2026 Running Backs

[TwentyTwo]

Once again a little thin for my liking for the upcoming 2026 season at RB; have been noticing a slight uptick in RBs past few years
but the 2026 NFL Draft only saw One RB Eli Heidenreich go in the 7th Round to the STEELERS
And several UDFA's Dean Connors (Rams) ; Anderson Castle (Colts) ; Sam Scott (Jets) ...


Carson HANSEN (Sr) 6'-2" 216 Penn State (Iowa State transfer)
Ended 2025 season with FIVE consecutive 100+ Rushing yard games!
Named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List
952 yards rushing 6 TDs
Career ...1.771 yards Rushing 19 TDs + 2 TDs Receiving
7 career games with 2+ Rushing TDs

Aidan LAUGHERY (Sr.) 5'-11" 200 Illinois
Hoping for a solid Senior season from this Speedy back! Team-high 77 rushing yards in the Music City Bowl victory over #23 Tennessee
2025...played in 9 games ; starting 3 ; battled some nagging injury? 75 carries for 382 yards 3 TDs
Ran for 101 yards on 9 carries in opener vs Western Illinois
2024...ran 12 times for a career-best 172 yards and career-high 3 TDs in win at Wrigley Field against Northwestern
Career has 1,061 yards rushing 8 TDs

Dawson PENDERGRASS (Jr.) 6'-2" 225 Baylor
Listed as "Starter" according to Athlon's
Missed the entire 2025 season after sustaining Foot injury in Fall camp.
was slated to be a key part of the Bears’ one-two punch in the run game
He totaled 774 yards of offense 7 TDs during strong Sophomore season ;
14 career TDs total

Adam JONES (Jr.) 6'-1" 200 Montana State > FCS Champs
Walter Payton Award Watch List selection
2025 ..1,093 yards Rushing 15 TDs + 35 rec 301 yards receiving 2 TDs
2024...1,152 yards 14 TDs + 21 - 234 - 1
Career long 93 yard TD Freshman season

Kirby VORHEES (Jr.) 5'-11" 207 Washington State
2025 ...576 yards Rushing 5 TDs + 19 rec 125 yards
season-high 88 yards on 10 carries including 46-yard TD at # 4 Ole Miss!
Began career @ FCS South Dakota State; from the state of Florida

Duncan BRUNE (Jr.) 5'-11" 218 Ohio U.
Starter according to Athlon's
2025...585 yards rushing 8 TDs ; `126 yard game vs No.Illinois
From Germany
>U.Conn transfer #Victor ROSA joined Ohio. U now listed 2nd Team

Owen ALLEN (Sr.) 5'-11" 215 Air Force
2025...750 Yards Rushing 5 TDs ( 5.7 avg)
FIVE 100 + Yard games ; including UNLV (192 Yards)

Luke YODER (Sr.) 5'-11" 205 Lehigh
Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year… finalist for the Walter Payton Award…
2025 ...1,409 Yards Rushing 15 TDs...long of 80 yards
Career ...2,908 Yards 29 TDs

Keep an Eye on 2nd teamers ....according to Athlon's
Cade YACAMELLI Miami OH (Wisconsin transfer)
Aidan FLORA (Soph) Iowa State

And a couple of possible impact highly recruited Freshman
Jett WALKER Texas
John HEBERT Houston

I put Cade WOLFORD in the WR thread ; since he was listed on Depth Chart At that position

Feel Free to add any RBs..getting late may have missed a few

 

[Bucky]

Good looking crop of RBs!

 

[Freethinker]

Good list, albeit a little small compared to WR and DB this year. Maybe a couple relative unknowns will emerge and pleasantly surprise us.

My biggest disappointment on the list is Cade Yacamelli. Always performed well with Wisconsin. However, could never get the snaps but I thought what he had on tape from a big program would be enough to transfer to a decent program as the unquestioned starter. Backup at Miami Ohio seems like a disappointing place to be at the moment.

 

[Bucky]

Don’t get me started on YAC, lol!

