Early Preview of the 2026 Class: Underrated Running Back

With the 2024 season behind us, we would like to preview some underrated offensive players in the state's 2026 graduating class. These players have not received the full credit they deserve for the fantastic seasons that they had this previous year and should be considered top prospects in the state for the next season. We will now look at some of the most underrated running back set to return next season.    2026 Running Back [player_tooltip player_id='1369422' first='Courshawn' last='Hill'] is one of the most electric backs in the state. He capped off his junior season with 86 carries for 723 rushing yards and 6 rushing TDs, along with 9 receptions for 85 yards and 1 receiving TD. His jump cuts are next level, displaying an insane amount of shiftiness and explosiveness to plant his foot in the ground to change direction. He has great long speed in the open field that makes it challenging for tacklers to catch up to him in space. If you do manage to catch him, he has a quick and potent stiff arm that he can utilize to make defenders look silly. Hill will definitely be a weapon on this Williams Field team to be featured much more heavily for next season.      2026 Running Back [player_tooltip player_id='975177' first='Kyler' last='Drunasky'] had a great season for the limited action that he had. In the five games he played, he had 101 carries for 605 rushing yards and 8 rushing TDs. His vision and ability to find the hole is excellent, as he can locate space in traffic and always find the cutback lane. He can be very nimble for his size, squeezing through tight areas with great precision and then bursting into another gear. He runs with robustness and ruggedness, punishing defenders by lowering his pads in the open field. Drunasky will look to compile similar numbers with an entire senior season ahead of him.      2026 Running Back Zachari Haley had a terrific junior year season for Sabino. He managed to rack in 164 carries for 987 rushing yards and 10 rushing TDs, with 13 catches for 127 receiving yards and 2 receiving TDs. He is extremely crafty in space, having great change of direction and elusiveness to juke defenders at a moment's notice. His contact balance for his size is impressive, as he can take multiple hits from defenders and keep his legs churning for extra yardage. He has dual threat ability, displaying that he can run effective routes from the slot and make catches for his team. Haley has improved every season statistically, so it will be exciting to see how he improves for this next season.      2026 Running Back Michael Lujan is an excellent option out of the backfield for this Buena team. He had 137 carries for 935 rushing yards for 15 rushing TDs and 5 catches for 35 receiving yards out of the backfield. His ability to improvise and create in the backfield is unique, as he can dodge defenders and keep the play alive for his team with nice jump cuts and shiftiness. He certainly has the home run ability speed to take it to the house, outrunning linebackers and secondary defenders with amazing acceleration and haste. He also has a sturdy base for his weight that can power through defenses for scores when called upon in the red zone. Lujan had a breakout junior year and will certainly look to build upon it even more in his final season.      2026 Running Back Aime L'Amour should be an exciting dual threat option to watch next season for Desert Surprise. He finished his junior year with over 1,000 scrimmage yards. He had 162 carries for 879 rushing yards and 7 rushing touchdowns, followed by 15 catches for 213 receiving yards and 1 receiving touchdown. His most athletic trait is his core stability, as he can easily disregard arm tackles in traffic and fight his way through defenders while remaining upright. His hands out of the backfield are reliable, as he can catch and make plays happen with blockers in front of him. His change of direction on his cuts is concise and quick, weaving past tacklers in the open field and darting his way to the endzone. Watch out for L'Amour to be one of the premier dual threats in the state next season.      Undoubtedly, one of the fastest backs in the state is 2026 Running Back Cristian Carrillo. Taking a massive leap statical from his sophomore year, he finished this season with 118 carries for 838 rushing yards and 6 rushing touchdowns. His speed jumps off on tape as he can bend around and get the edge effortlessly to turn up for significant yardage gains. His vision, both out of the backfield and in open space, makes him a dynamic weapon. He always maximizes every one of his runs when he gets a carry, picking up the most yards he can every single time. Carrillo should be someone to watch next season get more carries and be a focal point for the Peoria offense.

With the 2024 season behind us, we would like to preview some underrated offensive players in the state's 2026 graduating class. These players have not received the full credit they deserve for the fantastic seasons that they had this previous year and should be considered top prospects in the state for the next season. We will now look at some of the most underrated running back set to return next season.