The precipitous fall in NFL draft stock for Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon began last summer, when he seemed like a lock to be picked in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.
Now, with Gordon’s stock having cratered to the point where he’s predicted as a fourth round pick or lower, the Philadelphia Eagles might be able to add depth behind NFL Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley and free agent A.J. Dillon.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine put Gordon as a potential draft target for the defending Super Bowl champions in the later rounds.
“Barkley’s success only highlights how important it is going to be to keep him healthy as he goes into his age-28 season,” Ballentine wrote on April 7. “That could mean finding a runner who can absorb some of the more physical in-between-the-tackle runs. Obviously Dillon fits that profile for 2025, but the Eagles have four picks in the fifth round. They should be looking to potentially add one more power back to their committee.”
Tracking Gordon’s Fall From Top of Draft Boards
Gordon, at the time the reigning Doak Walker Award winner as college football’s top running back, was coming off a season in which he led the nation in both rushing yards (1,732) and yards from scrimmage (2,062) in 2023.
With so much hanging in the balance, Gordon was arrested by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol for suspicion of driving under the influence.
“.. Troopers pulled Gordon over in the Oklahoma City area after he swerved his car into the adjacent lane twice and was caught speeding 17 miles per hour over the speed limit of 65,” ESPN’s Jake Trotter wrote on July 2, 2024. “During the stop, a trooper detected the odor of alcohol in the vehicle. Gordon admitted he had an open bottle of vodka and of tequila, which, according to the affidavit, were found half empty.”
Gordon followed that with a disastrous final season.
Oklahoma State went 3-9 with an 0-9 record in the Big 12 for their worst season since going 0-10-1 in 1991 after starting the season ranked No. 17 in the Associated Press Top 25. Gordon’s stats were essentially cut in half while playing only 2 less games. He rushed for 880 yards and 13 touchdowns with 1,059 yards from scrimmage and 14 total touchdowns after scoring 22 touchdowns in 2023 and finished his career with 40 total touchdowns over 3 seasons.
Gordon didn’t do himself any favors at the NFL scouting combine, where he posted a less-than-ideal 40-yard dash time of 4.61 seconds. At this point, his stock has fallen to the point where Gordon wasn’t even included on ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr.’s ranking of the Top 10 running back prospects ahead of the 2025 draft.
Gordon Draws Comparison to Commanders RB
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein compared Gordon to Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. in his pre-draft evaluation.
“When (Gordon) gets going downhill he becomes a battering ram, slamming through tackles and adding tough yards after contact,” Zierlein wrote. “He’s good in the screen game and could improve his protection in time … Gordon is big and physical and could attract Day 2 attention from teams looking to add a bruiser to a two-back system.”
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