2026 Watch List Risers: 5 Must Know Running Backs

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Looking at the 2026 Watch List Rankings in our most current update, who are the top names to note in the running back group and who could find themselves entering into our rankings? Find out below! </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1597004"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68091e57c4dc1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Graves has had a very productive spring and is coming off one of the better Junior seasons of any prospect across the Central Valley. He is a explosive and twitchy play-maker that is explosive in the short area and has twitch, start/stop abilities and can make defenders miss in the hole while also showing third level speed and can pull away in the open field. Through traffic he shows contact balance, leg drive through contact and is tough to take down in one on one situations. Heading into May, he has hauled in offers from Sac State, Montana State, NAU, and San Jose State and is a no-brainer to enter into our rankings in the next update. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1296204"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68091e57c4e24"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Ayala is a hard nosed and downhill runner with good foot speed, runs behind his pads with natural forward lean and gets vertical in a hurry and is tough to take down once he gets going. He shows he can break arm/ankle tackles and gain the tough yards inside while also able to bounce it outside the tackles if needed and is a patient runner with cutback abilities and stays behind his blocks before hitting his second gear. He had a productive season in 2024 for San Juan Hills and is one of the top returning rushers across the region, and should start to draw college interest at the D3+ level as he moves through his Senior season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["401238"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68091e57c4e6c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Dominguez is part of a very physical and talented running back group coming back for San Juan Hills, and should have a huge senior season for one of the top teams in the section. He is a bigger ball carrier with natural forward lean and has a physical running style with quick feet and a good first level burst. He is tough to bring down in the open field once he gets going and has a powerful lower body while looking for contact and finishing runs with good physicality. He shows cutback abilities in the hole and does a good job reading his blocks and waiting for them to develop before hitting his second gear. Overall, he is a violent runner that plays with tremendous physicality and should have a huge Senior season for SJH. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1322255"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68091e57c4eb0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Snyder is a quick twitched and smooth runner that gets vertical in a hurry and shows foot speed through the line with short area quickness at lateral movement abilities in the hole. He is explosive through the first level and runs with natural forward lean and can gain the tough yards inside while also able to bounce it outside the tackles if needed and gain the edge. Schneider also shows he can catch the ball out of the backfield and is fluid with the ball in his hands in space and should draw plenty of D3+ interest through his senior season and has the ability to play at the next level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1149000"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68091e57c4ef3"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Defrain is a big and physical runner that gets vertical quickly and looks for contact in the hole while moving well for his size. He is a true north and south runner that can bounce off tacklers, shows natural forward lean and leg drive through contact and is one of the more physical ball carriers across the region heading into 2025. He also shows vision in tight spaces with cutback abilities and can make tacklers miss in the hole with short area twitch. He should draw plenty of D3+ interest through his senior season and is a name to note for the running back position heading into the Fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->