I will say this, initially I was dissatisfied with him being pegged as a backup. Miami OH also landed a 5’8 FCS transfer black that did run for 1600 last season. Upon further review, Miami Ohio might be going for a little thunder/lightning action with their RBs this season, with YAC at 6ft 220’being the thunder. Hoping plenty of touches for YAC still on a Top 3 team in the MAC. I know, quite optimistic for me lol.

 

[Leonardfan]

Hopefully some players emerge. Certainly is a bit light in depth.

 

[backrow]

Here's hoping for a nice season.

 

[Freethinker]

Don’t get me started on YAC, lol!

I will say this, initially I was dissatisfied with him being pegged as a backup. Miami OH also landed a 5’8 FCS transfer black that did run for 1600 last season. Upon further review, Miami Ohio might be going for a little thunder/lightning action with their RBs this season, with YAC at 6ft 220’being the thunder. Hoping plenty of touches for YAC still on a Top 3 team in the MAC. I know, quite optimistic for me lol.

Hope you are right brother! If he’s a 1B to this smaller back on a good winning team, that wouldn’t be the worst. Does he have another year of eligibility after this? It would be a shame if he never gets a season as the top RB anywhere.

 

[Leonardfan]

Cole Cabana is another Big Ten to Mac transfer I would like to see make an impact. I believe he was injured last year.

 

[wile]

Same old issue does a White player stayed buried on a powerhouse with endless amounts of "Stars" players signing on in some hope to break through or transfer to a less heralded program and conference? I lean towards playing time for all but the most obviously talented.

 

[Carolina Speed]

Cole Cabana is another Big Ten to Mac transfer I would like to see make an impact. I believe he was injured last year.

Cabana buried down to number 4 RB on the W. Michigan depth chart. From possible starter at Michigan to can't get on the field at WM. How'd that happen?

 

[Leonardfan]

Cabana buried down to number 4 RB on the W. Michigan depth chart. From possible starter at Michigan to can't get on the field at WM. How'd that happen?

It seems that his career has been derailed a bit by injuries. Hopefully he is healthy now. I’d have to imagine him getting meaningful touches if he is 100%.

 

[Truthteller]

Great job by Twenty-Two. Want to put forth some talented RB's, mostly young, that have the potential to make an impact this season. All have talent, but will they get a fair shake? I will likely have to do this in two posts, over time?

So this is Part 1: Click on names for bio-links. Note: These players are not ranked; order of listing is irrelevant!

Crew Davis: Connecticut native, who prepped in NY. Good thing he did, as he was tabbed New York State Player of the Year as a junior. Caste System can't ignore that (New York state is huge), right? .... Dual athlete, who intends to play football and Lacrosse at North Carolina. Again, the distraction of Lacrosse rears it's "ugly head", for a great grid prospect .... Broncos long shot RB Cody Schrader is almost 27 years old and he's only played in only 2 NFL games (2 snaps), but his career earnings sit at $2,765,294? Meanwhile, top level pro Lacrosse stars (Gretzky's of Lax) make about 57K per year. Hence, why is Davis wasting his time on Lax?

Grayson Rigdon: Of all the White RB's compared to Skattebo, no one gets it's more than Rigdon, for obvious reason (ASU/Dillingham recruit, ect.) ..... One of the most prolific (prep) multi-sport athletes in the nation. Here are pictures of him without his retro, Gary Carter "perm" (or natural curls?) and his little sister? Son of noted baseball/football coach Jamie Rigdon -- pics all over the Net of both his parents. Definitely seems to be one worth rooting for!

Gabe Winowich: 4-star recruit by ESPN and others, that hails from the state of Michigan. Went to Rutgers and (no surprise) was immediately screwed over by The G.T.W. (Gap Tooth Wigger), aka Greg Schiano. Goes to a Rhody Rams team that was surprisingly black last season (Ole Miss black), but might be trending better .... A top-10 signee and No. 35 overall athlete nationally by Rivals

Andy Bass: Dynamic three-star athlete and standout quarterback in the class of 2024 from Oklahoma City, committing to Oklahoma to play running back and be a versatile offensive weapon .... Won the Oklahoma 3A 100-meter state championship as a junior ...... committed to Oklahoma as a preferred walk-on (2024), turning down scholarship offers from schools like Syracuse.

