2023 Superlatives: Most Explosive Running Backs
It’s hard to find a state that produces high-quality running backs like the peach state. Georgia is home to some of the best backs not only in college football, but in the NFL as well. The future is very bright,…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingIt’s hard to find a state that produces high-quality running backs like the peach state. Georgia is home to some of the best backs not only in college football, but in the NFL as well. The future is very bright, and there are plenty of current backs who have NFL potential down the road. In order to be an elite back, you have to have explosion, and multiple backs have plenty of explosion to their game.
Here are some of the most “explosive” backs in the 2023 class…
Justice Haynes Justice Haynes 5'10" | 205 lbs | RB Buford | 2023 State GA – Blessed Trinity
You can’t have a running backs list of any kind without mentioning Blessed Trinity star, Justice Haynes Justice Haynes 5'10" | 205 lbs | RB Buford | 2023 State GA . He’s the top-ranked running back in the state and checks just about every box college coaches look for, and explosion is one of them. A physical back with plenty of speed, Haynes is a big-play waiting to happen who knows how to explode through the line of scrimmage and take off down the field. A lot of backs are fast but not explosive, but Haynes isn’t like most backs. Playing in a run-heavy offense where defenders could play closer to the line of scrimmage, the high four-star still rushed for 8.6 yards per carry last fall. He gets to his top speed in a hurry, and explodes by defenders in the open field. He’s great at breaking tackles, but when you watch him run, it’s easy to see his explosion and top-end speed. He’s the best back in Georgia for a lot of reasons, and his explosion is a big reason why. Haynes rushed for over 2,300 yards last season with 29 touchdowns.
Keyjuan Brown – South Atlanta
You can’t lead the state of Georgia in rushing and not be explosive. The Atlanta native ran through every defense he went against last season as a junior, and showed his speed and explosion whenever he had room to run. Every time Brown had the ball in his hands last fall, something good happened. The tackle-breaking 5-foot-10 200-pounder has no problem bowling through would-be tackles, but his explosion helped him to end the season with 11 yards per attempt, one of the highest rates across the state. He was outstanding in just about every game, rushing for 2,757 yards on the season and 38 touchdowns. He couldn’t be stopped, showing speed, agility, and of course, explosion. Brown rushed for over 100 yards in every game and rushed for over 200 yards in eight games last year.
Marlon Mitchell – Macon County
It’s tough to find a more explosive back in Middle Georgia from the 2023 class than Macon County’s Marlon Mitchell. A smaller, faster, explosive back at 5-foot-10 185-pounds, Mitchell knows how to break off a long run on any particular play. He shows speed, burst, and can explode by defenders on his way to a big gain. He knows how to zig-zag past defenders and does a good job of out-running angles on the outside. He can bust through the line of scrimmage with ease, and if there’s space to run, Mitchell is going to take it the distance. He was one of the most productive backs across the state last year, rushing for 1,712 yards and scoring 20 total touchdowns. He also averaged 8.9 yards per carry, one of the highest in the area. He rushed for at least 100 yards in every game but two last year, and you can’t pull that off at his size without being explosive. He’ll be a back to know about in 2022.
Malachi Hosley – Northside (Columbus)
One of the more productive backs in West Georgia, the Columbus native may not blow anyone away with his size, but he’s an excellent runner with burst and explosion. He was consistently one of the best athletes on the field in his region, and if he was given space to run, he was going to pick up big yards. An athletic, versatile back, Hosley has soft hands out of the backfield and can hurt defenses in multiple ways, but his explosion and ability to run away from defenders makes him one of the most explosive backs in his class. As a junior last fall, Hosley rushed for 1,213 yards on an impressive 9.4 yards per carry. He also found the end-zone 17 times on the season, proving to be one of the more productive returning backs across Georgia.