Stock Watch: RB’s Trending Upwards

There are plenty of players across the state who have already seen their stocks rise, but specifically, when discussing the RB position, we have no doubt that there are a few prospects who stand out, and will continue to make a name for themselves next season. This can be due to plenty of reasons, including their style of play, the fact that they may receive more time next year, or simply because they have received more exposure. Regardless, we believe that the players below will see their stocks trend upwards next season, and will prove to be a valuable asset for their teams. Chadrick Alexander- Archer Last season, Alexander showed Archer fans a brief preview of what they can expect in the future, as he not only put up a decent bit of yards and TD’s by the end of the season, but he proved that he can shoulder a huge offensive burden for his team. He may not be the fastest back, but he has a fair amount of speed, and his burst and ability to change direction is what sets him apart. Paired with this, he plays with good vision, and quick feet, which helps him to scurry away from defenders to gain a good amount of yards. Next year, due to the fact that he plays for a notable program, and has already shown that he can play at a high level, we firmly believe he will see his stock trend upwards when it comes to recruiting. Carmello Jeffrey- Central Gwinnett Next season is set to be a break out year, or a stock rising season for Jeffrey for plenty of reasons. To start, he would be entering into a new season in which he can grow his ability to run the football at a high rate. Secondly, he would have more opportunities for exposure, especially for college coaches who have already recognized his ability to play at a potentially high level. Last season, Jeffrey proved that he can run with a good burst, and stride, which can also be seen to be a bit of a slashing style of running. He also has an explosive lower body that allows him to run through tackles, and gain hard yards when needed. We would hope that this ability would continue to develop, and further push him to success, and opportunities to gain offers next season, as we think it is only a matter of time before this occurs. [player_tooltip player_id="165722" first="Makari" last="Bodiford"]- McEachern Bodiford is another RB prospect who’s stock is continuing to rise, and we believe that next year will be a big year for him if he plays his cards right. Last season in itself, Bodiford led his team in rushing yards, and he accumulated almost 12 TD’s on the ground. Not only was this due to his ability to also catch the ball out of the backfield, but he also plays with a very balanced, and explosive running style. He does not play with much lean, but the pad level he runs at allows him to be physical, and finish runs with ease, even if it means gaining the hard yards. We also love the small bit of twitch, and shimmy that he plays with, which will be huge for most colleges that are considering to recruit him. Because of this all around ability, we think that if he continues to cultivate and grow this talent, he will see his stock continue to rise. Peyton Steko- West Forsyth Streko is another back who will see his stock trend upwards next season, and this is largely due to the match up problems that he creates for opposing defenses. He may be a tad smaller in size, and opposing players may underestimate him, but he plays way above his size. He not only carries his weigh well, but he plays with good speed and burst from his lower body. He may not make jaw dropping plays, but he gets the job done, and his strong lower body allows him to gain yards no matter the circumstance. Overall, he is a very versatile back, and we would like to see some progression in the fluidity that he plays with, as this could easily take him to the next level.