The UCF offense has been centered around senior RB RJ Harvey’s back-to-back massive seasons. Here is a 2025 NFL Draft Early Scouting Report and film analysis on him.
Overview, Film Analysis, and Early 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report of UCF RB RJ Harvey
Measurables:
- 5’9”
- 208 lbs
Player Background:
RJ Harvey finished his high school career with Edgewater HS in Florida as a three-star quarterback prospect. He graduated as part of the 2019 recruiting cycle and committed to the Virginia Cavaliers. He redshirted his true freshman season in 2019, appearing in zero contests.
Entering the transfer portal as a running back, he decided to head back down to Florida with UCF. He played in 10 games for the Knights in 2020, rushing just three times for three yards and seeing most of his action on special teams. He suffered an injury in preseason camp before his 2021 campaign could begin and could not come back for any of the team’s games that year.
Despite starting only three games in 2022, Harvey amassed a solid 796 rushing yards and 215 receiving yards, scoring five times on the ground. He broke out in a major way as the team’s lead back in 2023, finishing third in the Big 12 with 1,416 rushing yards. He also tacked on an impressive 18 total TDs in just 10 games. His final collegiate season could end up being his best, accumulating over 1,300 yards and 21 total TDs with two games left to play.
Accolades:
- Doak Walker Award Semifinalist (2023)
- College Football Network First Team All-Big 12 (2023)
- Second Team All-AAC by Pro Football Network (2022)
Strengths/Pros:
Harvey’s lateral quickness and burst are easily his best attributes as an NFL prospect. He bounces runs to the boundary well and can extend plays and make defenders miss with quick movements. His feet are extremely quick and twitchy, allowing him to utilize many different moves against tacklers. He has a very low center of gravity that lets him bounce off tackles and stutter step past defenders. Harvey combines those skills with solid long speed and the ability to break off massive runs once he gets to space.
He maintains good contact balance on leg swipes and maintains forward momentum to continue gaining yards. Being a lighter back, Harvey slips through smaller holes at the line of scrimmage. Once he has a lane he’s difficult to bring down and just flies downfield. He offers some upside as a receiver, accelerating well out of the backfield and showcasing decent hands. He’s able to find his way into available space at a high rate and glides after the catch.
Weaknesses/Cons:
Much of what makes Harvey an elite collegiate RB will become a downside if it continues into the NFL. His tendency to stretch the field horizontally and work around defenses won’t work against the majority of NFL teams. The big gains that have made him so exciting as a player will turn into crucial losses at the next level. He doesn’t have the physicality to operate as a vertical-moving back and thus his home run threat will diminish.
Ball security issues have plagued Harvey in his three years as a major producer, losing a few fumbles at different points. He struggles with developing runs in the backfield, flashing excessive patience and failing to hit some lanes when they open. His pass-blocking abilities are subpar and gets bullied in the backfield too much. His vision and awareness of incoming pass rushers need improvement, and he gets blown by often.
Potential Team Fits:
NFL Projection:
RJ Harvey is an electrifying college running back whose lateral skills make him dangerous for any defense. As far as the NFL goes, however, he likely gets limited to a change-of-pace role wherever he goes. His smaller frame and reliance on bouncing runs outside don’t mesh well with the pro-level game flow. He works well enough through gaps and has the combination of top speed and footwork to find a rotational role in an offense.
Prospect Grade:
- Late 4th Round to Early 5th Round
Film Exposures:
- 2024 vs. BYU
- 2024 vs. TCU
- 2023 vs. Oklahoma State
Main Photo Courtesy of Joe Camporeale – Imagn Images
