Underclassmen Pounding The Rock Around The State

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As good as the class of 2025 was for running backs, the more I delve into the next wave of underclassmen running backs, the more impressed I am. There is a lot of depth as well as a broad range of talent and skill sets in the coming classes. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At the high school level running backs come in all shapes and sizes and bring to the gridiron differing styles of play. These unique attributes are the building blocks for running backs in establishing their own brand that they hopefully start optimizing early in their high school careers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If you want to play at the next level you have to do more than just show out on the field. You have to market yourself and your brand year around. The environment is too competitive in this day and age to leave it to chance.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this report we will take a look at some underclassmen running backs who are at different stages in their high school careers and have achieved differing levels of success and coverage so far. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One thing is consistent. These guys are ballers with the rock in hand...</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So, without further adieu, lets dive into the 2026 and 2027 playmakers below who will be pounding it this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1585770' first='Armond' last='Graves']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/armond-graves/"></a>&nbsp;</strong><em>,&nbsp;</em>6'0, 205, RB/LB,&nbsp;<em>Wellsville</em>&nbsp;'26, is coming off a standout junior season as an old school tailback who can hammer the ball between the tackles but also has the burst and quickness to burn up the perimeter. He is electric in the open field, with great spatial awareness and elusiveness weaving through traffic. On the year he carried the ball 153 times for 1,240 yards for an 8+ average and 25 touchdowns. He started a little slow, but over the last seven games stacked up 1,000+ yards and scored 18 TD's. He added another 300 yards in receiving and returns and another score to give him a 1,500+ 26-TD season. On defense he is an aggressive linebacker, who picked up 31 tackles, four tackles for loss and blocked a punt for good measure. This guy is going to be brutally tough to stop in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1228895' first='Darius' last='Rogers']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/darius-rogers/"></a>&nbsp;, 5'11, 180, RB/DB, <em>Wichita Heights</em>, '26, is coming off an excellent junior season as a dazzling all-purpose back who lines up as a single setback or as an H-back or on the wing. He is lethal in the open field with great cuts against the grain and instant stop and go, breaking ankles along the way. On the year he carried the ball 85 times for 590 yards, caught 14 passes for 324 yards receiving and had 180 yards in returns, for just under 1,100 yards and 13 total TD's. He put his potential on full display against Wichita North in October when he accounted for 270 yards and five touchdowns, including two touchdowns from 70+ yards out. He was also busy out of the secondary with 18 tackles and a tackle for loss on defense. Get your popcorn ready he is going to put on a show this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1398429' first='Korbin' last='Johnson']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/korbin-johnson/"></a>&nbsp;<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/korbin-johnson/"></a>&nbsp;</strong>, 6'0, 195, ATH,<em> Holcomb </em>'26&nbsp;&nbsp;– is coming off a sizzling junior season on both sides of the ball who I covered earlier in the season when he was going scorched earth on western Kansas gridirons. When the dust settled last season he had gained 1,172 yards on the ground on 181 carries and scored 14 TD's. He added 400+ yards on 27 receptions and another 100+ yards in returns to pile up just under 1,700 yards and 15 TD's. But he was hardly done. He was also a headhunter of a defender who destroyed offenses by stuffing the run as well as taking out the air attack. For the year he had 98 tackles, nine TFL a sack and a pair of picks. He is currently listed as a WR and his profile is incomplete but his numbers speak for themselves. He is positioned for a huge season this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1530365' first='Erik' last='Olivas']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/erik-olivas/"></a> , 5'8, 170, RB/DB, <em>Goddard</em>, '27, is coming off a standout sophomore season as a highlight reel waiting to happen whenever he touched the ball. Lining up in the backfield or on the wing he is dangerous getting the ball on jet sweeps, traps and options where he uses his next-level acceleration to leave defensive backs in the dust. On the season he gave the Lion offense a strike-force weapon as one of the many options in their vaunted run game. On the year he ran for 604 yards on 80 carries for a 7.6 yard average and five touchdowns. He also caught a 32-yard touchdown pass and piled up 200+ yards on returns to give him just under 900 yards of total offense and six scores. This guy is just getting started and is going to light it up in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1530398' first='Reece' last='Carmichael']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/reece-carmichael/"></a>&nbsp;, 5'10, 195, RB/LB,&nbsp;<em>Halstead</em>, '27, is coming off a breakout year as a two-way playmaker who rarely came off the field and dominated on both sides of the ball. On offense he is a powerful running back who carried the ball 95 times for 520 yards, a 5.5 average and four scores. He also caught 12 passes for another 100+ yards and a score to give him 600+ yards of total offense and five total touchdowns. And, as good as he was on offense, he was even better on defense as a sledgehammer linebacker. How good? According to legendary head coach&nbsp;Derek Racette, he could be one of the best to ever play the position for the Dragons after racking up 100 tackles and four tackles for loss this past fall. This guy will be in human-torpedo mode this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In conclusion, get these ground pounders on your watchlist and follow their progress in the off season as they prepare for their senior seasons. And, as always, if you run across a player or team you think deserves coverage and is not getting it give me a shout via DM on X. Keep grindin'... </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->