FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL Draft scouting reports before the Combine in February. Here’s a look at Oklahoma running back Jaydn Ott.
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2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Jaydn Ott
Jaydn Ott (RB – Oklahoma)
5’11” – 208 lbs.
Background
Four-star recruit who originally attended California. Took over the starting job by the third game of his freshman season, finishing with 170-897-89 (5.3) and adding 46-321-3 (7.0) receiving on the year. Led the conference in rushing in 2023, with 245-1,305-12 (5.3) the following year, catching 26 passes, then suffered through an injury-plagued 2024 campaign, injuring his ankle and finishing with just 116-385-4 (3.3) on the ground. Transferred to Oklahoma for 2025 in a huge NIL deal, but only rushed for 68 yards on the season and was criticized by beat writers for a lack of effort.
Positives
Looked like one of college football’s best running backs in 2023, playing in Cal’s highly gap-based offense. Smooth, patient runner who demonstrates good vision from the backfield. Shows clean footwork and above-average lateral quickness to shuffle into holes. Able to get skinny and weave through traffic pretty well. Creative runner who shows the ability to escape from congestion and find ways to turn messy blocking up front into positive gains. Overall flexibility and body control are impressive, and can work in some nice jukes and adjustments to make people miss in a phone booth. Flashed pretty good contact balance (often spinning off of would-be tacklers) and some competitiveness after contact at Cal, tending to fall forward at the end of runs. Offers a safe pair of hands out of the backfield and is able to adjust and catch the ball away from his frame; only dropped four career passes against 98 receptions, with pretty heavy integration into the Cal passing game on swings/flats.
Negatives
His injury-plagued 2024 season and subsequent 2025 transfer debacle will surely do serious damage to his stock, with his time at Oklahoma likely creating character concerns. Can be a bit too willing to bounce inside run calls outside. A smoother athlete than he is a particularly fast or explosive one, projecting more as a chunk runner than a home-run hitter. Doesn’t run with a lot of physicality or power; definitely more of a finesse back, and would like to see him get behind his pads a bit more, as he can run a bit upright, exposing his body to shots. Effort and technique as a pass protector are inconsistent at best.
Summary
A Jekyll-and-Hyde prospect who showed off patient, creative, and smooth running early in his career at Cal, but who struggled through an ankle injury in 2024 and seemed like an afterthought after signing a huge NIL deal to transfer to Oklahoma in 2025. Consequently, opinions are sure to be highly polarizing. Hasn’t even received an invitation to the Combine, but it’s possible someone will take a shot on him recovering his 2023 form late in the draft, especially in a thinner running back class.
Projection: Round 6-7
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