Kentucky Future Stars Breakdown: 8th Grade Running Back (2027)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Since 2010 the Kentucky/Tennessee Future Stars Game has been an institution in the middle school football space, where many of the best kids from the bordering states have put an exclamation point on their pre-high school careers. Countless numbers of Tennessee and Kentucky Future Stars have gone on to big time college careers at major programs and some have gone even further. This event is certainly a special one and is a staple in my summer travels. The evaluators and coaching staff that put together the Kentucky Future Stars do a great job of balancing skill sets and showcasing what the future of football will look like. Here's a look at the Running Back's on this year's eighth grade (class of 2027) Kentucky Future Stars.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["838431"],"_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":"From what I've seen of this Kentucky stable of backs, heading into the Future Stars Game, Hayden would be RB1 on my depth chart. He'll obviously have to earn it on the field, but the 5-foot-9, 175-pound back out of Louisville's Westport Middle School is a 2027 prospect to know. Good muscular build on him with tremendous acceleration once he's passed the line of scrimmage. He should be a treat.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":839793,"_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"Shelton Sweeney","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Joining [player_tooltip player_id='838431' first='Jemari' last='Hayden'] in the 8th grade Kentucky Future Stars backfield will be Shelton Sweeney. Sweeney is also a Louisville native and attended Barret Traditional Middle School. He's a returner from last year's 7th grade Kentucky Future Stars team and is hoping to see this 2027 class go for the clean sweep of Tennessee, after winning as sixth and seventh graders. Look for Sweeney to compliment Hayden's speed and be more of a powerful, battering ram back.","_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":839806,"_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"Jack Giordano","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_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":"2408","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_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":"The third member of this Kentucky backfield is Jack Giordano out of Woodland Middle School in Taylor Mill, Kentucky. Coming off a season that saw him be named team MVP, Giordano had a masterful eighth grade season. At 5-foot-9 and 155 pounds he has the strength to run it between the tackles, but also the natural running ability to scamper in space. On film he doesn't have the acceleration that [player_tooltip player_id='838431' first='Jemari' last='Hayden'] does, but he's still a really good open-field runner. A very nice piece to the puzzle here, marrying the skill sets of Hayden and Sweeney.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":839838,"_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"Nicholas Ranson","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Rounding out this deep stable of backs is speedy Nicholas Ranson out of Georgetown Middle School in Georgetown, Kentucky. Before going off to Scott County High School in the fall, Ranson hopes to end his middle school football career on a high note in the Future Stars Game. Ranson, who finished tied for 10th in the state in the 60M dash this March (7.89), only needs a crease to make something happen. At 5-foot-8 and 145 pounds with a slashing, darting running style, don't be surprised to see the playbook open up a little bit with him in the game. Finding creative ways to get him loose in space could be important.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":4,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-646e4a67955fa"} /-->