Small-Town Returning Rushers in 2A

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's that time of the year. Time to talk about some of thee top returning running backs for the 2023 season. Today, we're breaking down some of the more underrated 2A running backs heading into next fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Who are they? Let's take a look...</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Antonio Barron - Vidalia</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An explosive runner and one of the more underrated runners in South Georgia, Barron is a speedy athlete who can line up at quarterback or running back due to his speed and burst. Playing in just five games last year, Barron made every carry matter, rushing for at least 83 yards in every game while rushing for over 100 yards in three games, averaging an impressive 110 yards per game last season as a junior. He fights hard at the end of runs and can power through tackles down the field. He follows his blocks well and knows how to turn around the corner and get upfield in a hurry. He runs with balance, shows strength in his lower body, and gives every carry 100%. He's tough, but shows some quickness and the ability to break tackles and possibly wear down a defense. He was excellent as a junior rushing just 48 times for 570 yards and 8 touchdowns, scoring in each game he played in. He was consistently one of the athletes on the field and should see an even bigger role next fall as a senior.<a href="https://twitter.com/JakilenK"></a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/ga/baxley/appling-county-pirates/athletes/jamarion-williams/football/stats/?careerid=3pfs3i75skasc">Jamarion Williams</a> - Appling County</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An extremely elusive back with top-end speed, Williams was a big-play waiting to happen for his small Appling County squad last year as a junior, showing great vision, balance, and burst in the open field. He shows really quick feet and the ability to stop and change directions with ease. He's good at getting yards after initial contact and does a nice job of staying on his feet is knocked off balance. He can score from anywhere on the field and should only improve over the next few months heading into next fall. He shared the carries last year as a junior but should serve as the lead back for Appling County as a senior next year. He was very productive last year, rushing 147 times for 1,057 yards and 14 touchdowns. As the likely lead back now, look for those numbers to only improve as a senior. He's one of the top returning backs in Southeast Georgia and is a back folks should start learning all about over the next few months.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>De'Mar Riley - Berrien</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A quick, shift back with breakaway speed, Riley is a versatile beak who has a knack for making big plays. No matter where ehe's lined up at, Riley finds a way to make an impact. At 5'8 165-pounds, Riley isn't the biggest back, but he's a natural runner with excellent straight-line speed. He has good ball skills and showed the ability to make plays in a number of different ways. He can stop quickly and has good burst to make defenders miss down the field. He's excellent after the catch and tough to corral in the open field. As a runner last season, Riley carried the ball 181 times for 886 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was productive in every game, rushing for at least 50 yards in every game as a junior. He scored in every game but two all season long with a big four-touchdown performance early in the season against Bacon County. He also totaled 277 receiving yards and three more scores. He's one of the top returning rushers not only in 3A, but across South Georgia heading into the 2023 season next fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->