The running back position is an evolving commodity in the NFL, and multiple teams will be looking to shore up their backfields this offseason.

Running backs have continued to become more athletic and more involved in the passing game as the years have gone on, and Emmett Johnson is the perfect example of that build in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Background

Statistics

• 2023: 89 carries, 411 yards, 2 TDs; 7 receptions, 46 yards (12 games)
• 2024: 90 carries, 598 yards, 1 TD; 39 receptions, 286 yards, 2 TDs (13 games)
• 2025: 251 carries, 1451 yards, 12 TDs; 46 receptions, 370 yards, 3 TDs (12 games)

Measurables

• Height: 5’10”
• Weight: 202 pounds
• Hand Size: 9 3/4″
• Arm Length: 30 1/4″
• 40-Yard Dash: 4.56
• 10-Yard Split: 1.59
• 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.29
• Vertical: 35.5″
• Broad Jump: 10′
• 3-Cone: 7.32
• Bench: 16 reps

Johnson patiently waited in the Nebraska backfield for his opportunity to shine after redshirting his freshman year and being a rotational back in 2023 and 2024. He finally got his starting opportunity in 2025, and he made the most of it.

Johnson led the Big 10 in carries and rushing yards this year for a Cornhuskers program that hasn’t been known for having a star running back in a long time. Now, he is hoping that productive year can propel him towards the top of the draft class this spring.

Strengths

The first thing that jumps off the screen when watching Johnson play is his explosive burst out of the backfield. He gets up to speed in a hurry, and while he won’t necessarily blow people away with his long speed, his 10-yard split is very comparable to that of Jeremiyah Love’s, which is a much more telling metric for running backs who won’t be running in a straight line downfield very often.

Not only is Johnson a cannon ball once he gets a carry, he is a very slippery runner. It doesn’t take much of a gap for him to find a way to slither his way through the trenches to pick up some positive yards. Once he gets into the open field, he uses his excellent vision and agility to change directions in a hurry, leaving potential tacklers in his dust.

The versatility as a receiver is just the kicker, making him a player with true three-down potential in today’s NFL. Nebraska wasn’t afraid to line him up in the slot to run routes, which is a testament to his footwork.

Weaknesses

While Johnson’s receiving ability can keep him on the field on third down, his lack of size and power could cause trouble in short yardage situations and near the goal line in the NFL.

That lack of size not only impacts his ability to truck his way for 2-3 yards on third and short, but he is not equipped to handle a pass blocking role at the next level. He often found himself struggling to keep pass rushers in front of him on the few pass blocking opportunities he had in college.

2026 NFL Draft Projection

• NFL Draft Projection: Day 2 (Mid Round 2-Early Round 3)
• Team Fits: Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars

Johnson is best fit in a running back room with another running back who can be a ground-and-pound type of player, but there certainly is a role in the NFL for him. He has all the energy and effort that you look for in a prospect, and he proved in 2025 he is capable of taking the bulk of the carries throughout a season.

Editor’s Note: Statistics from Pro Football Focus helped with this article.

Josh Frey is a senior writer at both PurplePTSD.com and VikingsTerritory.com, with a fascination for the NFL Draft. To … More about Josh Frey

The two-year-old Paradoxium has fought back from a pneumonia setback to emerge as a serious Golden Slipper contender following an outstanding performance in the Todman Stakes at Randwick.

He had been a short-priced elect for the Gold Coast’s Magic Millions Classic in January, buoyed by success in a vital Wyong warmup, until illness excluded him from the Queensland spectacle.

Questions lingered over a timely Slipper return, but Baker was optimistic after the colt’s spirited gallop a few weeks prior, believing him fully restored.

“Full credit to all my team, particularly my vet, Allan Frogley, and the vets who looked after him up in Queensland,” Baker said.

“He got very, very sick, very fast and for him to get back here and do that is pretty special.

“I think he is going to improve a heap out of this. He’d only had the one trial, and he’s got a good two weeks’ into the Slipper now, and he’s in.”

Jason Collett sent Paradoxium ($2.60 fav) forward to lead, and he fended off Hidrix entering the straight, staying on powerfully to win by 1-1/2 lengths over Silver Slipper winner Stretan Ruler ($3), from Wolf Gap ($5.50) a further 1-1/2 lengths behind.

Paradoxium’s time trailed Chayan’s in the fillies’ Reisling Stakes (1200m) by under a second, yet his visual dominance was clear after three months off.

Baker highlighted the colt’s explosive pace as a major plus for the Golden Slipper (1200m).

“Speed, speed, speed. That’s what we breed for in Australia. Fast, strong, tough horses,” Baker said.

“I’ll tell you what, he’s fast and tough and hopefully we’ll find out how strong he is in a couple of weeks.”

Chad Schofield praised the beaten favourite, who he felt needed more pressure upfront.

“It was just a trot and canter up front,” Schofield said.

