ESPN Ranks Desmond Reid in Top 10 RBs for 2025

Desmond Reid made defenses look foolish with his speed and elusiveness in his first year with Pitt.

Since the conclusion of the 2024 season, the 5-foot-8, 175-pound talent has garnered a lot of offseason buzz as one of the top returning running backs in all of college football.

ESPN is the latest platform to list Reid as a top-10 running back entering the upcoming season. In fact, the ‘Worldwide Leader in Sports’ ranked him as the No. 7 running back for 2025.

In January, ESPN also listed Reid as the No. 94 college football player from the 2024 campaign.

There will be a clash of top running backs at Acrisure Stadium on Nov. 15 when Pitt faces Notre Dame, who boasts the top running back on the ESPN list in Jeremiyah Love.

Penn State’s Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen took spots two and three in the ranking, while Louisville’s Isaac Brown, who Pitt will face in September, slotted at No. 5.

Pro Football Focus named Reid as the eighth-best returning running back in February.

Pittsburgh Panthers running back Desmond Reid (0) December 26, 2024 David Hague/ PSN

Reid compiled 962 rushing yards, 579 receiving yards and 159 punt return yards, along with 10 total touchdowns in 2024. His 154.9 all-purpose yards per game were fifth-best in the country as he earned All-American Second-Team honors.

Despite the remarkable season, Reid has has plans to improve as he returns to Pitt for one final year in 2025.

“I’m trying to be better than last year,” he said in March. “I didn’t play every game last year dealing with injuries. That’s my goal this year is to play every game and be able to help the team.

“I’ve been trying to get a little bigger, trying to do different stuff in the treatment room because I’m still figuring out what all I need to do to make sure I’m ready for game day and the season.”