Tom O'Meara: Phall will no doubt have more info on this player, who actually got to run a bit in two games as a freshman for the very Caste 2025 Wolverines. Fared well enough -- 71 yards vs. Terps ..... Received a preferred walk-on from Michigan. With 3 seasons of eligibility will he get a chance to do the Cash Jones "thing" or will he simply disappear (or transfer to a FCS school) like most talented White RB's?

Bo MacCormack III: Top 10 overall recruit in the state (247Sports and On3) … Finished as the all-time leading rusher in Massachusetts state history, totaling 6,699 career rushing yards and 100 career rushing touchdowns .... As a sophomore, is currently 3rd on the depth-chart .... Absolute local legend, with the speed and skill to thrive. Hopefully Bill O'Brien will go back in time to his Penn State days, when he started Zach Zwinak for 2 full seasons and was rewarded with great play. Bo could actually be better than that.

Brevin Doll: Running back for the Iowa Hawkeyes who joined the team as a scholarship player ... Very fast: sprint medley relay state champion (2021)… three-time 200-meter state champion (2021, 2022, 2024)... 100-meter champion (2024)... 4x200 meter relay state champion (2024) ..... Will he ever a get a chance? Iowa is good to Whites, overall, even cornerbacks .... but RB is a different story, it seems?

Liam Willson: High school multi-sport superstar, who took the "safe road' or "White road" and decided to concentrate on baseball. Starting outfielder, but has not fared as well as expected (not high on MLB's radar, yet?) for a fairly poor Maryland Terps baseball team, so he's looking to football? .... Has football family ties, nephew of 24 year NFL veteran Nick Sorenson -- 10 years as DB; 14 years and counting as a coach. So he's probably getting solid advice, making the switch? Not much info on him, but in this photo a Terp fans says he "looks like Skatterbo" (build wise) ... I see a (beefed up) Jeff Bagwell look-a-like?

Clay Ash: Ex-3 star recruit, who shunned full-rides from mid-level FBS, wanting to prove himself at a higher level. Played fairly well on a rancid West Virginia team, with a mediocre to poor offensive line, in 2025. So much so, that Pitt's D.C. told a TNT announcer he "loved his game" and even compared him to "Skattabo" ..... I guess Pitt's D.C. wasn't serious about the "Skattebo" comparison, as the best Ash could do in the transfer portal was Georgetown -- a not so special FCS program, with a heavily black roster for an elite academic school, that has been ravaged in the Transfer Portal in recent years? ..... Hopefully Ash puts up Luke Yoder type stats. Also, might have an NFL shot if he sparkles at G-Town, as he was reportedly great on special teams coverage at WVU -- i.e. Keith Elias, Brock Olivo and Chase Reynolds, who had NFL careers, but were only relegated to kick coverage.

Jett Walker: Highly recruited, somewhat? True freshman, flipped his Commitment from Minnesota to Texas, so he's actually on scholarship; not a "preferred walk-on" .... In this article, Texas writer see's Walker having a bright future, eventually, as he's currently behind the likes of Raleek and Hollywood.
.
Preston Alford: This one is weird? A junior, 2 years of eligibility remaining, who was glued to the bench at Oregon for 3 years. A prolific prep star, recruited by all 3 military schools and several mid-level FBS schools...but was also "recruited" by the likes of Baylor, TCU, Oregon and Ohio State? From a family of accomplished athletes. This might be a last ditch effort to re-jump start his college career, going to a FCS power? Hopefully he fares well.

 

[Freethinker]

@Truthteller, thanks for the additional list of overlooked or fringe RBs for this year. If a few of these guys breakout, we might not be in the worst shape.

 

[Truthteller]

Thanks Freethinker, have another batch coming soon. Hopefully, by tonight...if not, by next week!

 

[TwentyTwo]

True Freethinker!!

Yes indeed Truthteller!! Thank you for the fringe possible break out players .excellent break down your clicking on all cylinders!
..i did include Jett Walker (on bottom) ...Texas buddy put me on em in HS ; actually a Scholarship RB for the Longhorns is an attention-getter for sure!

