2024 Rankings Update 2.0: Running Backs

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the 2023 high school football season quickly approaching, it is time for some rankings updates! For the state of Kentucky, the updated Top 200 rankings for the talented 2024 class have been posted. With that being said, I will be taking the next couple weeks to breakdown these updated rankings by position. After already covering the quarterbacks, I will now turn my attention to the top running backs in the state of Kentucky in the class of 2024.</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'] continues to keep his top spot at the running back position in the class of 2024. Washburn had an impressive 2022 season, finishing with 199 carries for 1,388 yards and 20 touchdowns. Zah'Ron has an impressive combination of vision and speed as a ball carrier. He has shown the ability to find the running lane, hit it with a sense of urgency and run right by defenders on his way to the end zone. Washburn also has great contact balance, showing the ability to break tackles without losing stride. He has also shown the ability to catch passes out of the backfield, finishing this past season with 11 receptions for 113 yards. Washburn currently holds offers from Tiffin, Lindenwood, and Eastern Kentucky, and I see more coming his way soon as he is a true Division I caliber running back prospect.","_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 another incoming senior running back that has consistently stayed high on our radar. After an impressive three-year run at Madison Central, Hensley will be transferring to Lexington Christian Academy this season to join their high-powered offense. In his final season with the Indians, Hensley ran the ball 196 times for 1,470 yards and 16 touchdowns. Hensley is a physical, downhill runner that has shown the ability to hit the running lane quickly and run through any defender in his path. Once he hits the open field, Hensley has shown that he also has the speed to run away from the defense and elusiveness to make defenders miss. Brady also caught six passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns last season. Hensley is committed to Eastern Kentucky where I can see him developing into a productive running back at the next level.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["331708"],"_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='331708' first='Journey' last='Wyche'] is an incoming senior running back that has quickly climbed up our rankings after an impressive junior year and off-season. Wyche finished this past season with 113 carries for 938 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has very impressive speed, which he uses to burst through the running lane and run away for the defense to break away on long touchdown runs. Wyche also has some impressive strength to him as a ball carrier, showing the ability to run straight through defenders without breaking stride. He is also reliable in the passing game, catching seven passes for 164 yards and a touchdown last season. Journey currently holds offers from Bucknell, Wofford, Eastern Kentucky, Lindenwood, Youngstown State, and UT-Chattanooga, and I expect more to come his way as he is a true Division I caliber running back prospect.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["423707"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='423707' first='Javen' last='Huddleston'] is a running back that I've had high on my radar for a while now. He is coming off an impressive junior year in which he carried the ball 144 times for 1,184 yards and 16 touchdowns. Huddleston is electric once he hits the second level. He is able to use his blazing speed to run away from the defense and break away on long runs at any given moment. Huddleston is also able to use that speed to get to the outside in a hurry and turn the corner with a full head of steam. Javen is also a very dangerous threat in the passing game, finishing his junior year with 27 receptions for 334 yards and four touchdowns. Huddleston currently holds one offer from Kentucky Wesleyan but I expect more to come his way as I believe he has the talent to play as high as the Division I level.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["417458"],"_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":"To wrap up the top five running backs in the class of 2024 in the state of Kentucky, I have [player_tooltip player_id='417458' first='Trey' last='Durbin'] from Elizabethtown. Durbin is coming off a very impressive junior year in which he carried the ball 99 times for 1,130 yards and 13 touchdowns. Trey is a big, athletic ball carrier that has an impressive blend of speed and strength as a ball carrier. He has the ability to run away from the defense but when defenders do catch up to him, he has the ability to run right through their tackles without losing stride. Durbin also finished his junior year as his team's leading receiver, showing the ability to run routes like a receiver out of the slot. He finished this past season with 13 catches for 314 yards and six touchdowns. Trey currently holds offers from the University of Pennsylvania and Findlay, and I expect more to come his way as he is a true Division I caliber running back prospect.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64acd4ddcc733"} /--> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Best of the Rest (Players Included in Top 200):</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6. [player_tooltip player_id='653488' first='Guy' last='Bailey'] (Corbin)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>7. [player_tooltip player_id='313658' first='JuJu' last='Starks'] (Mayfield)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>8. [player_tooltip player_id='839266' first='Isaiah' last='Johnson'] (Great Crossing)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>9. [player_tooltip player_id='417456' first='Mykel' last='Malone'] (Fern Creek)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>10. [player_tooltip player_id='417454' first='Christian' last='Walden'] (Southwestern)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>11. [player_tooltip player_id='840731' first='Mason' last='Gardner'] (Central Hardin)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>12. [player_tooltip player_id='677342' first='Ethan' last='Gregory'] (North Laurel)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>13. [player_tooltip player_id='653380' first='Ellis' last='Huguely'] (Scott County)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>14. [player_tooltip player_id='381881' first='Don'Tre' last='Richardson'] (Pleasure Ridge Park)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>15. [player_tooltip player_id='653378' first='Austin' last='Trent'] (Fleming County)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>16. [player_tooltip player_id='653487' first='Brock' last='Messer'] (Martin County)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>17. [player_tooltip player_id='873787' first='Kellen' last='Marksbury'] (Spencer County)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>18. [player_tooltip player_id='408046' first='Thomas' last='Feickert'] (Scott County)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>19. [player_tooltip player_id='381898' first='Cam' last='Giesler'] (Highlands)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>20. [player_tooltip player_id='287575' first='Andre' last='Richardson-Crews'] (Russell)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>21. [player_tooltip player_id='331709' first='Demari' last='Edelen'] (Ballard)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->