2023 Scouting Superlatives: RB
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As we tie the knot on the 2023 season, we continue to find new and unique ways to package our evals and content here at Prep Redzone. Here, we continue to recognize some of the top performers at each position…
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Continue ReadingAs we tie the knot on the 2023 season, we continue to find new and unique ways to package our evals and content here at Prep Redzone. Here, we continue to recognize some of the top performers at each position in Georgia with our superlatives, up next, the RB spot.
Senior Signee Most Likely to Become 1st-Round Pick
Kam Davis stands as the premier 2024 RB in Georgia. He received tons of recruiting buzz and will play his college ball at Florida State. Davis spent almost all of his action this fall at the QB spot, taking direct snaps and terrorizing defenses. He is stout and runs low to the ground, powering through contact and maintaining his stride as he bounces off tackles. He runs with elite burst, quickly escaping from crowds and finding open field to vacate. He is off the charts when it comes to sheer explosiveness and should step foot on the field pretty quickly at FSU.
Senior Signee Most Likely to Outplay Ranking
Justus Savage
Justus Savage
Justus Savage picked up some legit P5 attention throughout the 2023 season. However, he signed with Jacksonville State and instantly could provide a spark for the Gamecock backfield. Savage plays with excellent vision and pace while he reads blocks up front. He has the suddenness to quickly jump cut into running lanes and open up his stride to get upfield. He can stack multiple moves while he scampers away from defenders, showing brilliant balance when he breaks down defenders and occasionally flashing his athleticism by hurdling guys. Savage was one of my favorite evals in the 2024 class and I believe he will carve out a role as a freshman for Jacksonville State.
Favorite Measureables
Amari Latimer Amari Latimer 6’0″ | 195 lbs | RB Sandy Creek | 2026 State GA ranks as one of the premier 2026 RBs in Georgia according to our rankings. He has shown tremendous growth since his productive freshman season and has developed into a physical specimen. He possesses a stout, strong 6’0 200 frame and is still filling out. With his size, vision, and acceleration, he reminds me of Kerryon Johnson. You are going to continue hearing his name, and for good reason. He already holds several P5 offers and I expect that list to grow even more this offseason.
Favorite In-Person Eval
TJ Lester
TJ Lester
TJ Lester battled with some injuries this fall, but he performed well when healthy and broke onto the D1 radar as a result. Lester’s stout, strong frame allows him to shrug off high tackling attempts and maintain his stride while running through arm tackles. His savviness as a runner is on another level. He plays with excellent patience, pace, and does a good job of getting the yards available to him. When the OL doesn’t initially open up a running lane, he doesn’t panic and instead keeps scanning for the easiest path to the next level.
Most Underrated
This was a tough one to give out, There were numerous players up for this, but I gave Jaiden Daniels Jaiden Daniels 5’7″ | 160 lbs | RB Commerce | 2025 State GA the nod. Daniels has been lighting up the stat sheet for 3 years, easily breaking 1000 yard each season and nearly hitting the 2000 yard rushing mark this fall. Daniels is an extremely smooth runner with excellent bend and balance. He pinpoints cutback lanes easily and can stop on a dime to jump across the face of tacklers. He runs with good drive in the knees, which allows him to accelerate to his top speed and separate from the defense.
Highlights
Biggest Stock-Riser
Kimauri Farmer was thrown into the fire this year for Carrollton and played at a very high level, popping onto the FBS and P5 recruiting radar. He is listed at a wiry 5’9 175 with room to fill out, especially in his lower body. He quickly accelerates through openings up front and does a good job of squeezing his frame and slipping through tight gaps. When he opens up his stride, he flashes impressive top speed and can out-angle defenders to the sidelines. He has the suddenness and twitch to piece his way through short areas as well. He is an impressive RB prospect all around and has a solid foundation for development.
Highlights
Favorite Non-FBS Signee
Hall transferred to Gainesville prior to his senior season and made the full-time switch to RB. He did not disappoint and was one of the most prolific rushers in 6A. He is listed at 5’9 185. He possesses a stout, muscular frame and runs exceptionally hard. When all those things add together, you end up with excellent contact balance and someone who isn’t afraid to drop their shoulder. He is more of a vertical runner who can put his foot in the ground and explode up the middle for 10 yards and a cloud of dust. However, he is more than capable of bouncing the ball outside and running to the far side of the field to escape defenders.