Thanks for mentioning Clay Ash just kinda disappeared ; hope it works out at FCS G'Town...
And for helping Grayson Rigdon not to go down the memory bank hole

Good question! Brevin Doll? Bo McCormack ? Preston Alford?? Liam Wilson; Bass ; O'meara; Winowich Will be sure to keep an eye on the Weekly Stat lines

 

[Truthteller]

Thanks Freethinker and Twenty-Two. 22, I realize you mentioned Jett Walker, I just wanted to add a bit more info

So this is Part 2: Click on names for bio-links. Note: These players are not ranked; order of listing is irrelevant!

Murphy Clement: 2023 West Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year, who transferred from WVU to Illinois, along with older brother, Hudson. Hudson has been much more productive at the collegiate level and could emerge as an NFL prospect at WR ... Murphy has pretty much done nothing in his college career, thus far, due to not getting a chance. But that's life for a gifted, White running back. Hopefully it changes.

Evan Hampton: Rated as 4-star prospect by some; recruited by several top Big Ten schools. Named 2025 Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year .... No reason he should not thrive at a "academic school" like Vandy, right? Kind of like Stanford used to be (lot of top White RB's) up until like 2019? Hampton could be the standard RB for Vanderbilt, the "Harvard of the South". But, perhaps, this dingus was, is and will continue to be the entrenched standard for Vandy (<video) tailbacks, the "Harvard of the South"?

Art Williams: Me and Twenty-Two discussed this player in 2025. Cool name, but most unlikely name for a White RB? "Art" hasn't been a popular name for White, U.S. newborns since the WWII era, but remained very popular for blacks decades after. Also, "Williams" has been a fairly common name for black RB's ... Anyhow, Art played extremely well to begin last season, then disappeared week 4 due to a season ending injury? Hopefully he can bounce back, as he really put forth the "Woodhead Vibe" early 2025!

Tanner West: Rated as 3 to 4 star recruit for Kansas State. 46th-best running back nationally in his Class by ESPN. While that (46th) might not seem impressive, remember there are 138 FBS schools. And most top 25 teams bring in at least one or two 4 or 5-star black RB's. Also, him (and all other Whites RB's) are probably docked one or two stars due to race ... No reason he should not just start, but thrive at Kansas State, right? Not so fast, since Bill Snyder left, the Wildcats have been very Caste. Tons and tons of mixed-race, non-whites at WR, DB and RB the last several years; but very few players with two White parents are recruited to actually play!

Heath Davis Fairly highly rated freshman by Rivals and others. 3 star recruit for Baylor, should've been a 4-star ... Rushed for 2,789 yards and 31 touchdowns as a junior and 2,429 yards and 30 touchdowns as a senior. Earned first team all-state honors from the Texas Sports Writers Association as a junior and senior. Wisely de-commited from Kansas State, for (racial) reasons noted above!

Noah White: Two starts at RB and posted 271 all-purpose yards in 2025 as a true freshman. Two-year mission (plus he was a prep senior in 2021), means he's one of the older sophomores in the nation? Age might help him thrive at Utah State, but will not help him get to NFL, which was/is probably an extreme long-shot, anyway?

Nick Herman: FCS Freshman All-American. Ran for over 1,000 yards at Drake -- Had 144 carries for 1,034 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Coveted transfer, only a sophomore! Currently listed 2nd string for James Madison Dukes. Another high school Lacrosse star

Phoenix Donghia: Track star from Florida. 3 star recruit, should mean he gets plenty of chances at James Madison, which is not far removed from their FCS days. Nonetheless, is no where to found on the depth chart, thus far!

Jackson McCarter: Another James Madison Duke. Purple Hat Trick! .... Dual-sport prep star who was an All-American track & field athlete. Local kid, named Washington Post Honorable Mention All-Metro as a junior. Played some in 2025 for Dukes, but still remains a freshman.


Transfers Worth Tracking:

RB Dylan Paine Washington State to Montana
RB Tyler Jacklich West Virginia to San Jose State
RB Colin Page Texas to North Texas: Mentioned by Twenty-Two, never got playing time at Texas.
FB Kayden Luke Arizona to West Virginia: 3,600 rush yards and scored 52 touchdowns/prep career
RB Beau Phillips Central Washington to Washington State: Listed as "Athlete", nowhere to be found on WSU's depth chart, currently?