Ed O’Brien’s Top New Jersey Class of 2022 RB’s on the Rise
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In this article, I will be taking a look at several Class of 2022 running backs that I feel have improved their stock through the first-half of this season. Several of these running backs were not ranked at the beginning…
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Continue ReadingIn this article, I will be taking a look at several Class of 2022 running backs that I feel have improved their stock through the first-half of this season. Several of these running backs were not ranked at the beginning of the season and have earned their way onto out radar.
No. 13 Damon Phillips Damon Phillips 5'7" | 170 lbs | RB East Orange | 2022 NJ | 5-7 | 170 | East Orange
Previous Ranking: N/A
Phillips has carried the football 70 times for 702 yards and eight touchdowns this season. He carried the football four times for 86 yards and one touchdown in a 47-7 win over Livingston this past Friday. Phillips may not be the fastest but he can definitely cut on a dime and make people miss when it’s a 1-on-1 situation with a defender.
No. 11 Mike Leanza Mike Leanza 5'8" | RB Bernards | 2022 NJ | 5-8 | Bernards
Previous Ranking: W/L
Leanza has carried the football 127 times for 817 yards and seven touchdowns this season. His quickness off the ball and his north-south running style allows him to hit the hole close to full speed. Several of his long runs have been via inside runs.
No. 10 Curtis Whiting Curtis Whiting 5'10" | 175 lbs | RB Hackensack | 2022 NJ | 5-10 | 175 | Hackensack
Previous Ranking: N/A
Whiting has carried hte football 99 times for 711 yards and five touchdowns this season.
No. 9 Steve Burkhardt Steve Burkhardt 5'9" | 190 lbs | RB Gloucester | 2022 NJ
Previous Ranking: N/A
Burkhardt has gained 623 yards and scored 11 touchdowns on 50 carries this season.
No. 8 Jackson Ferrante Jackson Ferrante 5'10" | 185 lbs | RB Haddon Heights | 2022 NJ | 5-10 | 185 | Haddon Heights
Previous Ranking: N/A
Ferrante has carried the football 110 times for 718 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. He’s a smooth runner that doesn’t slow down when he has to make a cut. Ferrante runs with low squared pads and has a nose for the end zone. He’s able to make early run lane adjustments and is able to break some of his inside runs to the outside.
No. 7 Lawrence Hunter Lawrence Hunter RB Old Bridge | 2022 NJ | Old Bridge
Previous Ranking: N/A
Hunter has rushed for 762 yards and seven touchdowns on 113 carries this season.
No. 6 Theodore Lockhart III Theodore Lockhart III 5'6" | 170 lbs | RB Woodbury | 2022 NJ | 5-6 | 170 | Woodbury
Previous Ranking: N/A
Lockhart has carried the football 64 times for 829 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. He plays bigger than his size and is not an easy player to tackle. Lockhart understands blocking schemes and is a patient runner. He has good peripheral vision once he’s up to the second-level.
No. 5 Joshua Paduani Joshua Paduani RB Lakeland Regional | 2022 NJ | Lakeland Regional
Previous Ranking: N/A
Paduani has carried the football 119 times for 936 yards and 11 touchdowns this season.
No. 1 Kanye Udoh Kanye Udoh 6'0" | 190 lbs | RB St. Augustine | 2022 State NJ | 6-0 | 190 | St. Augustine
Previous Ranking: No. 2
Udoh has been performing at a high level though the first-half of the season. He’s carried the football 119 times for 920 yards and 11 touchdowns so far this season. Udoh rushed for over 150-plus yards three times during the month of September. He has a great blend of power, speed, and vision that has served him well during the first-half of the 2021 season.