The Puget Sound’s Top 2023 RBs
While Washington state has recently become a hotbed for recruiting talent, if there is one position where the region has always been able to produce high-end talent, it is the running backs. There has been no shortage of elite tailbacks…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWhile Washington state has recently become a hotbed for recruiting talent, if there is one position where the region has always been able to produce high-end talent, it is the running backs. There has been no shortage of elite tailbacks coming out of the Seattle area that have gone on to become major difference makers at the next level, including Myles Gaskin, Salvon Ahmed, Jonathan Stewart, and Corey Dillon. While all of these players ended up going to schools in the Northwest, in recent years we have seen top players at the position go to national programs, and that does not stop this year. Continuing our series of looking at some of the top senior talents in the Puget Sound area, I will be looking at the young athletes who will be looking to follow in the footsteps of these all-time greats.
Jayden Limar Jayden Limar 5'9" | 190 lbs | RB Lake Stevens | 2023 State WA | 5’9″ 190 | Lake Stevens HS (Lake Stevens)
Already committed to Notre Dame, Limar is one of the most talented players in the country, let alone the state, at his position. The first thing that stands out when you watch Limar is his speed; give him the ball and a lane and he is a threat to take it the distance on every single play. Another thing that I was impressed by that is sure to get the Fighting Irish excited is just how efficient he is as a runner. He has very little wasted movement in his cuts and can change directions on a dime without slowing down or ruining his momentum. Limar is a quick study in terms of what he brings to the table at the tailback position. While he may not have the size of a prototypical every-down back, the athleticism and shiftiness he brings to the position are unquestionable. He projects very well as a receiving back at the next level with even more potential if he can pack on muscle and be a little more physical as a runner.
Ki’Marree Washington Ki’Marree Washington 5'8" | 180 lbs | RB Lakes | 2023 State WA | 5’8″ 180 | Lakes HS (Lakewood)
Washington was one of the most pleasant surprises I had from reviewing his 2021 tape, and I am very excited to see what he can do in his senior year. Contact balance is one trait that Washington is exceptional in. Rarely was the first defender that got to him able to bring him down, and there were even times that I thought he was dead to rights and he was still able to make a play and pick up extra yardage. One thing that especially helps in this regard is his low frame and his physical running style, as he is not afraid to put his shoulder into a defender, and even if he doesn’t break the tackle, he is usually able to get an extra 3 or 4 yards just from falling forward. His feet are also exceptional; he has excellent burst out of his cuts and has very little wasted movement when changing directions. While he only has one offer from Portland State as of this writing, it would not surprise me at all to see him get more recruiting attention if he can continue the production he put up as a junior.
Scottre Humphrey Scottre Humphrey 5'11" | 210 lbs | RB Rainier Beach | 2023 State WA | 5’11” 210 | Rainier Beach HS (Seattle)
An All-League player on both sides of the ball as a junior, Humphrey brings impressive size and physicality to the running back position that is not commonly found at the high school level. One thing that I like about Humphrey’s game is that he is a true north-south runner; he doesn’t waste time dancing in the hole, and even when he is making cuts, he is always gaining positive yardage. And don’t let the size convince you that he’s just a power runner, as Humphrey has some juice to him when he gets in open space and can make defenders miss by juking them out of their cleats just as easily as he can bowl them over. Humphrey is another player I believe is poised for a big year for Rainier Beach, and while he has not been getting a ton of attention from recruiters thus far, I think that changes once they see his senior tape.
Carlos Matheney Carlos Matheney 6'0" | 190 lbs | RB Tumwater | 2023 State WA | 6’0″ 190 | Tumwater HS (Tumwater)
Already committed to the Idaho Vandals, Matheney is an exceptionally fluid runner, able to combine long strides with great contact balance in a package that makes him one of the top tailbacks in the state. Those long strides are part of what gives Matheney breakaway speed that could rival any other player in this class, which is just part of what makes him such an impressive player. He is also very physical as a blocker, an underrated element of the position that some players might shy away from but the best will embrace. His stop-start ability is incredibly impressive, as he can stick his foot in the dirt and get going in the other direction before the defense can react. Matheney is going to be a very good player for Tumwater this coming season as they look to continue their success, and I have no doubt he will be able to continue to ascend as a player as he moves onto the next level.
Jalen Davenport Jalen Davenport 5'8" | 190 lbs | RB Curtis | 2023 State WA | 5’10” 220 | Graham-Kapowsin HS (Tacoma)
Guys with the build of Davenport should not be able to move as well as he does. And if they can, they should be getting a lot more attention from colleges than he is right now. Davenport makes running through defenders look easy, with his low pad level making him exceptionally tough to bring down. One underrated element of his game is that his eyes are always upfield; even when he is forced to make a cut in the backfield, he is always looking for the best lane to carve up the defense. He is certainly not shy when it comes to contact, as one of his favorite moves is to lower his shoulder into the nearest defender and make them regret getting in his way. A large part of why this move is successful is his impressive explosiveness, as he can get moving from a dead stop very quickly and accelerate through holes or defenders in equal measure. The Eagles have a very good set of senior running backs on their squad this year, something which will play a big role in them continuing their team success.
