Jadan Baugh
Florida#31 overallDraft Movement
Up 42 spots since Jun 8
Scouting Report
Jadan Baugh is a big, physical, three-down back who broke out for Florida as an underclassman and enters 2026 as one of the most talked-about runners in the 2027 class. He is the first Gator to rush for 1,000 yards as an underclassman since Emmitt Smith in 1988, and he did it running roughshod through the SEC as a 19-year-old. At roughly 6'1" and 230 pounds, he carries a true lead-back frame, but he does not run like a plodder. His contact balance is the headliner, forcing 65 missed tackles in 2025 and piling up more than 760 yards after contact behind an underperforming Florida offensive line. Defenders cannot knock him off his path; the best they can do is slow him down. His vision and patience stand out on tape, as he prods and searches for lanes in traffic before exploding through the crease to the second level rather than bouncing everything outside. He shows surprisingly quick feet and lateral agility for his size, letting him make defenders miss in a phone booth. He is a genuine asset in the passing game, catching 33 balls in 2025 and running legit routes, and he is a willing pass protector who wants to stay on the field for all three downs. His ball security is elite, with just one career fumble and zero fumbles across 254 touches in 2025. Where the projection gets sticky is long speed and burst; he is a ramp-up back who accelerates gradually rather than explosively, and he lacks the breakaway gear that turns good gains into home runs. His pass-protection technique is willing but still unschooled, and he can dance a bit rather than putting his foot in the ground and going. His high school background as a multi-position athlete who took snaps at quarterback, receiver, and defensive back gives him rare instincts and toughness. He closed 2025 by demolishing Florida State for 264 yards and two scores, the kind of finale that moves boards by itself. If he unlocks another gear in 2026, he has a real case as RB1 and a top-15 pick.
The Tape
Strengths
- Elite contact balance, runs through arm tackles and drags piles for hidden yardage
- Forced 65 missed tackles in 2025 with 767-plus yards after contact behind a poor offensive line
- Top-tier vision, patience, and creativity, prods for lanes then explodes through the crease
- Surprisingly quick, light feet and lateral agility to make defenders miss in a phone booth at 230 pounds
- Genuine passing-game value, 33 catches in 2025 plus willing, physical pass protection
- Elite ball security with just one career fumble and zero fumbles on 254 touches in 2025
- Rare workhorse durability, can handle 25 carries a game and has played every game of his career
- Excellent in short-yardage and goal-line situations, uses his heavy frame to finish
Weaknesses
- Lacks true breakaway long speed, a ramp-up back who accelerates gradually rather than explosively
- Average burst from second to third level limits his home-run potential
- Can run upright through secondary layers, leaving his legs vulnerable to shoestring tackles
- Pass-protection technique and blitz-pickup angles are willing but still unschooled
- Elusiveness in tight quarters is ordinary, defenders square him up more than a back this talented should allow
- Tends to dance rather than putting his foot in the ground and getting downhill
- Receiving menu is still mostly swings and screens with limited route development
- Went long stretches without an explosive gain when blocking gave him nothing (LSU, Kentucky)
NFL Comparison
Najee Harris (big-back frame with patient downhill style); James Conner (physical workhorse trajectory)
College Stats
2024: 133 carries, 673 rushing yards, 7 rushing TD, 4 receptions, 33 receiving yards, 1 receiving TD; 2025: 220 carries, 1,170 rushing yards, 8 rushing TD, 33 receptions, 210 receiving yards, 2 receiving TD
College Market Value
Our model prices him at $1.04M on the open college market, built from production, pedigree, role and Florida's program money. No credible deal has been reported for him this season.
The college fantasy model projects 19.1 PPG (RB8), after 17.0 PPG across 12 games last year.
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Measurables
Awards & Honors
Freshman All-SEC (2024); Second-Team All-SEC (2025); True Freshman of the Week; First Florida back to rush for 1,000 yards as an underclassman since Emmitt Smith (1988)