RJ Harvey put up big numbers in the ground game and is also an asset as a pass catcher out of the backfield.
The Cleveland Browns have several roster holes to fill on offense, and while the quarterback position receives most of the attention, the running back group also needs to be addressed.
Bringing back Nick Chubb is a nice idea, but after consecutive season-ending injuries, the Browns can’t go into the season without a solid insurance policy on the roster behind Chubb. The current group of Jerome Ford, Pierre Strong Jr., and exclusive rights free agent John Kelly Jr. do not exactly fit that bill.
Fortunately for general manager Andrew Berry, the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft is deep with running backs, and if he is interested in a multi-threat back, then Berry may cast an eye toward RJ Harvey from the University of Central Florida.
UCF RB RJ Harvey may be as quick as RB in the class, but what makes him special to me is his physicality. The dude knows how to finish a run
Has some shades of Bucky Irving from his time at Oregon. pic.twitter.com/4FuRhPHflw
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 13, 2025
Name: RJ Harvey
Position: Running back
Height/Weight: 5-foot-8, 205 pounds
College: University of Central Florida
2024 stats: 12 games, 232 rushes, 1,577 rushing yards, 6.8 yards per carry, 22 rushing touchdowns, 20 receptions, 267 receiving yards, 13.4 yards per catch, 3 receiving touchdowns
Career stats: 41 games, 579 rushes, 3,792 rushing yards, 6.5 yards per carry, 43 rushing touchdowns, 61 receptions, 720 receiving yards, 11.8 yards per catch, 4 receiving touchdowns
RJ Harvey is a RB prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 8.48 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 319 out of 2099 RB from 1987 to 2025.https://t.co/D5uX3ymrpi pic.twitter.com/UvsbyIFyX5
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 8, 2025
Relative Athletic Score: Scored an 8.48 RAS out of a possible 10. Ranks No. 319 out of 2,099 running backs from 1987 to 2025.
Average “Big Board” Position as of Publishing Date from Mock Draft Database: 106th overall/fourth-round projected
The Draft Network’s Grade/Round Value: Day 3 – Developmental traits
Anyways heres a RJ Harvey Highlight https://t.co/HmA1uyZSdv pic.twitter.com/55NW0GAThQ
— J Tuck (@jtuck151) April 19, 2025
What an Expert is Saying
Lance Zierlein at NFL.com:
Productive, blue-collar back with a compact frame and a willingness to get his nose dirty on each snap. Harvey lacks creativity and burst but adds yards after contact with contact balance and lower-body strength. 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. He’s a dump-and-dash pass catcher with below-average pass protection, so he’s unlikely to compete for third-down reps. Harvey’s will as a runner is admirable, but backup duty might be his ceiling.
What an Expert is Saying (Bonus Round):
Harvey is a natural playmaker. He processes defensive movement and blocking quickly to find daylight behind man/gap concepts, but he is more productive behind zone as a slasher type. His missed tackles forced average ranked above the 96th percentile. He also brings natural hands as a receiver and good receiving production.
The big concern with Harvey is his overall play speed. He takes too long to read the blocking and defense and so he doesn’t have enough power to hit the LOS.
Harvey ranks well in PFF”s wins above average metric due to high missed tackles forced averages as a rusher and a receiver, as well as his production in the passing game. If he plays with more urgency and violence, he could be a productive NFL running back.
there is so much to love about UCF RB RJ Harvey’s game
~ Phone booth creation vs unblocked DL/LB
~ Tempo behind pulling OL to maximize blocking
~ Juice and finish when given the second level pic.twitter.com/PdAAWKYo2U— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) March 14, 2025
Fit with the Browns
Harvey made the switch from quarterback to running back after transferring from Virginia to UCF. But once he got comfortable, his stats were impressive. He also does not have a lot of mileage on his body, which is good. If he is truly more productive behind a line running a zone blocking scheme, that fits well with the Browns. He may not be an every-down back, but the fact that he can run the ball and is an asset in the passing game means he would fit in perfectly in Cleveland’s backfield.
Browns Player Drafting Could Impact
Cleveland’s current running back room is almost as bare as the quarterback room. Even if the Browns decide to bring back Nick Chubb, they will likely still draft a running back, which puts Pierre Strong or John Kelly Jr. on the bubble.
Priority: Upper-medium. A reliable running game can be a rookie quarterback’s best friend, and that is also true for whatever “bridge quarterback” the Browns roll with this fall. Expect general manager Andrew Berry to address the position at some point in the draft.
What are your thoughts on RJ Harvey? Join fellow Browns fans in the comment section below.