Kaelon Black is a running back and 2026 NFL Draft prospect who finished his collegiate career with the Indiana Hoosiers after spending four seasons with the James Madison Dukes. A native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Black attended Salem High School and was rated a two-star recruit in the 2020 class before committing to James Madison. He redshirted in 2020 and suffered a season-ending knee injury just three games into the 2021 season, then returned in 2022 and earned VaSID Offensive Rookie of the Year honors before recording 668 rushing yards and 214 receiving yards across 13 starts in 2023. When head coach Curt Cignetti departed for Indiana after the 2023 season, Black followed, arriving in Bloomington for 2024 in a reserve role that yielded 251 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 46 carries. He broke out in a major way in 2025, appearing in all 15 games and posting career highs with 187 carries for 1,039 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns at a 5.6 yards-per-carry average, serving as a key piece in Indiana's undefeated regular season and College Football Playoff national championship run in which he rushed for 99 yards against Alabama in the Rose Bowl and scored two touchdowns in the Peach Bowl win over Oregon.
Standing 5-foot-10 and approximately 210 pounds, Black is known for a naturally low center of gravity and quick feet that allow him to redirect and slip through tight creases, the physicality and leg drive to gain hard yards after contact on early-down runs, and the strong pass-protection ability that has made him particularly valuable in third-down packages throughout his career. NFL evaluators project him as a complementary running back and change-of-pace option at the next level, where his championship-game experience, physical running style, and reliable ball security give him a realistic path to earning a roster spot as a depth back who can contribute in a rotation and develop his receiving role to expand his value in a professional offense.
