The Leading Returning Rushers In The State Of Maryland

The state was loaded with plenty of talented rushers and with many moving on to college, it’s interesting to see who are some of the state’s statistical leaders in the rushing category that will be returning back to the grid iron this fall. &nbsp; <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-122177" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/03/OntheSideline-Logo-4-300x188.jpg" alt="Palm Beach Central 2021" width="300" height="188" /> &nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id="90676" first="Devin" last="Roche"] | 5’8’’ 170 lbs | Dunbar High School Roche is the top returning rusher in the state with 1,597 yards. He averaged 18.1 yards per carry, and only needed 88 attempts on the year to do damage. He also finished with 18 touchdowns on the year. It’s not a surprise that he is our 2nd ranked Running Back in the state. I look for him to make a play for the state Rushing Tittle along with another State Title for the Poets. &nbsp; Wilson Smothers | 5’10’’ 200 lbs | Queen Anne’s County High School Smothers may seem like he’s one of the underrated rushers in the state, but he’s listed as the 4th ranked RB for a reason. He rushed for 1,520 yards and averaged 6.8 yard per carry. He is the most durable rusher in the state, having a state leading 222 attempts. Which is the most in the state among returning rushers. He also scored 19 rushing touchdowns and was the work horse for Queen Anne’s playoff run that ended with a loss to a tough Decatur team in the 1st round. &nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id="247247" first="Jordan" last="Fiorenza"] | 5’11’’ 205 lbs | Dundalk High School Fiorenza, our 10th ranked RB, had a stellar season the ended with him winning All State, 1st Team All Met, and 1st Team All County honors. The junior RB was the key part to the Owls State Championship run to the Naval Academy before coming up short to eventual champion, Mervo. Fiorenza ran for 1,494 yards and averaged 8.4 yards per carry after 177 attempts. He also saw the end zone 18 times for Dundalk. &nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id="90662" first="Jamari" last="Somerville"] | 6’ 185 lbs | Lackey High School Somerville is on our list as one of the leading rushers that is returning next because of his offensive output, but he is being recruited as a Defensive Back. Ranked on our list as the 12th DB, he earned All Met Honorable Mention this past season and holds offers from Boston College, Temple, and Monmouth. However, he still makes our rushing list after running for 1,370 yards, on 98 attempts, averaging 11.1 yards a carry, and scoring 14 touchdowns. &nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id="246754" first="Aiden" last="Dixon"] | 5’11’’ 185 lbs | Fallston High School Dixon is the only QB on our list, but make no mistake he is more that just a running QB. The Fallston gunslinger theew for more than 2500 yards and is the 3rd ranked Quarterback in the state. He ran for 1,347 yards on 140 attempts, averaged 9.6 yards on each attempt, and scored 1 rushing touchdown. As I said about him in a previous article, he is the only QB in the state’s history to pass for more than 2500 yards and rush for more than 1300 yards in a season. &nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id="278589" first="Jaden" last="Lee"] | 5’8’’ 190 lbs | Mountain Ridge High School Lee is the 6th ranked among all returning rushers and was a intricate part of Mountain Ridge’s 12-2 season. He led them to the State Championship game where they lost to state powerhouse, Fort Hill. Lee accounted for 1,188 yards on 176 attempts, averaged 6.8 yards per carry, and scored 4 touchdowns.