“The winner had a picnic and sprinted sharply. My horse was very strong late.”

His Todman Stakes triumph saw Paradoxium into $5 Slipper favouritism, ahead of Warwoven ($6) from the same stable and Chayan ($9), with Stretan Ruler out to $11.

For the best betting markets for the race, visit trusted racing betting markets now.

Keith Andrews criticised the “disgusting” culture of ridiculing players who miss penalties after Dango Ouattara’s fluffed Panenka cost Brentford a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Ouattara’s outlandish dinked effort was easily caught by West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola as the Bees slipped to a 5-3 shootout loss at London Stadium.

Brentford boss Andrews alluded to the host of England internationals who have been “persecuted” for failing from 12 yards at major tournaments during a passionate defence of the Burkina Faso forward.

Hammers captain Jarrod Bowen and Bees top scorer Igor Thiago each scored twice during normal time as an entertaining fifth-round tie ended in a 2-2 draw after 120 minutes.

“No, I’m not annoyed at all,” Andrews said of Ouattara’s penalty.

“I think the easiest thing for a footballer to do is not take a penalty. It takes unbelievable courage on a stage like that to take a penalty.

“It’s probably the first time I’ve ever spoken about penalty kicks and people that miss them.

“I despise the culture around players that have missed penalty kicks – I think you know the ones I’m talking about, national heroes that have done it, ridiculed, persecuted. I think it’s disgusting.”

Ouattara stepped up second for Brentford in the shootout.

The 24-year-old was the only player from either side to fail as the west London club’s wait for a first FA Cup quarter-final since 1989 was extended in agonising fashion.

“It takes serious courage to do that,” continued Andrews. “He practises that technique a lot, if it goes in everyone’s raving about him.

“Dango will get the absolute support he needs from myself and everybody attached to it.”

West Ham defender Konstantinos Mavropanos converted the decisive spot-kick to set up a last-eight meeting at home to Leeds.

England forward Bowen poked the hosts into a 19th-minute lead in an action-packed first half before Thiago levelled for the Bees with his 20th goal of the season.

Bowen doubled his tally with a 34th-minute penalty, only for Thiago to force extra-time by converting from the spot in the 81st minute.

Three-time FA Cup winners West Ham, who are embroiled in a Premier League relegation battle, are into the quarter-finals for the first time in a decade, having last progressed to that stage during the 2015-16 season – their final one at Upton Park.

Hammers head coach Nuno Espirito Santo said: “(It was) a long night but a good one.

“The atmosphere in the end was amazing, our fans celebrating.

“They deserve this moment of happiness, it’s been hard but they’ve been sticking with us, supporting us, and I think the boys are giving back.

“The game was very tight, it could go both ways, we have to be fair.

“In the penalties, I think it’s all about being ready to do their tasks and they did it well.”

Nuno opted to remain in the dugout, rather than watch the spot-kicks.

“I don’t like to see it, I get too nervous, too anxious,” he explained. “I’m going to see it now. I’ve been told they were really well taken.”

The Chargers agreed to terms with offensive lineman Cole Strange on a two-year, $13 million deal. There is reportedly $9 million guaranteed on the deal.

Strange is another former Dolphins player the Bolts have added in the last few days.

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Over the weekend, Los Angeles agreed to terms with fullback Alec Ingold, who spent four seasons under Mike McDaniel as head coach.

Now, the Chargers have added another former player of McDaniel’s in Strange, who started 14 games at right guard in Miami last season. The 27-year-old should provide much-needed depth to the offensive line, a unit that struggled to stay healthy throughout the 2025 season.

Strange is entering his fifth NFL season and is set to don powder blue for the next two seasons. He has played in 44 games, including 43 starts. He’s spent the most time playing left guard, logging 1,546 snaps at the position. He also has 808 snaps at right guard and 117 snaps at center.

General manager Joe Hortiz said the front office would be prioritizing protecting Justin Herbert this offseason, and they’ve done just that with their additions in the last few days.

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Here’s how social media reacted to the Chargers agreeing to terms with Strange:

Yash Dhull (Image credit: Instagram)

NEW DELHI: Life felt incredibly difficult and frustrating for Yash Dhull as he spent months confined to the four corners of a room. The 2022 Under-19 World Cup-winning captain was bedridden after undergoing heart surgery, slowly recovering while battling the constant urge to return to the middle and resume playing cricket.Dhull was diagnosed with a hole in his heart after his family urged him to consult a doctor. He had been experiencing symptoms for some time — shortness of breath, constant fatigue, lack of energy and sudden weight loss. As the symptoms worsened, medical tests confirmed the condition, forcing the young cricketer to step away from the game and focus on treatment and recovery.

