2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Jadarian Price (RB – Notre Dame)

FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL Draft scouting reports before the Combine in February. Here’s a look at Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price.

2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Jadarian Price

Jadarian Price (RB – Notre Dame)

5-foot-11 | 209 Pounds

Background

Jadarian Price was a four-star recruit who redshirted in 2022 after rupturing his Achilles, then served as the third back for the Irish behind Audric Estime and Jeremiyah Love, gaining 47-272-3 (5.8) on the year. Rotated in behind Love for the next two seasons, with a 120-746-7 (6.2) line in 2024 and a 113-674-11 (6.0) line in 2025 before declaring. Also has fifteen career catches.

Positives

Price has been efficient when on the field over the past three years, with relatively little tread on his tires compared to other top backs in the class. Muscularly-built running back who looks the part. Runs with nice knee bend and a low center of gravity. Does a nice job of setting up and following his blockers, with good patience and clean footwork in the backfield.

Very agile, shifty back who weaves through tight spaces very well and can make defenders miss with lateral cuts. Can outrace opponents to the corner on east-west concepts. Recognizes and hits cutback lanes, with especially impressive vision in the open field. Shows impressive burst/explosiveness in the hole and excellent long speed when he finds a lane; capable of hitting home runs.

Has the contact balance to bounce off of glancing blows and stay on his feet. Gets behind his pads and shows impressive leg drive and competitiveness to finish; also picks up valuable yardage by twisting off of contact. Wasn’t a major element of the passing game, but shows some good quickness at the route stem and didn’t drop any of his targets. Also had three kick return touchdowns on just 22 returns.

Negatives

Got stuck behind Jeremiyah Love throughout his career, so he never really got a chance to prove that he could carry the load offensively. Not quite as thickly built as some of his peers. Occasionally overuses stutter-steps in the backfield, allowing him to be wrapped up at the line before he gets going. A harder and more competitive runner than an overwhelmingly powerful one. Can be stopped in his tracks at times.

Only fumbled on one rushing attempt before 2025, but ball security was an issue this season, with three fumbles on 113 carries. Hasn’t been very integrated into the team’s passing game, either as a receiver or as a blocker, and blitz pickup hasn’t been a strength of his game thus far. His Achilles injury from 2022 will be evaluated during the pre-draft process and could impact his stock.

Summary

Perhaps the most talented running back in the class besides Love. Price is an explosive, instinctive runner with nice patience and vision, impressive quickness and physicality and the speed to hit home runs when he finds a lane.

At this point, his talent as a runner isn’t really in much question. Rather, teams will wonder whether he can handle a full load and if he can improve as a blocker to earn more snaps on passing downs. Either way, Price looks like a solid bet to come off the board on the second day as one of the more dynamic, intriguing skill-position players in this year’s class.

Projection: Round 2