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2026 Rankings Update: Running Backs Breakdown

2026 Rankings Update: Running Backs Breakdown
Colton Edwards
Colton Edwards December 17, 2024 @ 10:22 AM
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In this article:

James Pratt
James Pratt 5'8" | 175 lbs | RB | 2026
AR
TJ Brown
TJ Brown 5'11" | 185 lbs | RB | 2026
AR
Jackson Ward
Jackson Ward 5'8" | 185 lbs | RB | 2026
AR
Kevin Young Jr.
Kevin Young Jr. 5'11" | 205 lbs | RB | 2026
AR
Enoch Assan
Enoch Assan 5'8" | 190 lbs | RB | 2026
AR
Korri Graham
Korri Graham 5'10" | 175 lbs | RB | 2026
AR
Tavien Clegg
Tavien Clegg 5'8" | 159 lbs | RB | 2026
AR
TJ Hodges
TJ Hodges 6'1" | 190 lbs | RB | 2026
AR
Owen McLaughlin
Owen McLaughlin 5'9" | 190 lbs | RB | 2026
AR
Rico Ward
Rico Ward 5'9" | 180 lbs | RB/ATH | 2026
AR
Griffin Mason
Griffin Mason 5'10" | 200 lbs | RB/LB | 2026
AR
Brady O. Penister
Brady O. Penister 5'10" | 205 lbs | RB | 2026
FL
Hunter Warren
Hunter Warren 6'1" | 195 lbs | RB/LB | 2026
AR
Kaleb Johnson
Kaleb Johnson 5'7" | 165 lbs | RB | 2026
AR
Nikel Lewis
Nikel Lewis 5'9" | 200 lbs | RB | 2026
AR
Cooper Powell
Cooper Powell 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB | 2026
AR
Chris Ficklin
Chris Ficklin 5'10" | 180 lbs | RB | 2026
AR
<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We have officially released a new set of rankings for the class of 2026 in Arkansas. In this article, we will showcase the 2026 running backs with analysis. Over the next month, I will break down these rankings by position in each class, including other segments. For the running backs, I will provide you with evaluations of some of the top prospects and the players flying under the radar:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/position-ranking-table {"name":"acf/position-ranking-table","data":{"class":"2026","_class":"field_65cfb7374abb9","position":"2408","_position":"field_65cfbfcb19ad6","national_rankings":"0","_national_rankings":"field_660c1d73c0e49","state":"2456","_state":"field_65cfb88a603fe"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6760e23046dab"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1336821"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6760e23048774"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1336821' first='Jackson' last='Ward'] is ranked eighth on our board at the position. He demonstrates patience and a powerful north-south running style, enhanced by good post-snap vision. This impressive vision enables him to quickly identify running lanes and evade defenders. Ward possesses a strong multi-cut ability and good burst through tackles, allowing him to break away from first-level defenders. He showcases good leg drive, balance, and lower body power to break tackles and gain additional yardage. Additionally, he has solid lateral agility and quickness to make defenders miss or find cut-back lanes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Offer List: Arkansas State &amp; Hendrix</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Note – 3.4 GPA</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">X:<a href="https://x.com/JacksonWard2026"> https://x.com/JacksonWard2026</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["442007"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6760e230487d0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='442007' first='Kaleb' last='Johnson'] ranks at number nine for his position. He showcases good athletic ability with fluid movement in the backfield. Johnson has a quick first step and good burst, allowing him to exploit openings effectively. He demonstrates good lateral agility and balance, making him a versatile multi-cut back who can break outside quickly. Additionally, he exhibits good speed, footwork, and patience, along with good vision through the tackles. Johnson also succeeds as a receiving back.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Note – 3.7 GPA</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">X:<a href="https://x.com/Kaleb_Johnson_5"> https://x.com/Kaleb_Johnson_5</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1283877"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6760e23048815"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1283877' first='Enoch' last='Assan'] has emerged as one of the most impressive players in the class. He possesses a quick first step and good post-snap vision, which allows him to effectively read the defensive front and quickly identify running lanes. He demonstrates very good lateral agility and change of direction, enabling him to maneuver around early penetration. When he plants his back foot, he explodes through the hole, showcasing good acceleration. With his ability to make multiple cuts, he maintains good contact balance and leg drive, allowing him to break tackles and evade defenders at the second level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Offer List: Vermilion</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Note – 4.0 GPA</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">X:<a href="https://x.com/EnochAssan7"> https://x.com/EnochAssan7</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1339312"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6760e23048854"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1339312' first='TJ' last='Brown'] ranks at number 16 on the board. He is a dominant and emerging running back from Arkansas. Brown is a north-south runner with a solid blend of power, speed, and athleticism. He demonstrates good post-snap vision to identify running lanes and shows patience in following his blockers. His multi-cut ability, along with good change of direction, lateral agility, burst, and the vision to find openings on either the backside or play side, sets him apart. Additionally, he can evade early penetration and breaks tackles effectively due to his good contact balance, leg drive, and active feet, allowing him to gain yards after contact at both the first and second levels.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Offer List: Navy &amp; Vermilion</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Note – 3.8 GPA</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">X:<a href="https://x.com/TjBrown2026"> https://x.com/TjBrown2026</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1565413"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6760e23048890"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1565413' first='James' last='Pratt'] flew onto the scene as a dynamic running back who poses challenges for defenses from the backfield. He exhibits solid post-snap vision, footwork, and the burst necessary to exploit gaps in the defense. Pratt, with a low center of gravity and good contact balance, he can effectively break tackles at any level of the field. Moreover, he has the potential to be a significant threat in the receiving game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Note – 4.1 GPA</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">X:<a href="https://x.com/JamesPratt2026"> https://x.com/JamesPratt2026</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>OTHER TOP 100 RUNNING BACKS:</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1 - [player_tooltip player_id='1155131' first='TJ' last='Hodges'] (Marked Tree)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2 - [player_tooltip player_id='1152116' first='Owen' last='McLaughlin'] (Southside)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3 - [player_tooltip player_id='401206' first='Nikel' last='Lewis'] (Hamburg)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>4 - [player_tooltip player_id='1194202' first='Korri' last='Graham'] (DeWitt)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>5 - [player_tooltip player_id='227421' first='Chris' last='Ficklin'] (Bentonville)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6 - [player_tooltip player_id='1316501' first='Kevin' last='Young Jr.'] (Forrest City)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>7 - [player_tooltip player_id='1192186' first='Tavien' last='Clegg'] (Malvern)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>10 - [player_tooltip player_id='401187' first='Cooper' last='Powell'] (Cabot)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>11 - [player_tooltip player_id='1142032' first='Rico' last='Ward'] (Marion)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>13 - [player_tooltip player_id='771990' first='Hunter' last='Warren'] (Booneville)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>14 - [player_tooltip player_id='955836' first='Griffin' last='Mason'] (Shiloh Christian)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>15 - [player_tooltip player_id='806080' first='Brady' last='O. Penister'] (Junction City)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->

