Deep Dive: Cabarrus/Rowan County Top Running Backs

Charlotte Football Insiders is taking a look at ranking the top Charlotte Metro Area players by position, and we're taking a look at those players in those rankings in a Deep Dive analysis series. In these articles, we will share why these players are ranked and their best attributes as potential college-level football players in their respective futures. This will feature Cabarrus and Rowan County running backs.   <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/8.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1637997" /></figure>    I was impressed when I was able to see Jarlon up close in a big non-conference game earlier last season. Jarlon has nice patience when hitting the hole, and he uses excellent footwork to sift through traffic until he can find space. Once he finds daylight, he shifts into high gear quickly, and can make some big-time runs with impressive speed. Jarlon put up a ton of yards last season and is probably the best area running back a lot of people don't know, however, he is on the map now. Jarlon has some college interest, most notably being offered by the previous staff at Charlotte.     LJ had a breakout junior season for a very good Bulldogs football team that made the 3rd round of the state playoffs. LJ is nicknamed "Smooth" and that's how I would describe his running style with the football in his hands. LJ does a good job with his vision, especially on interior running plays. LJ is able to slide to the right hole with good agility and quickness. Once he makes that choice, he hits it north/south very well. I saw him in a preseason scrimmage score, and it's almost like he gets stronger and more determined near the goalline. LJ has college interest and should have a strong senior year.     Ennis had an impressive freshman season, busting out on the scene and rushing for nearly 1000 yards in a time split with another talented running back in our local rankings here. Ennis has picked up early offers already from multiple Division 1 college football programs including the previous staff at Charlotte, East Carolina, Virginia Tech, and Troy. Ennis has the speed/power combination you like in a good-sized back physically. He will have many more big games in the Concord area over the next 3 years.     Damonte came on strong this past season for a Central Cabarrus team that relied on running the football for their offensive success. Damonte is fast in the open field and still has room to grow physically. If Damonte can add some weight and not lose his speed and agility that makes him special, he has some college football in his future. He will be the focal point next season offensively for the Vikings and he should show similar production once again.     The fun thing for me in doing these detailed county breakdowns is learning new players that I haven't seen because they're not always on the biggest stage. Jojo definitely fits into that category, as he rushed for over 1000 yards and double-digit touchdowns last season for a good program. Jojo is definitely quick, and he shows some electric footwork in space - there are multiple highlights where he eludes 5+ defenders on his way to a big run and a touchdown. Jojo also plays corner and returns kicks, so he will definitely be on our radar in our next rankings update.    Honorable Mentions   Jacob Reigel - Mount Pleasant - The Tigers are a heavy run team, and Jacob does an excellent job of reading his linemen's blocks and gets north and south for yardage consistently. Expect him to be another cog in the ball-control offense for Mount Pleasant once again next season.   Damo'n Broussard - Carson - This freshman rushed for nearly 500 yards on limited carries and was named an All-Conference player. Whenever I see that, that's usually a strong indicator for future success. I would expect Damon to jump on our Watch List at the very least and possibly join our 2028 rankings in our next update.   [player_tooltip player_id='630404' first='Mason' last='Emery'] - Cox Mill - Mason was a bright spot in a tough season for the Chargers, and with some uncertainty at the quarterback spot right now, expect Mason to be in line for a heavy workload and a possible 1000 yard year next season. Mason has good vision and footwork and does a good job reading his blocks.   Seth Henry Jr. - Cannon - Seth had a nice season with nearly 700 yards rushing on a team that had a strong passing attack for the majority of the season. Seth has good speed in the open field and also showed some ability to catch the ball from the receiver position as well.   Bryce Morgan - AL Brown - Bryce is poised to have a breakout season next year as he was named the offensive MVP for the Wonders JV Team last year. AL Brown has a tradition of always having strong running backs in their program, and Bryce appears to be the next one up.   [player_tooltip player_id='1687743' first='Rhett' last='Decker'] - Ambassador Christian - Playing for Christ The King last season, Rhett, a freshman, racked up an impressive season with nearly 700 yards on the ground. Rhett is a hard runner, who has some good speed once he gets into the open field. Ambassador Christian will rely on him a lot in their second year as a school, and first year playing Varsity football.

Charlotte Football Insiders is taking a look at ranking the top Charlotte Metro Area players by position, and we're taking a look at those players in those rankings in a Deep Dive analysis series. In these articles, we will share why these players are ranked and their best attributes as potential college-level football players in their respective futures. This will feature Cabarrus and Rowan County running backs.