2027 Rankings: Underappreciated Running Backs

The 2027 rankings have been released and I am continuing my series of doing a deep dive in them. Today I will be going over a handful of running backs who are underappreciated in my eyes. Let's get into it!    Lumbus made the most out of his limited action, and showed a lot of promise. He had 11 carries for 103 yards and 1 touchdown. Lumbus is behind a couple of stud RBs, so he didn't get a lot of playing time. When he did, I was impressed. He has very good athletic ability due to very good acceleration, speed, change of direction and balance. Lumbus consistently gets yards after contact. He has very strong legs, or trucks through the defender. He runs through multiple guys before he gets tackled. Very good at breaking tackles. Lumbus has good awareness, and used it to extend his arms out to get the touchdown. If he gets more snaps, I see him contributing more to the 5A champions.     Palisade got a lot out of Hayward this past year. The 5'9 145-pound sophomore played RB/CB/K for his team. He had 60 carries for 453 yards, and 1 touchdown. He had 36 total tackles (20 solo, 16 assisted) and 2 PD. 26/30 on PAT, 2/2 on FGs with his longest being 35 yards. Hayward has very good athletic ability showcasing his versatility amongst multiple positions. As a running back, he has very good change of direction, good speed, acceleration, and balance. He hits the hole with tenacity and uses his good vision to diagnose the hole. Hayward has very good competitive toughness, giving his all on each play. Good stiff arm against defenders. I'm excited to see how Hayward continues his development next year.     Measuring in at 5'10 180-pounds, Pron had 124 carries for 429 yards and 8 touchdowns, with 23 receptions for 233 yards and 1 touchdown. Pron has good athletic ability due to his very good acceleration, change of direction, and good speed. He is elusive out in space making defenders miss with his jump cuts. He cuts and goes. Pron has good catching. He'll look back at this QB for an easy completion. One thing about Pron is he isn't afraid of blocking. Pron's physicality provides that extra time for his QB to find a man downfield. He's another part of a rising Regis core that looks to impress next season.     Measuring in at 5'10 205 pounds, Lukes came to my attention at one of our combine events. Through the course of the season, Lukes had 91 carries for 475 yards and 6 touchdowns, 26 receptions for 194 yards. Very good athletic ability due to very good acceleration, jumping, good speed, and change of direction. Lukes uses his hops to make plays in the passing game. He's a mixture of power and speed. Running through the defense with power and authority. Lukes uses his good stiff arm to attack defenders. Lukes gets good yards after contact and falls forward to get the first down. I'm looking forward to Lukes finding himself a bigger role in the Pine Creek's offense.     Christopher pounded the rock for Loveland this past season. Measuring in at 5'10 165-pounds, he accounted for 480 yards, and 6 touchdowns on 7 carries. Very good speed, change of direction, and good acceleration. One thing to note about Christopher's game is his elite balance. Defenders go after his legs, but he maintains his balance and crushes them for a big gain. He continues to get yards after contact. He has good trucking paired with a powerful stiff arm. Very good vision and is a mixture of a weave and power back. He'll beat you with his power or speed. I'm very excited to see how he continues his development into next season.

The 2027 rankings have been released and I am continuing my series of doing a deep dive in them. Today I will be going over a handful of running backs who are underappreciated in my eyes. Let's get into it!