Beyond the Numbers. Running Backs pt.2

The competition to start for elite teams is fierce and their competition precludes them from having the gaudy numbers that some players get from playing lesser opponents. Do they have great blocking? Yes, but they also play against great defenses that make the plays that are supposed to be made. You have to have elite attributes just to get playing time on some of these teams, so I feel like they deserve their own spotlight. &nbsp; <span style="font-size: 14pt;">Zaimer Wright, So., Sayerville</span> 92 car, 667 yds, 7.3 ypc, 10 TDs When a sophomore has over 7 yards per carry at a Group 4 school that gets my attention. Zaimer is a smooth upright runner with good speed to get around the corner for big gains. He’s a strong runner as well that runs through arm tackles and has an old school stiff arm that nets him extra yardage. Zaimer is is money in short yardage situations and just to show his versatility, he’s a weapon in the screen game and has 100 kick return yards on the season as well. With his lean frame and his DB tape, he may ultimately end up a safety at the next level but I’m sure this one will be playing on Saturday. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/14702385/Zaimer-Wright">https://www.hudl.com/profile/14702385/Zaimer-Wright</a> &nbsp; <span style="font-size: 14pt;">[player_tooltip player_id="136731" first="Sam" last="Slade"], Sr., St. Peter’s Prep</span> 75 car, 515 yds, 6.9 ypc, 7 TDs Sam is incredibly explosive with long speed to take it the distance on any play as is shown by his almost 1 touchdown for every 10 carries. He plays in one of the toughest Divisions in the country, Group A Non-Public, which means elite competition on a weekly basis and he’s still averaging 6.9 yards per carry.  He’s got the footwork and the vision to hit cutback lanes, which is a great compliment to his ability to hit the burners causing defenders to over pursue and he has almost 120 yds receiving so far this season. Sam is splitting time with Senior RB [player_tooltip player_id="28005" first="Paul" last="Lefkowitz"], so he’s getting about 11 carries a game, but when he played against Seton Hall Prep he got 27 carries and put up 222 yds. When you feed him the rock, he delivers. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11807590/Sam-Slade">https://www.hudl.com/profile/11807590/Sam-Slade</a> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">Ja’Quan Howard, Sr., Cedar Creek</span> 107 car, 888 yds, 8.3 ypc, 14 TDs Much of Cedar Creeks success this season can be attributed to great balance on offense between Top Prepredzone 22 WR prospect, [player_tooltip player_id="27993" first="JoJo" last="Bermudez"] and the powerful running of JaQuan Howard. He’s an explosive runner, hitting the hole hard and getting to the second level quickly. The film shows incredible combination of leg strength and balance, as he is able to stay up after hits that would fell another back and gain extra yardage. He has an arsenal of moves to win one on one matchups, spinning out of tackles or breaking ankles with the dead leg to sprint away from tacklers. Ja’Quan put on a show vs. Winslow 24 car, 222 yds and 3 TDs, keeping Cedar Creek a perfect 8-0 on the season. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11137715/Jaquan-Howard">https://www.hudl.com/profile/11137715/Jaquan-Howard</a>