National Scouting Sleeper Report: 2021 Fullbacks

Ah, the fullback. The physical embodiment of the sport of football itself in a position, the fan favorite, and yet somehow an offensive role that has seen its importance and use slowly dwindle with the sport's pivot to more pass-happy attacks and styles of play. Where we still see the fullback being utilized the most remains at the high school level, and with the Wisconsin's Baders and BYU Cougars fullbacks owning their fair share of the spotlight this year in the college ranks, I wanted to seize the opportunity to bring some exposure to some of my favorite prep fullbacks from the country in this "National Scouting Sleeper Report" brought to you by PrepRedzone. Get to know some of the tough-nosed lead blockers I've found in the 2021 senior class from around the United States and check out the breakdown of their game and what college division I believe they could eventually play in. If they don't have a lot of fullback or HB film I just included their name, as I did see some lead-blocking in their game film. Thanks for reading! Senior Fullbacks 2021s [player_tooltip player_id="38525" first="Luke" last="McEndoo"] (Stillwater, OK) 2021. 6'1, 245 lbs. @LukeMcEndoo - Does have his senior film updated week by week, and looks like a legit 245 lber. who lines up as a HB on the wing. He's a technically sound and crushing run blocker who displays some athleticism in the passing game and an ability to catch passes out of the backfield. Can swipe across the LOS quickly and has a ton of pop and does a great job of keeping his hands on and finishing the block once the defender is off balance. In the passing game he has good hands and is obviously a load to bring down once he gets a full head of steam, but has a surprising amount of burst as well. Finds the hole well too when lead blocking. Also a dominant DE. Could be a FBS fullback. River Miller (Ringling, OK) 2021. 5'10, 195 lbs. @RiverMiller6 [player_tooltip player_id="62996" first="Hayden" last="Fry"] (Cushing, OK) 2021. 6' 205 lbs. @haydenstirfry - Totaled 138 tackles, 2 sacks, 1127 rushing yards and 11 TDs in 2020. [player_tooltip player_id="18114" first="Daniel" last="Erlandson"] (Breckenridge, MN) 2021. 6', 220 lbs. @21erlandsondan1 - My primary coverage is for PrepRedzoneMN and PrepRedzoneWI, and I believe that Breckenridge Cowboy FB Erlandson is the best fullback in the state of Minnesota. Lines up as a traditional FB in the backfield in mostly I formations and moves really well for 220 lbs. He explodes through holes and has a great understanding of leverage to move opposing defenders and will put you on your butt if you aren't ready. He's a good athlete who is dangerous running the ball as well, and has quick feet and good vision. Also a standout wrestler, and that toughness on the mat only aides him on the gridiron. Can be a FCS fullback and would fit really well into the NDSU offense in particular. [player_tooltip player_id="30023" first="Connor" last="Hindenach"] (Paw Paw, MI) 2021. 6'3, 245 lbs. GPA 3.98 @HindenachConnor - Probably my favorite fullback on this entire list goes to Paw Paw High School big-boy [player_tooltip player_id="30023" first="Connor" last="Hindenach"]. He's won DetroitNews All-State Second Team honors, an AP All-State HM nod, and a FreePress All-State First Team award. I am basically in love with his highlights, as he's a true throwback fullback who is a massive athlete and a scary lead blocker in the open field. He can block between the tackles as well as out in the edge in space, as man does he pack a punch. He absolutely crumples kids when he gets going, and that aggressiveness translates to his skills as a ball-carrier as well, as he has a mean truck stick and surprising speed to pull away if he gets daylight. He's a very explosive football player and is a dominant LB on the defensive side as well. I think I've watched his tape 10 times since our national scouting director Jake Lemming brought him to my attention. Could be a FBS fullback. [player_tooltip player_id="38976" first="Duane" last="Montgomery"] (Lawrence North, IN) 2021. 