Five Running Backs to Watch this Fall

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The fall season officially begins in less than a week, which means we are that much closer to the return of Friday night lights.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">So many offenses are relying on pass oriented schemes, but being able to control the gridiron tends to favor the team with the stronger run game. Below are five names of running backs who are on a path towards making big names for themselves this fall. Some are players who are no stranger to the spotlight, while the others are beginning to build their reputations. Regardless of their current popularity, each one of these players deserve to be added to recruiting boards. </span> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="153703" first="Braelon" last="Tate"] | Legacy | 5’9”, 175lbs | 2022 RB/DB</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Tate had a phenomenal junior season, finishing with a total of 940 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns over the course of six games. He is a powerful runner with the versatility needed to play a major role in all aspects on offense, as well as within the defensive secondary. Tate is still flying slightly under the radar, but expect for that to drastically change this coming fall.  </span> <a href="http://iframe%20src='//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/6428692/5fbf067e5b3d55098c45698e'%20width='640'%20height='360'%20frameborder='0'%20allowfullscreen/iframe"><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/6428692/5fbf067e5b3d55098c45698e" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></a> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="166903" first="Bryce" last="Vaz"] | Legend | 5’9”, 175lbs | 2022 RB/ATH</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Vaz had a breakout junior season that he will be looking to continue during his senior campaign. He possesses the skill set needed to be a reliable three-down back with the versatility to be a viable option in the pass game. During camp season, Vaz has been an immediate standout due to his speed and how well he excels in drills, making him a definite player to watch this fall.</span> <a href="http://iframe%20src='//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11462843/5fc953825eec90043414083b'%20width='640'%20height='360'%20frameborder='0'%20allowfullscreen/iframe"><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11462843/5fc953825eec90043414083b" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></a> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>Brycen Mhlanga | Littleton | 5’10”, 205lbs | 2023 RB/MLB</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Mhlanga is an under-the-radar type of player who has the ability to dominate on both sides of the ball. He is a powerful back who is hard to bring down due to his size and tough running abilities. Mhlanga is just as dangerous as a receiver as he is in pass coverage, making him one of the more well-rounded players in his class with a plug-and-play type of skill set.</span> <a href="http://iframe%20src='//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13011674/608f9307bd6b120cdc5d7622'%20width='640'%20height='360'%20frameborder='0'%20allowfullscreen/iframe"><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13011674/608f9307bd6b120cdc5d7622" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></a> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="169562" first="Ben" last="Hughes"] | Berthoud | 6’0”, 195lbs | 2023 RB/MLB</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Hughes is a tough athlete whose high school career is on the verge of taking off this coming season. He has been putting in work during the offseason in the gym and at different college camps, leaving no stone unturned when it comes to raising his stock value. Hughes is on track to play a major role for his team, making him a must watch player this fall.</span> [embed]https://twitter.com/BenHughes2023/status/1414261815047905283?s=20[/embed] <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="143630" first="Gabe" last="Sawchuk"] | Valor Christian | 5’10”, 170lbs | 2024 RB/CB</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Sawchuk will be entering his sophomore season with two Division I offers from the Pac 12; one from Arizona State University and the other from the University of Southern California. Sawchuk will more than likely see varsity reps this fall, but it will be behind a deep roster of highly talented running backs. Regardless of the varsity time that he’ll see during his sophomore season, Sawchuk is a young player worth adding to any recruiting board.</span> <a href="http://iframe%20src='//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/5519061/5fced2ff90f903089840086e'%20width='640'%20height='360'%20frameborder='0'%20allowfullscreen/iframe"><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/5519061/5fced2ff90f903089840086e" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></a>