Highlights
Most Likely to Breakout in 2024
Gary Walker
Gary Walker
Creekside will have to replace a near 2000 yard and a near 1000 yard rusher next fall. The next man up appears to be Gary Walker, who produced at a high level in his own right as a freshman, rushing for over 400 yards as the 3rd option in the backfield. Anytime a freshman can crack the rotation on varsity in Georgia, he has something to him. It starts with his frame. He comes in at 5’11 170 and is tough to bring down in space. He runs with good pace and patience, following his blocks and making subtle moves to maneuver into more open running lanes. He is going to continue adding more burst and explosiveness. Once he does, he is going to be a dangerous downhill runner.
Most Likely to Develop Into P5 Prospect
Arthur has been creeping onto the radar since he was a freshman. Now, entering his senior season, he holds several FBS offers. The obvious next step in his recruitment would be some P5 buzz. Arthur is a big back at 6’0 215. If you need a yard on 3rd and 4th down, giving him the ball and letting him drive into contact and move the pile might be your best bet. He has good burst, quickly accelerating and exploding through holes and getting out to open grass. His contact balance is excellent, frequently absorbing major contact and staying on his feet. Arthur should be more of a focal point as a senior and may reap the rewards on the recruiting trail as a result.
Highlights
Hardest To Tackle
Walker, a UGA commit, is a walking highlight reel. For starters, he has excellent burst and is an extraordinarily explosive athlete. He can quickly get up and right past defenders. He can also subtly change directions to create even more separation and leave defenders reeling. He is a physical specimen as well, sporting an extremely stout and muscular 5’9 frame and can barrel through contact. He is naturally the low man which allows him to sheer through traffic. However, he can go head hunting as well and pop defenders in the mouth to aggressively finish runs. Walker is capable of getting from point A to point B regardless of what is in front of him and how much space he has to operate. You will hear plenty about him for years to come.
Best Vision
Quinton Slaughter
Quinton Slaughter
As was the case for several of these categories, there were many prospects up for this spot. However, after watching the tape, Quinton Slaughter caught my eye the most. Slaughter is a highly productive senior sleeper out of Providence Christian. He has decent speed and is a twitchy enough athlete to create his own yards. However, his vision and feel for the game is on another level. He is patient and keeps his eyes glued downfield while he pinpoints open running lanes. He can read and react well around the line of scrimmage as well as find cutback opportunities while heading towards the endzone. At times, he can slow his pace in the open field and direct his blockers to free running defenders. Slaughter is a good athlete, but his ability to evade tacklers stems from his overall pace and patience.
Best Pass-Catcher
Hicks unfortunately missed most of his senior season due to injury. However, his junior tape shows plenty flashes of what he is capable of. He is a smaller, scat-back type prospect who can weave in and out of running lanes and has the speed to avoid getting tracked down by defenders. Where he really shines is his ability as a pass catcher. He has made plays at all three levels as a receiver, flashing good hands by reeling the ball away from his body and maintaining his stride throughout the process of his catch. Hicks will keep defenses honest in zone coverage and will present a matchup threat against LBs and slower DBs.
Most Physical
Fred Brown
Fred Brown
Fred Brown is by no means your traditional RB. He comes in around 5’9 230 and looks closer to a FB than he does an RB. For his size, Brown has some speed and serious explosiveness. Obviously, with his sheer mass heading upfield at a fast rate, he has the potential to leave bruises on defenders. You will need several defenders to bring him down, and even then it’s a tall task. In the state championship game, we actually saw him cut back towards the middle of the field and search for contact. So not only is he physical by nature, but he is also violent by choice. He might not be an every down back at the next level, but he is absolutely dangerous in a specific role.
Best Every-Down Potential
Davenport is headed to USF and has the potential to be a game-changer just a few years down the line. He is listed at 6’0 200 and is built more vertically than your typical RB prospect. He is a north/south runner who hits holes hard and quickly opens up his stride to hit his top speed. He gets good drive from his knees on each stride and steadily builds away from defenses. He can stay on the field on obvious passing downs, flashing outstanding hands out of the backfield. On tape, he flashed a 1 handed catch in traffic, something we don’t see often in RB prospects. He is more than willing as a blocker, searching for someone to get his hands on. Keep tabs on Davenport at USF.
FOTY Award
Foster was the most productive freshman back in Georgia this year and flashed every down potential. He is smaller and wiry at this stage of development, which is to be expected. He still offers good running ability between the tackles, weaving his way in and out of running lanes and cutting back across the face of defenders to build separation. As he continues to develop and opens up his stride more, he will unlock that extra gear of speed that he needs to really tie everything together. Still, his feel for the game, vision, and production this past fall can’t go unnoticed.