“Many times it happened that after playing a full match, like a national match, I would feel extremely tired and it felt like my fitness was gradually going down. Later, when I was in a camp, the issue was detected there. I got tests done again and that’s when we found out exactly what it was. Even the doctors were a little surprised — they asked how I was still playing. I hadn’t realised it earlier, but once it was detected, it meant there was an option to fix it,” Yash Dhull told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.“At that time the timeline wasn’t clear because there was no option except surgery. My mindset was clear, and my family also believed that getting it done at the right time was the better option because the problem could have become bigger later. For me, health is everything. My thinking was simple — if I become fit, everything else will slowly come back. It takes time, but things gradually fall into place. When you are not mentally or physically fit and have issues, you cannot move forward properly. So my focus was to finish this issue first and then see how things move ahead,” he said.After the heart surgery, Dhull was bedridden for several days. As per the doctors’ advice, he was told not to travel or play cricket for a while.But the determined youngster had just one question for the doctors — and he asked it almost every day: “Main kab se cricket khel sakta hoon?” (When can I start playing cricket again?)

“That time was tough. I was itching to get back in the middle. When I started running again, it just wasn’t happening. Even completing one round was very difficult. Slowly, things began to improve. I even tried to play in the DPL in the first year, but it wasn’t possible because my heart rate and BP were going very high. It was very risky as my BP could suddenly shoot up, so I had to back off. Then I started preparing for the season and praying for recovery. Things improve gradually. If you rush them, they don’t work. When you take it step by step, it takes time, but eventually things come back,” Yash Dhull, who led India to the 2022 Under-19 World Cup title after beating England in the final, said.DHULL’S NEXT TARGET: SENIOR WORLD CUPDhull is among the few captains who have led India to the Under-19 World Cup title.India have won the Under-19 ODI World Cup a record six times — in 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018, 2022 and 2026. The title-winning captains include Mohammad Kaif (2000), Virat Kohli (2008), Unmukt Chand (2012), Prithvi Shaw (2018), Dhull (2022) and Ayush Mhatre (2026).

For Dhull, however, the Under-19 World Cup is not just a memory. His next target is clear — representing India at the senior World Cup.“I talk to players like Rishabh Pant, Ishant Sharma and Axar Patel. I’m very close to them and you learn a lot just by being around them. You observe what they do and how they go about their work, and that helps a lot. They’ve always told me to prepare in such a way that when an opportunity comes, you don’t miss it,” he said.Due to health issues and the surgery, Dhull — who played for Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League from 2022 to 2024 — went unsold at the IPL 2026 auction.“Yes, you do feel a little disappointed, but at the same time you cannot get stuck in that feeling. You have to get back to your work. If you stay stuck on one thing, you won’t be able to focus on the opportunities ahead. Right now, I’m waiting to see what opportunities come my way. Whatever comes, I’m preparing for it and I’m ready. Anything can happen in life at any time — things can change anytime — so I’m preparing for that,” Dhull said.“The dream is to play a senior World Cup. I am confident that I will play one day. Every cricketer dreams of representing India at a World Cup,” he said.

Rennae Stubbs recently accused President Donald Trump of ‘disrespecting’ US Army soldiers killed in an Iranian drone strike. The former tennis star criticized Trump as a ‘draft dodger’ after the President showed up to the dignified transfer of the soldiers in a baseball cap.

Earlier this week, an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait killed six service members. The US Army Reserve soldiers were brought home in a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Saturday, March 7 and Trump, alongside first lady Melania Trump and Vice President JD Vance were in attendance for the event.

Recently, an Instagram Threads user shared a picture from the event, writing,

“President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President Vance honoring with Dignified Transfer the 6 members of our military who lost their lives. God bless these heroes and their families.”

Reacting to this, Rennae Stubbs accused President President Donald Trump of ‘disrespecting’ the fallen soldiers, writing,

“Disrespecting them with a hat on. What do you expect from a draft dodger.”

Rennae Stubbs shares sweet golfing moment in memory of her mother

Rennae Stubbs recently invited fans behind-the-scenes into her life with a sweet glimpse into her golfing outing. The Australian revealed that she used to often golf with her mother, but hadn’t been out on the course since her mother passed away last year.

She went on to share that she recently returned to the sport, wearing her mother’s chain around her neck, and unlocked an incredible achievement, writing on X,

“If you don’t know, I love golf & so did my mum. She played her whole life & when she passed last year, I hadn’t played golf since. Well I played for the 1st time yesterday, wearing her chain around my neck & this happened! Thankgod i filmed it. Thx 😇 #holeinone #seinseiporcupine.”

As a tennis player, Rennae Stubbs competed on the WTA Tour between 1992 and 2011. The Australian was a doubles specialist, and won four women’s doubles Grand Slam titles as well as two mixed doubles Major championships.

After calling time on her career in 2011, Stubbs shifted her focus to coaching. In recent years, the 54-year-old has worked with the likes of Serena Williams, Eugenie Bouchard, Karolina Pliskova and Samantha Stosur.