Raheim Sanders is undoubtedly one of the most intriguing stories of the 2025 NFL Draft and could be a huge late-round steal following an injury-ridden yet impressive time in college, but is his potential talent really worth the risk?
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2025 NFL Draft: Raheim Sanders Scouting Report
Measurables:
6’0”
217 lbs
Background
A 3-Star High School running back from Rockledge High School, Florida. Sanders enrolled in the University of Arkansas in 2021, playing in all 13 games for the Razorbacks in his freshman year, rushing for 578 yards with 114 carries, averaging 5.7 YPC, and scoring 5 touchdowns. Raheim would earn SEC All-Freshman honors in his debut season, including a notable performance against Ole Miss, registering a 100-yard rushing game. Sanders would also record 11 receptions for 109 yards.
By the end of his sophomore year, the Rocket would be the starter for the Razorbacks and one of the top Running Back talents in the SEC, featuring in the Second Team ALL SEC. Sanders started in 12 games, rushing for 1,499 yards on 221 attempts, increasing his YPC rate up to 6.6 while also doubling the number of touchdowns he scored in his freshman year. In 2023, Sanders suffered two severe injuries that sidelined him for the rest of the season.
Eventually transferring to the South Carolina Gamecocks for his senior year. Sanders went on to win Comeback Player Of The Year, rushing for 881 yards on 183 carries, registering three 100-yard rushing games against LSU, Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt, scoring 11 touchdowns on the season. He would also record 27 receptions for 316 yards.
Accolades
Strengths/Pros:
While Sanders is a physical threat, capable of taking the ball into contact and breaking tackles due to his large frame, where he excels is at scanning the line of scrimmage and finding gaps to run into, with good acceleration to hit the hole quickly. Despite his size, at 217 lbs, the Gamecocks’ Draft prospect has some impressive elusiveness and footwork that means he can make the most out of bad situations, with a great pad level and the level of agility to cut to the inside and outside to make defensive tackles miss while gaining yards after contact, Sanders is the perfect running back for short yardage situations.
Despite struggling to create explosive plays on his own like most top running backs, when he manages to break into the open field, Sanders is a dangerous threat, being difficult to take down due to both his strength and also his speed for a player of his size, running a 4.46 40-yard dash and recording a top speed of 23.55mph, the fastest of any running back at the combine.
The Gamecocks’ running back is also a consistent dual-threat. Boasting some impressive receiving stats as a college football player, Sanders has shown that he is a viable option as a target down the field; elusive enough to pull away from linebackers, the Running Back has shown on multiple occasions that he has the handling ability to make catches down the field.
Weaknesses/Cons:
The big weakness with Raheim Sanders entering the NFL Draft is how he may fit into certain offensive schemes. While the former Razorback may have the explosiveness and elusiveness to make plays when given time, he struggles to utilize his massive frame consistently, becoming a passive runner with a mediocre first step, similar to Najee Harris and his struggles with the Steelers in 2024. Because of this, to thrive in the NFL, the running back would require an offensive scheme that will be able to get him the ball in stride, similar to how the Detroit Lions utilize David Montgomery, making the Chicago Bears, whose new head coach is the former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, a potential destination.
While it may be true that Sanders is a good dual-threat, his pass-catching ability is more suited towards simple plays due to a poor level of route-running, which means he cannot be deployed in the slot. The main concern with Raheim Sanders is, of course, his injury history, coming off two major injuries. The Draft prospect’s style of running, a high pad style that leads to him taking big hits, will lead to him taking unnecessary hits, increasing the wear and tear on an already injured body.
Potential Scheme Fits:
NFL Projection:
Raheim “The Rocket” is quite far down the pecking order in what is a hugely impressive Running Back class in 2025. Combined with some extremely apparent issues, including a long injury history, Raheim Sanders does, however, boast some traits that make him like no other Running Back. With the USC player going wildly under the radar when it comes to this year’s draft class, he could be a potential day 2 or 3 steal for teams with a need in the position who want to address more important issues over the course of the first two days of the draft.
Prospect Grade:
Fifth/Sixth Round
Film Exposure:
2024 vs LSU
2024 vs Texas A&M
2024 vs Vanderbilt
Main Photo: Jeff Blake – Imagn Images