Khalil Yarbo Khalil Yarbo 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB Graham Kapowsin | 2023 State WA | 5’9″ 190 | Graham-Kapowsin HS (Tacoma)
Speaking of Graham-Kapowsin’s running backs, Yarbo is an exceptionally physical runner, and that physicality makes him especially hard to bring down in the box. You can tell how he plays the game just by the way he runs, with his pads out over his feet and his center of gravity low to the ground. It was not uncommon to see a linebacker have him squared up in the hole just for the defender to end up on the ground and Yarbo in the endzone. Mix that with excellent contact balance and above-average speed, and Yarbo will be a force to be reckoned with in his senior season. Before looking at his measurables, I figured Yarbo would be closer to 200 pounds with how he was able to bowl over defenders; guys his size typically aren’t able to do it with the regularity that he does. While he will be sharing touches with Jalen Davenport Jalen Davenport 5'8" | 190 lbs | RB Curtis | 2023 State WA this year, I think both of these guys will be able to make noise and raise their stock with college programs.
Cartez Williams Cartez Williams 5'10" | 205 lbs | RB Mariner | 2023 State WA | 5’10” 205 | Mariner HS (Everett)
While Williams was limited in his junior season due to injury, he was still able to impress in the time he was on the field. He has very impressive speed for a player of his size, and you can see every bit of it on tape when he gets in the open field or returns a kick. Another thing I like about Williams is how fluid his lower body and hips are, as he does a great job of making sharp cuts and catching defenders off balance simply with how agile he is with the ball in his hands. He is another guy who is exceptionally tough to bring down on contact due to how tough he is as a runner. While I do think he can tend to get a little upright, this is the type of correction that will only make him more dangerous moving forward. If Williams can play a full season with the kind of production he put up last year, he is going to make a major name for himself on the recruiting trail.
Julian Thomas Julian Thomas 5'6" | 170 lbs | RB Cascade | 2023 State WA | 5’6″ 170 | Cascade HS (Everett)
While some of the running backs on this list run like cheetahs, Thomas runs like a bull, and that is not a bad thing at all. He is super low to the ground and makes defenders pay for even trying to get near him, showing exceptional physicality and determination as a runner that coaches at the next level will love. While he might not have the top-end speed that other guys in this class have, he does have really strong acceleration, going from 0 to 60 in no time and forcing the opposing defense to catch him if they are not filling their lanes. Speaking of lanes, Thomas has exceptional vision when it comes to finding openings in the defense, and while you could argue he spends a split second too long dancing in the backfield on occasion, he is often able to make a big play simply out of waiting for the blocks to develop in front of him. While Thomas’s size may be a limiting factor when it comes to big-time national programs, his physicality and nasty play style lead me to believe that he will be able to flourish in whatever role he finds himself in at the next level.
Bryce Kooy Bryce Kooy 6'1" | 175 lbs | RB Bothell | 2023 State WA | 6’1″ 175 | Bothell HS (Bothell)
The element of Kooy’s game that immediately stood out to me was his contact balance. There were several times when I watched him that I thought for sure he was going down and he managed to either break the tackle or, at the very least, pick up another couple of yards. Kooy is an interesting player to watch because, from looking at his measurables, he seems like he would be a better fit at receiver, and he does show some talent as a pass catcher out of the backfield that makes it something to consider. But his refusal to go down on contact and his demolishing blocks when he was kept in on pass-blocking downs are more in line with the running back position. Did I mention he also returns kicks? Bothell’s senior tailback is a true gadget player for their team, something which will certainly catch the eye of college coaches. Versatility is the name of the game for many young players trying to get their shot, and Kooy certainly brings that to the table in spades.
Masen Uribe Masen Uribe 5'10" | 180 lbs | RB Eastside Catholic | 2023 State WA | 5’10” 180 | Eastside Catholic HS (Sammamish)
Uribe may look undersized when you first see him on the field, but what he lacks in size, he makes up for in his physical running style, contact balance, and vision. He has a low pad level that makes it tough for defenders to bring down, and he does an excellent job of keeping his feet moving through contact to take advantage of this natural leverage. Rarely was the first defender that got his hands on Uribe able to make the play, at least not without getting dragged for another handful of yards. Additionally, he sees defenses incredibly well, and in an offense that involves a lot of pulling linemen in the run game, he does a great job of allowing blocks to get set and then accelerating through the hole before the opposition can react. While Uribe may lack the size that the biggest programs in college football are looking for, I could easily envision him succeeding at the next level based purely on the toughness he brings to the position.