Pro Football Focus named Damien Martinez top 10 2025 NFL Draft RB prospect

Running back Damien Martinez is projected to provide the Miami football team more explosiveness after transferring from Oregon State. Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus named Martinez one of his "10 running backs to know ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft."

Martinez is the 33rd-ranked transfer and the second RB in the 2024 portal. Martinez finished 11th nationally in 2023, averaging 98.75 rushing yards per game and scored nine touchdowns. Miami was 45th nationally in 2024, averaging 173.15 rushing yards per game. The Hurricanes mostly used a RB by committee.

Henry Parrish who led Miami with 625 rushing yards is a smaller RB at 5'10 and 190 pounds. Parrish transferred back to Mississippi during the spring transfer portal window. Mark Fletcher who was projected to be the Miami starting RB in 2024 is recovering from a Lisfranc foot injury and might not be ready for the start of the season.

Martinez provides Miami with a workhorse RB. Ajay Allen and Chris Johnson are experienced RBs behind Fletcher. Martinez will provide Miami with a good combination of power and speed. Pro Martinez is 107th on the early Pro Football Focus 2025 NFL Draft Big Board.

"DAMIEN MARTINEZ, MIAMI (FL)
Martinez has quietly been one of the most productive running backs in college football over his first two seasons at Oregon State. Since 2022, his 1,304 yards after contact are fourth among returning Power Five backs. In that same span, 68 of his carries have gone for 10-plus yards, trailing only Quinshon Judkins among Power Five rushers.

He’s a bigger running back at 6-foot, 232 pounds who’s still been able to hit over 20 miles per hour five times in his career. Martinez will need to show more on passing downs at Miami as he’s struggled both as a receiver and as a pass-protector in his career."

- Max Chadwick, Pro Football Focus

Adding Martinez will allow Miami to have a balanced offense. Miami was inconsistent running in 2023. Martinez had six games over 100 yards in 2023 and another four with at least 80. Oregon held Martinez to 38 yards on 13 carries in his lowest output of the 2023 season. Martinez ran for at least 65 yards in every other game.

As Chadwick points out, Martinez needs to improve as a receiver in 2023. Martinez finished with 11 receptions for 126 yards last season. If Miami can incorporate Martinez into the offense as a receiver, he can become an ACC performer. The addition of Martinez improves Miami offensively.