3 Draft RBs the Eagles Should Pair With Saquon Barkley

After seeing D’Andre Swift sign a three-year contract with the Chicago Bears, the Philadelphia Eagles swung for the fences and upgraded their running back room, signing Saquon Barkley to a massive three-year deal.

With Barkley now in the fold, Philadelphia has one of the best running backs in the league, which will upgrade a running back room that was rolling with Miles Sanders, D’Andre Swift, Kenny Gainwell, and Boston Scott over the last few years.

Gainwell still figures to be a part of Philly’s offense as he can catch the ball out of the backfield and be utilized in pass protection. 

However, it would not be crazy to see Eagles general manager Howie Roseman use a Day 3 pick to add more competition to the running back. This year’s running back draft class is the most heralded as in previous years, but there’s enough talent that many teams can find an instant contributor.

Let’s look at some of the draft prospects who could be a potential running mate with Barkley and Gainwell this season.

1. Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss

Once upon a time, the Eagles almost signed Frank Gore Sr., but he ultimately decided to join the Indianapolis Colts.

However, the Eagles should have Gore’s son on their radar, who had a solid four-year career at Southern Mississippi. The 5-foot-8 running back wrapped up his senior season with the Golden Eagles, rushing for 1,131 yards and 10 touchdowns on 231 carries.

Gore also showed his ability to be a factor in the passing game, producing 27 receptions for 221 yards and three touchdowns. The Southern Miss standout ended his collegiate career with two consecutive 1,000-yard rushing yard seasons and participated in the 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl.

Gore might be small in stature but that shouldn’t deter the Eagles from potentially taking him as good balance as a runner, can accelerate out of a cut, isn’t a liability in pass protection, and can be a receiver out of a backfield. All of those traits are what the Eagles look for in a running back and it's one of the reasons why Gainwell was on the field in certain spots over Swift last season.

Most NFL mock drafts have Gore Jr. projected to be selected in the sixth round, but Emory Hunt of Football Gameplan has him as his fifth-ranked running back and views him as a solid NFL starter.