6'5, 250 lbs. @DuaneM_25 - A long and lean 6'5, 250 lber. who has great bend as a DE and looks like a tremendous athlete. He lines up as a TE as well as HB in the backfield, and man you should see him run a route early in his highlight tape. At 250 lbs. he drops his hips and stutters to get himself some separation, snags the ball, and drags a couple defenders a few yards. Later in the tape he makes a sweet one-handed catch, and is also a crushing lead-blocker who sends backwards with ease. Another play on his tape was even crazier, as he basically carried his RB an extra 10 yards to keep a play going. He's extremely athletic and can play a ton of different spots on the football field. If a college wants him to play FB/HB he can definitely do it at the FBS level. Alec Mccuan (Hutchinson, KS) 2021. 5'10, 200 lbs. @Alec67491358 - Moved to FB this year from RB and rushed for over 1700 yards in Kansas 5A. Still runs like a tailback with a ton of burst and top-end speed. Also has great vision and lower-body strength. Damen Cornett (Queen Creek, AZ) 2021. 5'9, 200 lbs. @DamenCornett - Thickly built kid with great size for the position as he has a low center of gravity and a lot of leg strength. He's useful out of the backfield as a pass-catcher and does a great job of sticking defenders right under their chin when he blocks them. Has a lot pop as a ball-carrier and can line up as a TE as well. Overall he's pretty versatile and has good hands, and shows good technique as a blocker. Awesome leg drive and hand placement. Jack Yencer (Valley, IA) 2021. 5'10, 210 lbs. @yencer_jack - Shows off some skills as a ball-carrier as a junior fullback last season and can also catch the ball out of the backfield. Lines up as a true FB in the backfield and is fast and relentless in getting downfield and reaching defenders. Also an instinctive LB who could play scholarship DII ball as a fullback. Austin Barta (Bettendorf, IA) 2021. 5'9, 190 lbs. @bartaaustin1 - Mostly lined up as a HB and made some big plays in the passing game and has no problem sticking his head into contact and packs a surprising amount of pop for his size. Can get out to the edge quickly but is strong enough to block bigger defenders between the tackles. Would be an excellent DIII fullback. Bodie Johnson (Atlantic, IA) 2021. @bjiowa2021 - Slippery as a ball-carrier from his FB position with good vision and burst. Strong lower body who can break weaker tackle attempts as well. Charlie Anderson (Hartland, MI) 2021. 6'1, 210 lbs. @Charlie09965285 - Excellent speed for his size who can take the ball to the house if he finds daylight and showed a willingness to lead block for his QB from his RB position. Also lined up as a WR and at the HB position. Was a RB as a prep but has the size to potentially play FB at the next level, and with his ability as a ball-carrier I think he could do it at the D1 level. Trever Heitz (Charles City, IA) 2021. 5'11, 220 lbs. @HeitzTrever - The first play of his career highlight has him looking like a runaway Mack truck who ran over a kid so hard I didn't see him get up the remainder of the play. He's a traditional fullback who shows some crazy strong leg strength and leg drive and made some really impressive runs as a ball-carrier. He plays low to the ground and is a good athlete who is shifty and powerful when he has the ball in his hands. Has one of the most exciting highlight tapes of any prep on this list! Clayton Scott (Prairie, IA) 2021. 5'10, 195 lbs. @35_scotty - Really impressive blocker who possesses a ton of power in his pads and makes sure to hit defenders right in their chest as a lead-blocker. It seems like the defense doesn't expect him to hit as hard as he does, as he kind of freezes kids when he makes that initial hit and is right away driving his feet attempting to get that pancake block. He plays through the whistle every down and shows off that strength again as a LB, where he is incredibly efficient at defeating blocks. Really strong kid who would be an excellent DII scholarship fullback. Ben Hefel (Dubuque, IA) 2021. 6'1, 200 lbs. @BenHefel - More of a TE but is a deafening run-blocker and a natural looking athlete. [player_tooltip player_id="18121" first="Sam" last="Mcenelly"] (Waconia, MN) 2021. 