Georgia: It’s no surprise that Georgia has the No. 1 running back class this cycle. Nate Frazier has been the top-ranked all-purpose back for a while now, and he continues to hold that crown. Future Bulldog Chauncey Bowens should be a nice complement to Frazier. Dwight Phillips kept his fourth star in this rankings update, making Georgia the only team with a trio of four-star running back commitments.
Ohio State: The Buckeyes’ dynamic duo of Jordan Lyle and James Peoples gives Ohio State an impressive tandem of running backs. Lyle has been looking around, with Miami as a potential destination. It will be a storyline to follow as we get closer to signing day. Peoples is locked in with Ohio State and Buckeyes fans should be excited about what he will bring to their backfield.
Texas: The Longhorns went back into Florida this recruiting cycle to pick up a commitment from Jerrick Gibson. The IMG Academy running back is tough to tackle and has impressive burst once he gets the ball in his hands. Christian Clark is a good receiver out of the backfield and certainly holds his own when asked to take carries between the tackles and in short yardage situations.
Wisconsin: The Badgers are loading up with productive running backs this cycle. Explosive all-purpose bank Darrion Dupree leads the way for the Badgers, followed by workhorse Dilin Jones. Jones and Dupree are well-rounded backs who can be productive on the ground and as receivers out of the backfield. Gideon Ituka is a bruising between-the-tackles runner who does a good job seeing running lanes and picking up big chunks of yards.
Penn State: The Nittany Lions’ tradition of signing talented running backs continued this cycle with additions of Quinton Martin and Corey Smith. Martin is a big, strong running back who does a good job seeing running lanes and shows good burst to break through the line of scrimmage. Smith is a bit smaller than Martin but he’s still a very tough runner who excels at running between the tackles and getting to the corner on outside runs. He has a physical style that makes defenders think twice before tackling him.
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FINAL 2023 TEAM RANKINGS: Comprehensive (overall) ranking | High school/JUCO ranking | Transfer portal ranking
CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position
CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals100
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