Jaydn Ott is a running back and 2026 NFL Draft prospect who finished his collegiate career at the University of Oklahoma after three seasons at the University of California, Berkeley. A four-star recruit in the 2022 class, Ott chose Cal over offers from Georgia, Oregon, USC, and others and quickly established himself as one of the most dynamic backs in the Pac-12. He rushed for 897 yards as a true freshman before breaking out with 1,305 yards, 12 touchdowns, and first-team All-Pac-12 honors as a sophomore in 2023. A nagging ankle injury hampered his 2024 season, limiting him to 385 yards on 116 carries, and he subsequently entered the transfer portal and signed with Oklahoma, where he played in a high-profile offense but struggled to find his footing, totaling just 68 rushing yards on the season. He accumulated 3,326 scrimmage yards and 31 total touchdowns across three seasons at Cal before his Oklahoma stint became one of the more difficult chapters of any 2026 prospect's career.
Measured at 5-foot-11 and 208 pounds, Ott is a smooth, creative, and patient runner with outstanding lateral quickness, above-average hands out of the backfield, and the vision to find rushing lanes before they fully develop. He was one of the most efficient backs in college football during his sophomore season at Cal and draws praise for his flexibility, body control, and elusiveness in tight spaces. His Senior Bowl performance in pass protection was notably strong, and his pass-catching ability out of the backfield has been a consistent strength throughout his career. The considerable uncertainty surrounding his 2025 season at Oklahoma, combined with injury history and being an older prospect, will complicate his draft evaluation, but Ott's peak film from Cal remains compelling enough to generate Day 3 interest from teams willing to bet on his ceiling as a dynamic, space-oriented back.
