A converted quarterback who became UCF's highest-drafted running back ever, RJ Harvey now shares the Denver backfield workload.
RJ Harvey arrived in Denver as a second-round pick with an unusual origin story - he began his college career as a quarterback before finding his footing as one of the most explosive backs in the country. Compact at 5-foot-8 but built for contact, Harvey spent his rookie year working into a featured role behind the Broncos' offensive line.
Path to the league
Harvey started his college career at Virginia as a redshirt freshman quarterback before transferring to UCF and switching to running back. He broke out with the Knights, topping 1,400 rushing yards in each of his final two seasons, and the Broncos took him with the 60th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, making him the highest-drafted running back in UCF history.
Career highlights
In his final season at UCF in 2024, Harvey rushed for 1,577 yards and 22 touchdowns on 232 carries while averaging 6.8 yards per attempt, earning third-team All-American and first-team All-Big 12 honors. He was also a Doak Walker Award semifinalist in 2023 after a 1,416-yard season.
2025 season recap
Harvey's rookie season started slowly as he shared touches in Denver's backfield, but his role expanded after J.K. Dobbins went down with a season-ending foot injury in Week 10. He finished with 540 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, adding 356 receiving yards and five receiving scores for 896 total yards and 12 touchdowns, and was named NFL Rookie of the Week following a three-touchdown Week 8 performance.
Sources
- Wikipedia: RJ Harvey
- ESPN: RJ Harvey
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Rushing
17 games played▶Rushing · career
| Year | Team | GP | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | broncos | 6 | 24 | 87 | 3.6 | 1 | 9 |
| 2025 | broncos | 17 | 146 | 540 | 3.7 | 7 | 50 |
▶Receiving · career
| Year | Team | GP | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | broncos | 6 | 25 | 217 | 8.7 | 1 | 52 |
| 2025 | broncos | 17 | 47 | 356 | 7.6 | 5 | 32 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Running Back
- Group
- injuredReserveOrOut
- College
- UCF
- Hometown
- Orlando, FL, USA
- Age
- 25
- Status
- day-to-day
Latest news about RJ Harvey
All news →Broncos Beat Cardinals 30-16 in Week 7
Denver Broncos 30, Arizona Cardinals 16 at State Farm Stadium. Bo Nix went 15 of 29 for 222 yards with 1 touchdown.
Broncos Edge Seahawks 17-14 in Week 6
Denver Broncos 17, Seattle Seahawks 14 at Empower Field at Mile High. Bo Nix went 17 of 27 for 107 yards.
49ers Beat Broncos 24-14 in Week 4
San Francisco 49ers 24, Denver Broncos 14 at Levi's Stadium. Brock Purdy went 19 of 30 for 218 yards with 2 touchdowns.
Broncos Rule Out Marvin Mims Jr. Against Jaguars With Foot Injury
The All-Pro returner did not practice all week after leaving Monday's loss in Kansas City, the same right foot he hurt in the preseason finale. Pat Bryant takes his offensive snaps.
Bo Nix Throws TD in Return From Broken Ankle
The Broncos quarterback went 6 of 9 for 76 yards, connecting with new receiver Jaylen Waddle and running back RJ Harvey, in his first game action since fracturing his ankle in last season's playoffs.
