2023: Shifty Running Backs in 6A – Wichita Edition

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Quickness: This is a skill that every ball carrier hopes to master. Some attempt to muscle through defenders, while others are able to use a little more finesse. Inside the largest city in the state of Kansas are eight schools that classify within the largest division of Kansas sports: 6A. The Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHAA) define this division as the 32 largest schools in the state. These schools carry a tradition of quick running backs that was created by the great Barry Sanders, an alum of Wichita North High School. There are many here like him that become nightmares for defenses and "break ankles" indiscriminately all over Wichita. Here are five backs that are going to be the shiftiest throughout the 2023 Wichita high school football season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["145512"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Derek is a back whos highlights resemble Steve Slayton in the glory days of West Virginia football. At only 5'8u0022 and 165 pounds, Hubbard is nearly impossible to hit square. Combined with an underappreciated stiff arm, there is no question as to why he is one of the most interesting running backs in Kansas this year. He is a smart runner seen waiting for holes to open up then sprinting through, as well as splitting double team tackles and churning through the arm tackles. All of the questions about his game do stem from his size. Although it is hard to hit him square, it is not impossible. When you do, he has a tendency to fall hard on the turf, sometimes in odd ways, that could lead to injuries. He also has left something to be desired when pass blocking, but that is not his style of play since he exceeds much more in the passing game itself. Hubbard has a chance to do great things now that he is likely to become the lead back his senior year, and I believe great things will shine on number 1.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["585903"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Wichita Northwest has a menace lining up in the backfield in Aaron u0022Deuceu0022 Bohannon. What Deuce has done to defenders should be illegal. Several plays last year looked like they should have been decent runs, but should be stopped and prep for the next play. What ends up happening is the linebacker gets left on the ground while the kicker trots out to kick the PAT. Deuce also holds the keys to allow him to shift gears and take off past the secondary, which he will not hesitate to pull out. He follows his blockers well, and even catches a few balls out of the backfield for some big plays. Although he may not be patient on some runs, or fight for the extra yards, he is only a sophomore next year. Northwest was one of the top schools across the metro because of Deuce and the other backs carrying the ball for the Grizzlies.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"Rashawn Johnson","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"5'9u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"2411","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Wichita South High School","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Looking into the future, I see nothing but great things from Rashawn Johnson. Although many of the running back snaps were taken by senior [player_tooltip player_id='242715' first='Caiden' last='Neal'], Johnson still had a snaps at most receiver and running back. The first thing noticed about Rashawn is his ability to shift direction making him an even smaller target than what he naturally is. The very next his how much bigger his game is than him. When he is not running the ball, the man blocks and blocks hard. Taking snaps at the slot, Johnson will not hesitate to crack down on linebackers or lead other ball carriers out of the backfield. With the backfield opening up a little more for Wichita South, I see Johnson taking a huge step in his game and taking it to the next level.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["81142"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"A bit of a different back than the others on this list. Cale did not garner much attention this year at running back while being behind two excellent seniors in the depth chart. However, with the few carries Cale did receive, he balled out. With no game-changing speed, Milleson utilized a great dead leg cut which allowed him to keep defenders as bay both on offense and special teams. Milleson clearly looks more comfortable on the defensive side reeking havoc on backfields, but he was not afraid to get his helmet on someone else in order to block for his teammates while Heights had the ball. I see a few things needed to Cale's bag in order to excel as a one-cut back, including a stiff arm to help get him a few more yards. That is only if they keep him running the ball, which they should in order for him to see his highest potential for this iron man.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"Elijah Cross","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Derby","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"A bit of a dark horse as well, I like the limited sample size seen from Elijah Cross. With several highly touted backs in front of him, Cross has seen little action in varsity games, most of it coming in garbage time minutes. However, Cross has one thing that always translates well: speed. Cross is fast and has the potential to take runs the distance. Coming into his junior year, this will be a year of more carries and learning before he becomes a workhorse. If he is able to grow into his potential, the sky is the limit for Elijah Cross.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63ceefd7118be"} /-->