5'11, 220 lbs. @sam_mcenelly Committed to Winona State University. The DII fullback commit also has an argument for the top fullback in the state of Minnesota, and he shows off why he's a DII commit at the position in his senior tape as he will absolutely send you flying if he gets a full head of steam. He's a thickly built kid and can get out on the edge well and can play the traditional fullback role out of the I-Formation and can hurt you as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. He'll be a fun one to watch in the Northern Sun. Terence Campbell (Rosemount, MN) 2021. 5'11, 205 lbs. @TerenceCampbel - Really fast for 205 lbs. which helps him as a solid runner, blocker, and pass-catcher. Would be a versatile and productive DIII or NAIA fullback. [player_tooltip player_id="35502" first="Konner" last="Tannahill"] (Holton, KS) 2021. 5'10, 210 lbs. @Tannahill0222 - Gets out of his stance quickly and can run through weaker tackle attempts. Also is just overall a really hard ball-carrier to bring down and gets his shoulders low and runs with a lot of pop. Lots of defenders were ran over in his senior tape. Can definitely play at the DII level as a fullback. Jake Yungeberg (Valley Heights, KS) 2021. 6'2, 205 lbs. @JakeYungeberg - Nice sized fullback who bounces off high tackles and bursts through the LOS explosively and made some really strong blocks and tackles on kickoff and KOR coverage. He is forsure a utility fullback who is talented enough to be a primary tailback and is a willing and aggressive blocker who no one in his conference seemed to be able to matchup against one on one. He has the potential and athleticism to play fullback at the FCS level. [player_tooltip player_id="46110" first="JT" last="Axelrod"] (Legend, CO) 2021. 6'0, 195 lbs. @jt_axelrod - More of a tailback, but is a weapon out of the backfield in the passing game and shows good fundamentals when blocking for his fellow RBs. Nathan Brennan (Durant, FL) 2021. 6'2, 215 lbs. @Nathan59813463 - More of a TE or HB, but is a dangerous weapon out of the backfield and a crushing run-blocker who throws everything he has into every block and flies around with a ton of force on the football field. He's a great athlete and runs really hard when toting the rock as well. Garrett Savard (Lakeville South, MN) 2021. 6', 190 lbs. @SavardGarrett - The first run of his 2020 regular season tape is nuts, as he is wrapped up by multiple tacklers but keeps his balance and feet pumping and slips out of the gang tackle and explodes up the sideline for a TD. He's a thick and well-built prospect with good speed who has good vision and can catch the ball out of the backfield. Patrick Daniels (Marquette University, WI) 2021. 5'11, 240 lbs. @PatrickDaniels5 - the 240 lber. (!) is having a standout senior year in Wisconsin and is super fun to watch. He's putting up massive stat lines - including a 41 attempt for 283 yards and 2 TD game performance against Sussex Hamilton - and displays just how hard he is tackle every one of those runs. For 240 lbs. he looks like a natural ball-carrier, and has great contact balance, and a really strong leg-drive that makes him nearly impossible to move backwards and stop his forward progress. On more than a few plays in his senior game highlights he carries piles of would-be tacklers for extra yards, and really is an electric player who moves incredibly well for 240 lbs. He's a tailback right now in high school but could play in the FCS ranks as a fullback if a college program needs it. [player_tooltip player_id="30767" first="Brock" last="Lampe"] (Kenosha Bradford, WI) 2021. 6'1, 225 lbs. @Brock_Lampe - Blocks with so much violence it looks like he's trying to kill defenders out there and has a mean stiff-arm and great balance and lower body strength. I can't not watch his tape and think of the word "violence." When he gets a chance to smack a defensive player he puts his whole body into the hit, and you can tell he relishes the contact and loves the physical aspects of football. His athleticism and aggressiveness make me think he could play fullback at the Division 1 FCS level. Mitchel Smarzinski (Kimberly, WI) 2021. 5'10, 200 lbs. @MitchSmar - 2020 season has been delayed until the Spring. Jeffrey Hughes (Northwest, MO) 2021. 