The Denver Broncos were wheeling and dealing on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL draft, and when the dust finally settled, they may have landed their running back of the future.
The Broncos drafted UCF running back RJ Harvey in the second round (No. 60 overall) after trading down, twice, from the No. 51 overall pick.
First, Denver traded the Nos. 51, 85, 122 and 208 picks with the Carolina Panthers for the Nos. 57, 74, 111 and 230 picks. Then, the Broncos traded their Nos. 57 and 230 picks with the Detroit Lions for the Nos. 60 and 130 picks.
“(Harvey) is instant juice,” ESPN’s Louis Riddick said after Harvey was selected. ” … Sean Payton will figure out a way to get this guy the football and make him an electric playmaker.”
Much of the buzz around the Broncos headed into the draft was around the possibility of them taking a running back in the first round, where they selected Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron with No. 20 overall pick.
According to Spotrac, Harvey will receive a 4-year, $7.3 million rookie contract that includes a $1.9 million signing bonus.
Harvey: 3,498 Yards of Total Offense Last 2 Seasons
Harvey, 5-foot-8 and 205 pounds, actually started his college career as a quarterback at the University of Virginia before transferring to UCF and switching positions.
Harvey had over 1,400 rushing yards each of his last 2 seasons with the Knights and racked up 3,498 yards of total offense along with 48 career touchdowns. He was named All-Big 12 and All-American in 2024 with 1,577 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns in 12 games while averaging 6.8 yards per carry. Harvey also showed the ability to catch the ball, with 20 receptions for 267 yards and 2 touchdowns.
At the NFL scouting combine, Harvey delivered big by running the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds.
“Productive, blue-collar back with a compact frame and a willingness to get his nose dirty on each snap,” NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote. ” … While he’s well built, he’s not a big back by NFL standards, so he needs to run with better vision and tempo to get past second-level defenders at a decent rate.”
Broncos in Desperate Need of Help at Running Back
While the Broncos haven’t had a player rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season since Phillip Lindsay in 2019, the 2024 season represented an especially low point in that stretch.
Leading rusher Javonte Williams led the Broncos with 513 yards but averaged just 3.7 yards per carry even though the Broncos went 10-7 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
Harvey will get a chance to make an impact right away after Williams left to the Dallas Cowboys on a 1-year, $3 million.
“RJ Harvey is great inside and outside the tackles,” DNVR’s Zac Stevens wrote on his official X account. “And he’s a receiving threat.”
PFF’s Trevor Sikkema compared Harvey to Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving, a third round pick in 2024 who rushed for over 1,000 yards as a rookie.
“Nobody should be questioning Payton’s ability to scout and develop RBs,” former Mile High Huddle analyst Trevor Judge wrote on his official X account. “Just look at his track record. He wanted RJ Harvey. Maybe we should see why instead of immediately criticizing the pick because he wasn’t someone on your fan radar.”
“RJ Harvey is one of most underrated superstar potential player in league,” Pro Football Talk’s Chris Simms wrote on X. “Ankle breaker and 80 yd td ability. Had him as the #3 RB.”
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