2025 Running Backs Rising Up the Ranks
In this article:
Tay Wheat CO #105 ATH #12 HEIGHT 5'9" POS ATH CLASS 2025 View Profile Tay Wheat State: Colorado School: Montezuma-Cortez Tay Wheat Tay Wheat 5’9″ | ATH Montezuma-Cortez | 2025 State CO is one of the most electrifying backs I’ve…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingTay Wheat Tay Wheat 5’9″ | ATH Montezuma-Cortez | 2025 State CO is one of the most electrifying backs I’ve seen coming out of the 2025 class. He is a baller. He had multiple 200+ yard games, including a 446 (rushing + receiving) yardage game against Bayfield. Wheat measures in at 5’6 155 pounds. His frame isn’t an issue, this kid is a gamebreaker. Throughout the season he rushed the ball 145 times for 1436 yards and 15 touchdowns. In the receiving game, he caught the ball 19 times for 272 yards and 3 touchdowns. Wheat has elite athletic ability due to elite speed, acceleration, change of direction, and very good balance. Wheat has home run speed, and can outrun defenders past the 2nd level consistently. When he gets the ball, he is gone. Tay has very good mental processing, and is able to diagnose the correct gaps to punish the defense for big gains. If he chooses the wrong gap, he will use his elite athletic ability to change direction and keep going. He has an elite juke move, and uses his change of direction to pivot on a dime. He even has some hops too! Hurdling over defenders and clearing them to continue rushing for a touchdown. Wheat is very good at breaking tackles. It takes multiple defenders to take him down. He’ll consistently use his size and speed to be slippery towards defenders and go through them. Wheat has very strong legs too. He’ll drive through multiple defenders to get free. For example, he came across a wall of LBs and DEs. He continued driving while not giving up, eventually breaking through for a big gain. Wheat is a baller, and deserves more eyes on him especially for his senior year.
Meisner is a dual positioned stud playing for Wray, playing running back and linebacker. Meisner leads all Colorado 2025 running backs in rushing yardage for the 2023 season. He had 7 100 + games, 1 200 + game, and 1 300 + game. Meisner measures in at 5’11 180 pounds which is a good size for a running back. Throughout the season, he accounted for 197 carries for 1535 yards and 29 touchdowns. As a receiver, he caught the ball 10 times for 145 yards and 1 touchdown. Meisner has very good athletic ability due to elite acceleration, balance, speed, and very good change of direction. He uses his home run speed to burst through the first level, and out run defenders into the 2nd level consistently. He has good mental processing. Shown with good vision between the offensive line to find holes and exploit them. Meisner has a good juke move combined with his ability to stop and pivot on a dime is dangerous. He is a physical running back with a nasty stiff arm. He can truck through defenders with ease, and it takes multiple defenders to take him down. Very good at breaking tackles. An example of this is during a kick return, when he stayed up with 3 defenders crowding him. He kept pushing through and ended up getting a kick return touchdown. Describes his competitive nature as well. Meisner is giving his all on every play consistently. Meisner didn’t have a lot of receiving opportunities this past season, however he was still dangerous. He has an ability to run routes and will use his athletic ability to create separation between him and the defender. Meisner is a phenomenal prospect who I am excited to see more of during his senior year at Wray.
Riehle punished opposing defenses all season for Banning Lewis Academy. Including multiple 100+ yard games and even a 200+ game. The junior measures in at 6’1 215 pounds, and is a powerful bruising back. Throughout the season he ran the ball 142 times for 1381 yards and 17 touchdowns. In the passing game, he had 15 receptions for 138 yards and 2 touchdowns. Riehle has good athletic ability due to good speed, acceleration, change of direction and balance. Riehle demonstrates a good burst of speed when going through the line of scrimmage. He’ll use his good mental processing to identify holes and rush through them. Riehle is a very physical running back. He’s got a tenacity to him. He thrives in contact with defenders. Very good trucking combined with a very good stiff arm makes him even more lethal. His stiff arm knocks defenders on their backs. He just runs through them like they are nothing. It takes multiple defenders to bring him down. Demonstrated good juke moves. He has good catching skills as well. He has good ball tracking skills, and makes it so the defense must watch him during the passing sets. Sometimes he will be lined up in the fullback position either for FB runs or for blocking. He is a phenomenal blocker. He excels in both pass and run blocks. He keeps a low pad level to out leverage the DL/LB using good hand placement to control and steer them out of the way creating running lanes. He was consistently creating lanes for the running back by getting out in space and throwing them down. Riehle is an all around great prospect who deserves to be on more people’s radars.
Highlights
Like everybody on this list, Anderson had an impressive year for Legacy. He measures in at 5’10 190 pounds, which is a good size for a running back. He had 7 100 + yardage games, and a 200 + game to add onto his resume as well. Throughout the season, Anderson carried the ball 254 times for 1369 yards and 11 touchdowns. Through the air, he had 10 receptions for 85 yards and 1 touchdown. Anderson’s athletic ability really stood out to me. He has elite athletic ability due to elite speed, acceleration, change of direction and good balance. When the ball is in his hands, he is gone. He utilizes his homerun speed to consistently get past the 1st level of defense into the secondary for big gains. Anderson has good mental processing and ball carrier vision. This is due to him identifying holes in the defense and abusing them. He is very elusive and slippery, bouncing off defenders like a pinball. Very good juke move and good spin move. Anderson makes very smooth cuts that looks like he is gliding on ice. Tyler isn’t afraid of getting physical too. He’ll put his shoulder down to get extra yardage, and has a good stiff arm. He has a good catching ability that defenses plan for. Natural fluid catching motion. Anderson also excels in pass blocking. He can buy his QB time by using a low pad level to out leverage the defender. He will push them away creating some more time for this QB. Anderson is a great player that deserves more eyes on him as he goes into his senior year. Excited to see more of his performances next season!