Tradarian Ball

Physical Profile

Listed at 5-10, 175 lbs. Taller than 30% and heavier than 9% of 2026 Running Back prospects in the SEC Scouts database (138 with a listed size).

Play Style

Ball is a speed-and-space back who is a real threat in the passing game. He runs best on outside zone and stretch plays: he presses the edge, puts his foot in the ground, and gets vertical fast. He is at his best in the open field, where his acceleration and long speed turn short gains into long touchdowns. Texas High moved him around, with snaps in the backfield, in the slot, and on screens and choice routes. That versatility is a big part of his value, and it shows in more than 1,000 receiving yards as a junior. He does not run with power. He wins with angles, burst and elusiveness instead of contact balance.

Strengths

• Big-play output as a runner: as a junior he ran for 777 yards on 68 carries (11.4 yards per carry) against 5A D-II competition, so he creates long runs out of normal carries.
• Real receiving value: he caught 44 passes for 1,017 yards (23.1 per catch) as a junior and 63 for 789 as a senior. Over his career he had 2,400+ receiving yards, so he can line up in the slot or run routes from the backfield, not just catch check-downs.
• Consistent production: he played varsity for four years, starting with 960 total yards and 13 TDs as a freshman, and finished with 6,100+ total yards (3,600+ rushing). Teams game-planned for him every week, and he still produced 1,661 yards from scrimmage and 18 TDs as a senior.
• Track speed and burst: a 10.5 in the 100 meters confirms his long speed, and it shows up as turning the corner and breaking long touchdowns at the second level.
• Maturity and commitment: he stayed with Oregon from July 2024 until signing and turned away flips from Texas and Miami. That points to stability that helps a young player grow in the program.

Areas to Improve

• Size and play strength: at about 170-175 lb he has to add mass to run between the tackles, break arm tackles from Big Ten linebackers, and hold up over a full season of carries.
• Pass protection: his high school role was mostly as a runner and receiver. He needs to learn to spot blitzers and square up against them, or he will be limited to certain packages.
• Senior-year efficiency: his rushing average dropped from 11.4 as a junior to 6.2 as a senior (872 yards on 140 carries). He must show he can grind out short runs between the tackles when defenses load the box, not only hit home runs.

College Projection

Year one (2026) is about a redshirt or limited role. Oregon's backfield is deep, and his first carries came in the fourth quarter of a 70-0 blowout. The realistic path is to build his body through 2026, then earn a change-of-pace and third-down role in 2027 as a receiving back and screen/perimeter option, possibly with kick-return work. By his third year, if he gets to about 190 lb, he can be the explosive half of a two-back rotation in Oregon's spread attack. His ceiling is a 1,000-yard all-purpose weapon, not a workhorse.

NFL Outlook

He has a mid-to-late-round draft profile as a third-down back and returner if he adds weight and becomes reliable in pass protection. His 4.4 speed and receiving tape fit the modern NFL's demand for backs who can line up out wide. Without weight gain and pass-pro development, his size (currently about 5-10/175) caps his value. Draft projection: Day 3, and he has the upside to climb if his college production in the passing game shows up early.

Best Fit

A spread, zone-based offense that uses running backs in the passing game, which is exactly what Oregon does. The ideal scheme gets him the ball in space through outside zone, jet/orbit motion, screens and routes from the backfield or slot, and pairs him with a bigger back in rotation. A strength program that can safely add mass is essential. Power-gap, I-formation offenses built around a single workhorse back would not use his skills well.