New Jersey PRZ Next Combine – 2028 Running Back Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This past weekend the NJ/NYC PRZ Next Combine took place, and over 100 prospects in the classes of 2028-2030 took the field. It was one of the most deeply-talented middle school camps I have personally ever been to. Off the top of my head there were nearly two dozen athletes that currently project to the D1 level. Here's a look at the Running Backs that stood out.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">MVP and Top Five</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1274643"],"_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":"- With his performance at the New Jersey PRZ Next Middle School Combine, he becomes the third New York prospect to win the Running Back MVP award. He joins 2027 Kory Brown (Tottenville), who won it when he was in eighth-grade in January of 2023 and Xavier Bala (St. Anthony's), who won it when he was in eighth-grade in May of 2023.\r\n\r\n- A very well-put together and chiseled prospect at 5-foot-9 and 160-pounds, who looks every bit the part of a future stud on the high school level.\r\n\r\n- After originally opening my eyes as a member of the Long Island Elite program, watching him in person was a treat. Very shifty when making a move against Linebackers.\r\n\r\n- He's off to St. Anthony's, where he'll be paired in the same backfield with the aforementioned Xavier Bala.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["1230512"],"_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":"- A selection as a Top-3 Running Back at the New Jersey PRZ Next Middle School Combine, West displayed the same ability at the non-padded event as he did at the SportzFarm tackle tournament over Easter Weekend (which was the last time I saw him live).\r\n\r\n- He's even bigger than I anticipated, measuring in at 5-foot-7 and 205 pounds. Yet, he still ran a 4.97 (hand-timed) in the forty.\r\n\r\n- I've seen it in pads, but watching him closely in a camp setting, he runs like a tank rolls\u002d\u002dlow to the ground and strong.\r\n\r\n- He's off to Seton Hall Prep, where he'll be another nice young piece to go along with former PRZ Next MVP 2027 QB Kahden Davis and another PRZ Next camp alum, Taylor Daniels.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["1276735"],"_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":"- I scratched out RB and wrote down QB on my roster (thinking it was a mistake), before double checking with Inman on where he intended to play at the New Jersey PRZ Next Middle School Combine\u002d\u002dand it's a good thing I did, because his Running Back performance had coaches \u003cstrong\u003ebuzzing.\u003c/strong\u003e\r\n\r\n- The New Canaan, CT. resident got the attention of everyone early, when he popped a 4.54 and a 4.5 (hand-timed) 40-yard dash...on three different stopwatches. The kid was moving.\r\n\r\n- Coming off a regular season where he NASCAR'd his way to a reported 3,153 yards rushing and 33 touchdowns on 210 attempts. An absolutely incredible season\u002d\u002dwhich almost makes his grandfather's (Don McCauley) feat of being the only UNC Tarheel to win the rushing title in 1970 with 1,720 yards on 324 yards...seem ho-hum. They both only had 11 games to do it in.\r\n\r\n- He'll be off to play at the Brunswick School this fall, where he'll join a prep school football program that was ranked in the Top 10 in 2023, per MaxPreps.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["1153935"],"_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":"- Aside from Colt Inman's mind-blowing 4.5 forty, Frederick Caffey Jr. had the second-fastest 40 yard time of the 2028 backs at the New Jersey PRZ Next Middle School Combine with a 4.78 (hand time).\r\n\r\n- It's been a treat watching the evolution of Caffey Jr. in 2023-2024. He jumped on my radar this fall when I saw a couple clips of him and thought he looked quick, but needed to see more. He followed it up with a standout performance at the PRZ Next winter event this past January, before adding an exclamation point to his middle school career at the combine this past weekend.\r\n\r\n- Continuing down the combine testing scores and times, he was a Top-2 or Top-3 performer in the 40 yard dash, shuttle, broad and L-Drill.\r\n\r\n- The future St. Joe's Regional (Montvale) Green Knight also took reps and flashed as a Wide Receiver, making his distinction as an Athlete ring true.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["1141072"],"_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":"- Listed as an Athlete in our database because of his ability to play other positions, Ethan Zacharski was another prospect that looked great as both a Running Back and a Wide Receiver.\r\n\r\n- Speed and quickness is what separated Zacharski from the others, as he clocked a 4.66 and 4.59 (hand time) in the forty at the New Jersey PRZ Next Middle School Showcase.\r\n\r\n- During the 2023 season Zacharski was one of the key members of a Wayne Boys\u0026amp;Girls Club team, that won an ACYFL Super Bowl title by going 11-0 and capped it off with an emphatic 32-0 victory over Union City in the title tilt.\r\n\r\n- In a part of the state (North Jersey) that sees the majority of its top middle school talent kids go the private school route, it's outstanding to see Zacharski will stay in public school, electing to attend Wayne Hills. Here's to hoping he follows in the footsteps of a former WH Patriot, 2-time All-Pro Tight End, Greg Olsen.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-664636d1e7afc"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Additional Standouts</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Darren Hovington </strong>| <em>Unionville</em> <em>(Pa.)</em> - The lone Pennsylvania 2028 prospect to make the list of standouts, Hovington showed off elite quickness during 1-on-1's. He's the picture definition of why film and in-person evaluations are vital. While his testing numbers don't reflect it, when he was running routes against Linebackers and doing cone drills, he was making guys look silly trying to stop him.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Khalen Reese</strong> | <em>Christian Brothers Academy (NY)</em> - Making the nearly 4-hour trip down to New Jersey from the great Syracuse area, Reese did some really good things for the second consecutive PRZ Next Middle School event. Up 10-pounds of muscle since I saw him at the PRZ Next winter event, Reese got bigger and kept his speed--clocked at a 4.91 forty (hand). Had to double check my notes to make sure he didn't take reps as a Wide Receiver, as he really stood out catching passes out of the backfield.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->