2024 Rankings Update: Running Back

<!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"15px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:15px">As we head into the 2023 high school football season, we have updated our rankings for the incoming senior class. Now that these rankings are published, I will be taking an in-depth look at each position for the class of 2024. After covering the quarterbacks, I will now turn my attention to the top incoming senior ball carriers in Kentucky. With that being said, here are our top running backs in the class of 2024 in the state of Kentucky.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["417460"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='418572' first='Zah'Ron' last='Washburn'] came into this season high on our radar and proceeded to exceed all expectations. He had a tremendous junior year, running the ball 199 times for 1,388 yards and 20 touchdowns. Washburn has tremendous vision and hits the running lane with a sense of urgency once it opens up. When he hits the open field, he has the speed to run away from the defense but is also a very strong runner. He has shown that he has the contact balance to bounce off defenders without breaking stride. Washburn also has shown that he is reliable in the passing game, catching 11 passes for 113 yards this season. Zah'Ron already holds offers from Eastern Kentucky and Lindenwood but I expect more to come for him as he is a true Division I talent at running back.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["381931"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='381931' first='Brady' last='Hensley'] is a running back that came into this past season with high expectations and continued to impress. He had a very strong junior year, finishing with 196 carries for 1,470 yards and 16 touchdowns in nine games. Hensley is a downhill runner that bursts through the running lane with a full head of steam and is very difficult to bring down on first contact. He does a great job of running his feet and lowering his shoulder to run through defenders without breaking stride. Hensley has also shown the speed to run away from the defense and elusiveness to make defenders miss in the open field. Brady also caught six passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns this season. Hensley currently holds one offer from Eastern Kentucky but I expect more to come his way as he has the talent to play at the Division I level.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["423707"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='423707' first='Javen' last='Huddleston'] is another 2024 running back that exceeded expectations this season. Huddleston played a key role in Bowling Green's run to the 5A State Championship Game, running the ball 144 times for 1,184 yards and 16 touchdowns. The first thing that sticks out when watching Huddleston is his speed. He hits the running lane with a tremendous amount of burst and keeps going right past the opposing defense. Huddleston is also able to use his speed to get to the outside and turn up around the corner. He has also shown the ability to make defenders miss in the open field. Huddleston also showed that he is a very dangerous threat in the passing game, catching 27 passes for 334 yards and four touchdowns this season. Javen doesn't currently hold any offers but I expect some to come his way going into his senior year as he has received some college interest and has the talent to play at the next level.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["417458"],"_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":"Another running back that had a big junior year is Elizabethtown's [player_tooltip player_id='417458' first='Trey' last='Durbin']. He finished this past season with 99 carries for 1,130 yards and 13 touchdowns. Trey is a big, athletic running back with dangerous speed which he uses to run away from the defense and get to the outside. He is also a very strong runner, often times taking multiple defenders to bring him down. Durbin does a great job of keeping his legs churning through contact to break tackles without losing stride. He also showed the ability to run routes like a receiver out of the slot, finishing as his team's leading receiver this season with 13 receptions for 314 yards and six touchdowns. Durbin doesn't currently hold any offers but I can see some coming his way this off-season as he has received some college interest and definitely has the talent to play somewhere at the next level.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["653488"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Wrapping up our top five running backs in the class of 2024 is [player_tooltip player_id='653488' first='Guy' last='Bailey']. After playing the past three seasons at Somerset, Bailey announced that he will be transferring to Corbin for his final year of high school. In his final season at Somerset, Bailey ran the ball 201 times for 1,388 yards and 15 touchdowns. He has incredible speed, simply bursting through the running lane and running right through the defense. Bailey is also very dangerous on sweeps to the outside once he gets around the edge. He has also shown great vision in the open field, showing the ability to make cuts with ease to redirect and make defenders miss. Bailey also caught 18 passes for 216 yards and a touchdown this season while also showing that he is a dangerous returner on special teams, returning two kickoffs for touchdowns. While Bailey doesn't currently hold any offers, I expect some to come his way going into his senior year as he has the talent to play somewhere at the next level.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63fe330d8a150"} /--> <!-- wp:heading {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <h2 class="has-medium-font-size">Best of the Rest (Players Included in Top 175):</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6. [player_tooltip player_id='313658' first='JuJu' last='Starks'] (Mayfield)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>7. [player_tooltip player_id='417456' first='Mykel' last='Malone'] (Fern Creek)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>8. [player_tooltip player_id='423802' first='Isaiah' last='Johnson'] (Great Crossing)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>9. [player_tooltip player_id='417454' first='Christian' last='Walden'] (Southwestern)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>10. [player_tooltip player_id='331708' first='Journey' last='Wyche'] (Ballard)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>11. [player_tooltip player_id='653378' first='Austin' last='Trent'] (Fleming County)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>12. [player_tooltip player_id='653380' first='Ellis' last='Huguely'] (Scott County)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>13. [player_tooltip player_id='653487' first='Brock' last='Messer'] (Martin County)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>14. [player_tooltip player_id='408046' first='Thomas' last='Feickert'] (Scott County)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>15. [player_tooltip player_id='381881' first='Don'Tre' last='Richardson'] (Pleasure Ridge Park)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->