Underrated 2026 Running Backs On The Rise

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Who are some sleeper running backs on the rise in the 2026 class?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Redzone takes a look...</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1201692' first='Joshua' last='Stanley'] - Bleckley County</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An impressive two-way player and one of the top young backs across Middle Georgia, Stanley is a playmaking back out of the small-town of Cochran that flashed D1-caliber talent last year. Stanley brings decent size, impressive vision, and the natural ability to stay on his feet. He does a good job of powering through initial contact and picking up extra yards down the field. He's quick, agile, and brings big-play ability for the Bleckley County offense. As a sophomore next fall, this hard-running back took off for an impressive 1,343 yards and 21 touchdowns last fall. One of the more underrated backs across the state for the 2026 class, Stanley was easily one of the more productive backs across Middle Georgia among all classifications. He ran for over 100 yards in six games last fall, with one being a monster 449-yard, five-touchdown game against Swainsboro. He's a dangerous back who will only get better as a junior in 2024.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='283775' first='Ahmontae' last='Pitts'] - Blessed Trinity</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Do the Blessed Trinity Titans have their next year running back? They could in sophomore back [player_tooltip player_id='283775' first='Ahmontae' last='Pitts']. He's not the biggest back in the area, but his quick, explosive, and knows how to make defenders miss in the open field. He reads his blocks, hits the hole hard, and is looking to score every time he has the ball. The Roswell native ran for 719 total yards i 9 games last fall with nine touchdowns. He can slip through a hole with ease and has enough speed to fly past defenders down the field. He showed the ability to take over games on the ground, and proved it with a massive game against Johns Creek where he ran for 165 yards and two touchdowns. If he can continue adding more muscle and weight over the next several months, Pitts has a chance to be one of the best backs in the Roswell area and across Fulton County next fall as a junior.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rah'keith Kelly - Douglas County</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A shifty, speedy back with excellent footwork and balance, Kelly is one of the top young backs west of Atlanta who is coming off a really strong sophomore season for a talented Tigers team. He's a back that shows good vision, can change directions quickly, and can swerve his way through opposing defenders. He's a big play waiting to happen and rushed for 737 yards last fall as a sophomore with 8 touchdowns. He ran better and better as the season went along, rushing for at least 100 yards in four of his final six games. He also ran for a touchdown in six of his 10 games played this fall. However, his most impressive stat was that he averaged an outstanding 9.2 yards per carry. That's a big number for anyone, much less a sophomore. He's a back on the rise who could have a gigantic junior season next year in 2024.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->