Noah Whittington is a running back and 2026 NFL Draft prospect who played his collegiate career at Western Kentucky and the University of Oregon. A native of Fort Valley, Georgia, Whittington enrolled at Western Kentucky in the 2020 class as a two-star prospect and worked his way into a featured role, rushing for 617 yards on 101 carries in his sophomore season before transferring to Oregon ahead of the 2022 season. In his first year with the Ducks, he finished second on the team with 779 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 139 carries while adding 22 receptions for 169 yards. He suffered an injury that shortened his 2023 season to four games before returning in 2024 to rush for 540 yards and six touchdowns and deliver a momentum-changing 100-yard kickoff return against Boise State. In his final season in 2025, Whittington posted career highs with 829 rushing yards, six touchdowns at 6.4 yards per carry, and contributed to an Oregon team that earned a College Football Playoff berth. Over six collegiate seasons, he accumulated 2,986 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns on 527 carries with 88 career receptions.
Standing 5-9 and approximately 190 pounds, Whittington plays with a naturally low center of gravity that allows him to duck under contact, absorb hits, and churn through arm tackles at the second level. He is a patient runner with the vision to read zone-blocking concepts, stick behind his blockers, and knife through creases with a decisive one-cut style. His ball security is outstanding, having fumbled just once on more than 500 career carries, a trait that speaks to his reliability in high-leverage situations. He also brings special teams value as a return specialist. Limited top-end speed and modest receiving production later in his career are the primary concerns for NFL evaluators. Whittington projects as a Day 3 selection or priority undrafted free agent with a legitimate path to contributing as a depth running back and core special teams player at the next level.
