Under the Radar 5A RB Prospects To Know
In the state of Georgia, running the football is key. Smash-mouth football goes a long way, and if you can’t get tough yards on the ground, it’s tough to win football games. New RB prospects are constantly emerging, and there…
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Continue ReadingIn the state of Georgia, running the football is key. Smash-mouth football goes a long way, and if you can’t get tough yards on the ground, it’s tough to win football games. New RB prospects are constantly emerging, and there are plenty in the 5A class who are deserving of recognition.
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 who knows how to break tackles. He was consistently one of the best athletes on thee field at all time 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. He’s a good straight-line runner who can out-run bad angles by defenders. As a junior last fall, Hosley rushed for 1,213 yards on an impressive 9.4 yards per carry. He also found the endzone 17 times on the season, proving to be one of the more productive returning backs in 5A.
Hakem Hodges – Drew
A tough runner who knows how to move the pile, Hodges was one of the more surprising backs in the metro-Atlanta area last season. Like Hosley, his size may not impress many at first, but he’s a tough runner who has some quickness to his game. Hodges was consistently productive last season, rushing for 10,87 yards and 7 touchdowns. He ended his junior campaign as well as anyone in the state, rushing for at least 250 yards in his final two games. He totaled over 640 rushing yards in the final three games of the season. He ended the year with a bang, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him get off to a fast start as a senior in 2022.
A tough, tackle-breaking back from south of Atlanta, Joseph quietly had a great junior season last year where he rushed for 875 yards and 12 touchdowns. A bigger, bruising back at 6-foot-1 205-pounds, Joseph loves contact and has no problem bowling through tackles and he gets rumbling. He runs well behind his pads and can be tough for just one defender to bring him down. He’s no speedster, but when his team needed tough yards or a score down by the goal-line, Joseph was always up to the task. He does a nice job of keeping his legs moving and consistently falls forward for a few extra yards. Look for him to make an even bigger impact later this fall as a senior.
Javious Bond – Jones County
One of the top RBs in Middle Georgia, Bond made a lot of plays as a junior last fall for the Greyhounds, and many of his biggest plays came as a receiver out of the backfield. He was an excellent runner who rushed for over 900 yards and 14 touchdowns, but he proved to be a major weapon in the passing game as well. Showing soft, consistent hands all season, Bond caught 49 passes last year for 555 yards and six touchdowns. He’s quick and explosive with the ball, but his consistent hands made him a dangerous threat on any particular play. He’s quick, elusive, versatile, and has easy big-play ability. He’s a natural runner with vision and burst, giving him a chance to be onee of the leading rushers in 5A for the 2022 season.