Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
The New Orleans Saints running back room hasn’t seen as much turnover as some of their other position groups, but it’s still a room that has been impacted quite a bit by offseason additions.
Explosive running back Travis Etienne Jr. was signed in free agency to help bring more dynamic playmaking to the position paired with Saints’ star Alvin Kamara, who expressed that he “couldn’t be happier,” the two are set to join forces in the Big Easy.
After also signing potential return specialist and back Ty Chandler, New Orleans also dipped into the running back market a third time in undrafted free agency, signing former Ohio State running back CJ Donaldson.
While Donaldson isn’t known to be the same kind of home run hitter as Etienne, his impact for the Buckeyes could be of help in New Orleans.
Donaldson carried the ball only 96 times last year at Ohio State. Despite those limited carries, he found the endzone a whopping 10 times. In fact, over his four-year collegiate career, the 6-foot-2, 236 pound back ran for 40 total rushing scores. With a career count of just 517 carries, that’s approximately a touchdown every 13 career rushes.
C.J. DONALDSON DOESN’T SKIP LEG DAY 😤
7-3 Good Guys #GoBucks
pic.twitter.com/tq8swmjLLw— Downs 2 Business (@downs2business) November 8, 2025
He spent the first three years with West Virginia, a school where he played more of a featured back role. In each of those years, he scored eight, 11 and 11 rushing touchdowns respectively. His eight touchdown season with the Mountaineers came with just 87 carries in 2022 where he was listed as a tight end despite primarily playing a backfield ball-carrier role.
His 4.61-second Pro Day 40-time won’t blow anyone away. But his ability to get downhill in a hurry and win as a physical runner is clear
Donaldson won’t be asked to be a bellcow back in the Crescent City, dominating the share of carries. However, his short-yardage effectiveness could come in handy.
On third and three or less in 2025, the Saints were one of the best third down conversion teams in the league, gaining a new set of downs on 65.2% of their attempts. The team ranked No. 6 in the NFL with that rate.
When rushing on third and three or less, the team’s conversion percentage dropped to No. 12 in the league, but still held well at 72.1%. Donaldson could help the Saints maintain that efficiency should there be injuries at the position ahead of him during the 2026 campaign, should he do enough to stick around through post-preseason roster cuts.
THE BUCKEYES STRIKE FIRST AND SCORE THEIR FIRST TD OF THE SEASON 🔥🌰@ohiostatefb pic.twitter.com/Mlb8CiRyt7
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) August 30, 2025
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