We have officially released a new set of rankings for the class of 2026 in Arkansas. In this article, we will showcase the 2026 running backs with analysis. Over the next month, I will break down these rankings by position in each class, including other segments. For the running backs, I will provide you with evaluations of some of the top prospects and the players flying under the radar:

Jackson Ward

Jackson Ward

AR
RB
HEIGHT 5'8"
WEIGHT 185
POS RB
CLASS 2026
View Player
​
Jackson
Ward RB
Class
2026
Height
5'8"
Weight
185
HS
Little Rock Christian
|
AR
2026 Rankings Update: Running Backs Breakdown
Jackson Ward is ranked eighth on our board at the position. He demonstrates patience and a powerful north-south...
Written by Colton Edwards
Read more at PrepRedzone.com
Prep Redzone

Jackson Ward

State: Arkansas
School: Little Rock Christian
Subscribe below to view this player's evaluation

Highlights

Kaleb Johnson

Kaleb Johnson

AR
RB
HEIGHT 5'7"
WEIGHT 165
POS RB
CLASS 2026
View Player
​
Kaleb
Johnson RB
Class
2026
Height
5'7"
Weight
165
HS
Fayetteville
|
AR
2026 Rankings Update: Running Backs Breakdown
Kaleb Johnson ranks at number nine for his position. He showcases good athletic ability with fluid movement in...
Written by Colton Edwards
Read more at PrepRedzone.com
Prep Redzone

Kaleb Johnson

Instagram Twitter
State: Arkansas
School: Fayetteville
Subscribe below to view this player's evaluation

Highlights

Enoch Assan

Enoch Assan

AR
RB
HEIGHT 5'8"
WEIGHT 190
POS RB
CLASS 2026
View Player
​
Enoch
Assan RB
Class
2026
Height
5'8"
Weight
190
HS
Greenbrier
|
AR
2026 Rankings Update: Running Backs Breakdown
Enoch Assan has emerged as one of the most impressive players in the class. He possesses a quick...
Written by Colton Edwards
Read more at PrepRedzone.com
Prep Redzone

Enoch Assan

State: Arkansas
School: Greenbrier
Subscribe below to view this player's evaluation

Highlights

TJ Brown

TJ Brown

AR
RB
HEIGHT 5'11"
WEIGHT 185
POS RB
CLASS 2026
View Player
​
TJ
Brown RB
Class
2026
Height
5'11"
Weight
185
HS
Jonesboro
|
AR
2026 Rankings Update: Running Backs Breakdown
TJ Brown ranks at number 16 on the board. He is a dominant and emerging running back from...
Written by Colton Edwards
Read more at PrepRedzone.com
Prep Redzone

TJ Brown

State: Arkansas
School: Jonesboro
Subscribe below to view this player's evaluation

Highlights

James Pratt

James Pratt

AR
RB
HEIGHT 5'8"
WEIGHT 175
POS RB
CLASS 2026
View Player
​
James
Pratt RB
Class
2026
Height
5'8"
Weight
175
HS
Bentonville
|
AR
2026 Rankings Update: Running Backs Breakdown
James Pratt flew onto the scene as a dynamic running back who poses challenges for defenses from the...
Written by Colton Edwards
Read more at PrepRedzone.com
Prep Redzone

James Pratt

State: Arkansas
School: Bentonville
Subscribe below to view this player's evaluation

Highlights

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