5'9, 215 lbs. @JefferyHughes48 - Absolutely love his effort in the backfield in pass-pro. The third play on his senior tape he had to jump from in front of his QB across a couple gaps to pick up a screaming blitzing LB successfully. He's got a freat build for the fullback position and has a thick lower body that plays low to the ground and helps him to bowl over LBs trying to get in his way. He's also a high-effort and high-energy blocker who plays all the way through the whistle, and as a ball-carrier he shows a natural ease at slipping through tackle attempts and runs with high knees and a ton of power. He has excellent leg strength as well, and on more than a couple plays on his senior tape he blocked mulitple defenders on the same play. He's got a ton of upside and could play FCS ball as a fullback in my opinion. Jake St. Andre (Haughton, LA) 2021. 6'1, 220 lbs. @jake_standre20 [player_tooltip player_id="31072" first="Nicholas" last="Bouvat"] (Appleton East, WI) 2021. 6', 220 lbs. @NBouvat - Senior season has been moved to the Spring. [player_tooltip player_id="31196" first="Grover" last="Bortolotti"] (Whitefish Bay, WI) 2021. 5'10, 185 lbs. @GroverBortolot3 - I got to watch the senior do-it-all athlete live this fall for PrepRedzoneWI, and although he isn't a traditional fullback, got moved to the position this year, and will DB in college he's still got some game from the FB spot and plays the position like it should be played. He runs really hard and can go North and South if he needs to, plays behind his pads and with constant leg drive, and has an array of moves in the open field that keeps tacklers on their heels. I'm a big fan of his game. Barjit Monatta (Brookfield Central, WI) @Boomin22 [player_tooltip player_id="30743" first="Mac" last="Strand"] (Xavier, WI) 2021. 6'2,5, 225 lbs. @MacStrand - On Twitter the #1 LB in Wisconsin goes by: Mac "Truck" Strand, and for good reason as he's a bowling ball of a ball-carrier with a ton of strength in his game and a truck stick like no other in the state of Wisconsin. He's a great athlete who has good hands and can pop off a big play as a ball-carrier if needed, and as a blocker he has a strong initial punch in his hands and some massive and powerful legs that help him bounce off tacklers like it was planned. He'll play LB in college - and will be a great one - but if he wanted to play fullback he could do it at the FCS level in my eyes. [player_tooltip player_id="31113" first="Jordan" last="Reneau"] (Arrowhead, WI) 2021. 5'10, 200 lbs. @jordanreneau12 - Powerful North - South runner who an some really impressive balance and good feet, burst, and vision. Could be a really strong DIII fullback at the next level. Jaree Jones (Kenosha Bradford, WI) 2021. 5'11, 190 lbs. @Geniej_35 Jacob Allen (Community School of Naples, FL) 2021. 6', 220 lbs. @Allen21Jacob - The Florida boy is a promising two-way prospect and as a blocking FB he does a great job of getting his hands inside and laid some deadly blindside blocks this season that must have gotten his teammates hyped. He can swipe across the LOS and deliver blocks and hurt you out of the backfield as a pass-catcher. I like how he can adjust his body in open space to get a block on defenders and is well-built with a strong upper-body. Florida boys can ball. Could play some FCS ball as a fullback in my opinion. Malachi Presley (South Sumter, FL) 2021. 6', 230 lbs. @MalachiPresley - Excellent size for the position and looks like a legit 230 lbs. on tape. He gets out of his 3-point stance explosively and has great burst for his size. He's an intriguing and promising combination of size and strength and is really fun to watch run the football. He's a great athlete with long legs who can step out of and slip through tackles, or straight up run you over if he needs to. He could play some FBS ball as a fullback if you ask me, the kid is a really impressive athlete. [player_tooltip player_id="32746" first="Keegan" last="Davis"] (Treasure Coast, FL) 2021. 6'4, 235 lbs. @keegandavis44 Committed to Marshall. More of a TE, the Marshall Thundering Herd commit is dangerous after the catch for his size and is used in teams offense in more ways than almost anyone on this list. He's the total package as a HB and it's not surprise he's going to play FBS football. He can run a variety of routes, can go through or around tacklers, and can run the ball like a RB. Very versatile and dynamic.