The Case for New Jersey's Top 2026 Running Back

<p><strong><em>Enjoy our newest rankings release by using promo code “mankarious30” for 30% off your first subscription to Prep Redzone New Jersey</em></strong>!</p>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <p>More so than any other position group since I have been involved in the state rankings, New Jersey's class of 2026 running back group is extremely talented. Despite going back-and-forth with my colleagues over who should be ranked over who, we finally settled on the rankings. A quick message to those discontent with their current ranking and pundits alike: the rankings will be revisited at least twice more before this group graduates and - surely - prospects will move and shake up and down the rankings between now and then. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Top 3</h2>    <p>[player_tooltip player_id='212385' first='Dante' last='Kain'], the incumbent running back from Bergen Catholic, boats several skills that made him worthy of top-tier status and separated him to be named the state's current #1 back in the class of 2026. Without saying, Kain has the speed to turn up the slideline and not get caught. He uses the high step to evade low tacklers and absolutely looks massive on film. As he breaks through the line Kain will lower his pads, effectively minimizing his hitting surface and lowering his shoulders to run would-be tacklers down in the process. Furthermore, Kain serves as a nice safety valve out of the backfield and can cook people in the open field with his patented shake-and-bake ability. He carries out his fakes with a high degree of fidelity that gets him open, often becoming unaccounted for. A selfless player, Kain is a physical and willing lead blocker when called upon. That grit and toughness also appears when he moves the pile forward due to how well he churns his feet. That same churning allows him to break tackles that both arm tackles and high tackles alike, often carrying defenders for several yards. Appearing very hard to take down and pin-balling himself through defenses, what separated Kain in our eyes was that he profiles as a power back, but also possesses a high degree of agility. </p>    <p></p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/DanteKain2/status/1831484057160765828 </div></figure>     <p>Although he shares the backfield with 2025 graduate and Rutgers commit [player_tooltip player_id='675372' first='Kamar' last='Archie'], believe it or not sources tell me that [player_tooltip player_id='425624' first='Chase' last='Enlow'] is, in fact Hun's starter. Enlow has great vision, often making preemptive cuts behind the line of scrimmage. Additionally, Enlow moves very well when moving laterally. A threat in the receiving game, he catches the ball with his hands and has the moves to shake defenders. Like a boxer evading the speed bag, Enlow bounces in-and-out of his path very well. A bit smaller of an athlete, he has enough deceptiveness to squeak behind his offensive line and burst through into the open field. The spin move is at Enlow's disposal too, as we see him use it to both evade tacklers and get around blocks. Additionally, we see that he has balance when he runs and does not lose speed when he makes cuts - especially those hard, laterally ones. </p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/ChaseEnlow/status/1806748867536597021 </div></figure>     <p>As [player_tooltip player_id='212385' first='Dante' last='Kain'] is Bergen Catholic's incumbent running back, [player_tooltip player_id='284069' first='Najee' last='Calhoun'] is an elite import from South Jersey that is making the log trek up the parkway to join the crusaders. When Calhoun sees a crease he can absolutely cut on a dime, plant, get upfield, and outrun an entire defense. He has one really, really fast speed. With good vision we see that Calhoun sets up his blockers and will also follow his track, avoiding premature bounces to the outside. Akin to his teammate Kain, Calhoun will hit the spin move to break away from poor tackles or evade them entirely. The stiff arm is used, but more so to create additional space and balance himself. </p>    <p></p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/JeeCalhoun/status/1822344405929414696 </div></figure>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Next Top Backs</h2>    <p>Beyond who we have identified as the top three backs in the class, the next several are damn good players in their own right. First up is [player_tooltip player_id='212391' first='Jonah' last='Glenn']. Glenn broke in with the varsity squad as a freshman and seized the reigns of the lead-back for Jackson Memorial last year. Moves available to him include the stiff arm, jump-cut, and hurdle. Glenn does a great job cutting across the grain when given a toss and can outrun defenses. Even with excellent vision to cutback, he is still able to plant and get himself vertical without relinquishing much speed at all. Glenn is unafraid of contact, willing to lower his shoulder in big-time, must-have yardage situation and run opponents over. As he approaches contact and the line of scrimmage, we see him lean forward in hopes to fall forward and gain cheap-and-easy extra yardage. Lastly, he has a devastatingly dramatic jump-cut that he uses to slice upfield. </p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/jonahglenn_/status/1801967880218558743 </div></figure>     <p>There might not be a player that surprised the Prep Redzone New Jersey staff more on film than Passaic's [player_tooltip player_id='990209' first='Justin' last='Griffin']. If I had to describe Griffin in one word, the operative adjective is fast. Griffin has a clear and distinct second gear and looks violent when he runs. Griffin is able to get upfield very, very quickly and the way he runs reminds me of a track runner. With this, dare I say, elite speed, we see break away potential. Is acceleration kicks in once he breaks through the line of scrimmage, but is also noble enough to slow play his speed to create space for himself. That said, he is also disciplined in running and will avoid bouncing to the outside early. When running inside, it is natural for Griffin to cut course across the field. Lastly, Griffin is mindful to secure possession to the ball and pins it to his chest as contact threatens. </p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/jussgriffin/status/1831675974611620094 </div></figure>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Rest of the Best</h2>    <p>Since the close of last year I have been waiting to give [player_tooltip player_id='1021055' first='Emmanuel' last='De La Hoz'] his due. De La Hoz closed out last season with a 100+ yard game and two, 200+ yard games to secure a 1200+ yard, undefeated season for Weehawken. De La Hoz has shown break away speed and knows to bust big gainers by running inside-out. Without sacrificing ball security, De La Hoz religiously applies 5-points of pressure. His fast, hard running allows him to break arm tackles; whereas the same approach has enabled him to plow ahead for tough yardage when needed. Generally a straight-line runner, De La Hoz will duck and spin to evade tacklers, even coming to a complete stop only to turn up along the outside.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/EmmanuelDeLaH0z/status/1827129328963826022 </div></figure>     <p>At first when I watched [player_tooltip player_id='1088333' first='Kellen' last='Murray']'s film, I was not sure what drew me in; however, the more and more I watched the more and more I became enamored with his game and was able to figure out what makes him a legit prospect. Murray's incredible footwork is about as close to elite as it gets. Two plays in particular - at the 0:39 and 0:48 marks of his film - epitomize this skill. The the former clip, we how he can make a cut upfield against a backside bender to gain yardage in tight space; whereas in the later clip Murray makes several quick cuts with his feet several times to navigate in-and-out of danger several times while in the scrum. Before he makes his cuts, Murray will break down and get low, limiting his contact surface, and getting defenders to overreact at times to his movements.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/kellenmurr/status/1786515088892985686 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">With my only reference to the 2024 version of [player_tooltip player_id='1189148' first='Sam' last='Dech'] being explosive from the bit of film I saw against Westfield, his film from his sophomore campaign showed that Dech has explosive, big play potential. A shifty runner with balance, Dech is a bit shorter and therefore has very good pad level. His go-to move is his juke move, which he relies on to bust through defenses into the open field. Hitting the hole at full speed is a signature of his running style, which he achieves in about 3 steps. A disciplined runner who is well coached, Dech will run his track and run inside-out when looking to make big plays. Despite his size, we see that Dech will fight for extra yardage and keep the pile moving. Lastly, Dech's play seems to fire up his team, as evidenced by the Phillipsburg sideline's reaction when he gets the rock.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/SamDech24 </div></figure>

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