overall.
• Was not utilized very often in the passing game in college (15 catches on 18 targets in three seasons).
• All three of his fumbles (two lost) in 2025 came near the goal line; four career fumbles means he averaged one every 74 career touches.
• Logged a meager 87 pass-block reps in this career - including just 39 in 2025 - and his PFF pass-block grade declined each year.

Bottom Line

How much should evaluators value "natural running ability" and proven well-roundedness? There may not be another running back who is a more natural runner than Price in this draft class. His ability to work in space and set up blocks is exactly the type of thing that coaches dream about at the position. What he lacks in elite speed, he makes up for with great initial burst. Price also serves as a great reminder that players do not necessarily need to be track stars in order to be big-play threats; he returned a kickoff for a touchdown once every 7.3 attempts over his career and scored a touchdown every 9.2 offensive touches in 2025. That kind of efficiency happens for a reason: he understands what he has to do to maximize his opportunities.

Regardless of whether he had the relative misfortune of being overshadowed by teammate Jeremiyah Love, it is hard to make a case for any player to be a featured back in the NFL when he never proved he could be one in college. Despite being highly productive with his 295 career touches, an average of less than 100 touches over three years and no more than 15 touches in any game makes him a risky bet. Even if evaluators focus on the fact that he appears to have good hands, they cannot overlook his ball security issues or lack of pass-blocking reps. Price is a good inside runner - thanks in large part to his vision - but he is not particularly powerful. That means he could begin his NFL career as his team's most natural runner who is limited to special teams because he isn't the best option at the goal line, on third down or to close out games (because of his fumbling issues). Price should eventually carve out a complementary role in a backfield because his strengths as a runner typically carry over from the college game to the pros. At this point, however, there are too many question marks in his game to consider him anything more than a complementary back.

This article originally appeared on The Huddle: Jadarian Price Film Draft Profile

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