Hoosier State Running Backs to Watch- 2022

Below we take a look at some of the top returning running backs in the state of Indiana for the class of 2022.   [player_tooltip player_id="39046" first="Daniel" last="Weems"]- 5’11” 205- Center Grove Weems is the returning leading rusher for class 6A State Champion and top 15 nationally ranked Center Grove and will be a nice replacement for departing Mr. Football [player_tooltip player_id="38922" first="Carson" last="Steele"].  Through two varsity seasons, Weems has amassed over 2,100 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground.  He has solid size and a nice initial burst.  A strong lower body allows him to run through arm tackles and he displays natural hands out of the backfield.  Weems doesn’t have a great second gear, but his vision is his best trait and allows him to find creases that most backs would miss.   Colton Brown- 5’10” 175- Heritage Christian The most productive back in the state, Brown is coming off a season in which he didn’t see a game under 100 yards. With over 1,700 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2020, his career totals are just shy of 4,300 and 53 TDs on the ground.  Brown doesn’t shy away from contact despite a smaller frame, and easily gains yards after contact.  He has good long speed and consistently can hit home for a long score.  Adding more mass will be the biggest area for improvement that Brown can make going forward.   [player_tooltip player_id="97999" first="Lavarion" last="Logan"]- 6’ 210- Merrillville Logan is the most college-ready back in the state and brings a bruising running style to the table.  At 6’ 210 with over 1,200 pounds lifted between the bench, squat, and clean, Logan overpowers defenders and frequently requires multiple tacklers to bring him down.  He’s excellent between the tackles and ran for nearly 1,500 yards and 23 TDs as a junior.  He’ll need to add more receiving ability to his game and some extra wiggle could help.  Overall, he could see the field early at the next level due to his size and strength and ability to pass protect.  Right now, he reports offers from Indiana State and Illinois State.   [player_tooltip player_id="98081" first="Myles" last="Johnson"]- 6’ 197- New Albany Johnson has one of the best combinations of size and speed in the state, which has led to over 2,700 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground over the last two seasons.  Johnson has homerun speed and some nice wiggle as well.  He has an excellent stiff-arm due to his incredible length and has the frame to be able to keep adding good weight as time goes on.   [player_tooltip player_id="98107" first="Travon" last="Hegler"]- 5’10” 182- Lawrence North Hegler is the top returning back in the MIC and is coming off a 1,000-yard season and an excellent 7.8 ypc.  A smaller back, Hegler brings a level of elusiveness that most of the other backs in the state don’t have, making him dangerous on the second level with an ability to easily cut across the grain.  He possesses excellent contact balance and decent long speed as well.  Losing Indiana signee [player_tooltip player_id="38897" first="Donaven" last="McCulley"] at QB likely means Hegler will shoulder a larger load as a senior.  Being a smaller back, Hegler will need to provide more value catching passes out of the backfield.   Owen Jones- 5’6” 165- Hamilton Southeastern Jones transferred in the offseason from Noblesville to Hamilton Southeastern, where he’ll be able to play in a modern offense.  As a junior playing in a T-Formation offense, Jones ran for nearly 800 yards and 7.6 ypc.  He has great agility and initial burst into the second level.  Being a smaller back, he’ll need to keep adding mass to carry a load at the next level but could transition to playing in the slot going forward.  Jones’ elusiveness will likely lead to him carving a role as a return man in college as well.