Final 2025 Rankings: Running Back

As we approach the final weeks of 2024, another week of high school football has come and gone in the state of Kentucky. With that being said, it is time to wrap up our coverage of this year's senior class with our final rankings update. While there were a ton of talented players in the class of 2025, we have narrowed it down to the top 250 players in the class. With that being said, I will be taking the next week or so to break down these final rankings by position. After already covering the quarterbacks, I will now turn my attention to our top running backs in the class of 2025 in the state of Kentucky.    [player_tooltip player_id='373042' first='Cortez' last='Stone'] continued to establish himself as the top running back in the state in his class this season. He finished his senior year with 181 carries for 1,882 yards and 30 touchdowns in 12 games. Stone is a physical downhill runner who has shown the ability to lower his shoulder and run straight through defenders without breaking stride. He has also shown the speed to run away from the defense once he hits the open field. Stone also finished the season with seven receptions for 78 yards. Cortez currently holds multiple Division I/Power 4 offers and I expect him to be a key contributor wherever he decides to play at the next level.     [player_tooltip player_id='1323010' first='Mike' last='Curry'] is another high-caliber running back who continued to stand out this season. He finished his senior year with 208 carries for 1,867 yards and 25 touchdowns in 13 games. Curry has great vision in the open field, showing the ability to find cut back lanes then using his elusiveness to make moves to make defenders miss. Mike also caught 16 passes for 248 yards and four touchdowns, and played a role on defense, finishing the year with 22 tackles, one tackle for loss, and two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown). Curry is committed to Eastern Illinois where I expect him to find a key role in their offense.     [player_tooltip player_id='735731' first='Braxton' last='Jennings'] is a player who has been high on our radar for a while now and continued to impress this season. Jennings finished the year with 139 carries for 1,157 yards and 20 touchdowns in 13 games. He is dangerous in the open field, showing the elusiveness and speed to break away on a long run at any given moment. Jennings also showed the ability to line up in the slot and pose as a serious threat as a receiver, catching 38 passes for 511 yards and five touchdowns this season. He also played a role on defense as a strong safety, finishing the year with 47 tackles, two tackles for loss, and five interceptions. Braxton currently holds multiple Division I offers and I expect him to be a true difference maker wherever he decides to play at the next level.     [player_tooltip player_id='373826' first='Peyton' last='Smith'] continued to show that he is one of the best running backs in the state after transferring to Frederick Douglass for his senior year. Smith finished the season with 74 carries for 621 yards and nine touchdowns in 12 games. Peyton has very impressive speed which he uses to burst into the open field in a hurry and run away from the defense on long runs. When defenders are able to catch up with him, he has shown the elusiveness to make them miss. Smith also caught one touchdown pass this season. Peyton signed with Eastern Kentucky where I can see him becoming a key piece of their backfield once he gets there.     To wrap up our top five running backs in the class of 2025 in the state of Kentucky, I have [player_tooltip player_id='373823' first='Kalen' last='Washington']. Washington had a strong senior year, running the ball 214 times for 1,654 yards and 19 touchdowns in 12 games. Kalen is a strong runner, showing the ability to keep his legs churning while keeping his balance to break tackles without losing stride. He has also shown the burst of speed to run away from the defense once he hits the open field. Kalen also finished this season with nine receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown. Washington has received several Division I offers and I expect him to be a very reliable ball carrier wherever he decides to play at the next level.