Spring Tour Recap: RB Notes

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Which RBs caught my eye this spring? The state is chock-full. Here are my notes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>North Cobb Christian</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>I would keep a close eye on '29 RB Haiden Gipson. He is built beyond his years for an 8th grade back, coming in at 6'0 190 with some notable mass on his frame. I didn't get to see him run, but I did get to see him barrel through contact at practice, something that he did as an 8th grader, too. He is doing it with high pad-level and developing mechanics as well. As he continues to learn the position and grow into his body, he is only going to improve. There are bell-cow features here. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>North Gwinnett</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>'26 RB Kalil Mazone instantly catches your eye at practice. He is a tall, lean prospect who carries his weight well, listed at 6'1 207. A series of unfortunate injuries over the last year has put him behind the eight ball, but the traits are hard to argue against, and he has still generated FBS recruiting buzz this spring. He is a long-limbed runner with some bounce and high knee drive. He has played both ways in his HS career, but looks to be settling in at the RB spot. His coaches raved about the kid as well, possibly more than they did about the player, which is telling. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Forsyth Central </em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>'26 Max Haertel is as positionless as they come, but if I had to throw him on the field tomorrow at the college level, I would choose to put him at RB. Haertel is one of the more shockingly underrated prospects in the state. 10.9 is fast, but 10.9 at 205-210 is REALLY fast. He carries that weight on a cut, well-defined frame. His combination of speed, mass, and willingness to take on contact makes him hard to tackle. He plays all over the field as well. Fast, versatile, and built. If I were an in-state GO5, I'd have my fingers crossed that P4 schools don't get involved late. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>North Forsyth </em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Underrated '26 RB [player_tooltip player_id='1184989' first='Darron' last='Parry'] brings years of production into his senior season. He comes in around 5'8 175 with a cut, well-developed physique. He is stout with a low center of gravity, helping him stay on his feet through contact. He is a scrappy runner in the open field who violently changes direction. Parry will be a good value pickup for whichever college takes a chance on him.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Sequoyah</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>'26 RB Will Rajecki has emerged as one of the premier RBs in Georgia, and for good reason. When you turn on the tape, you see a big back who powers through contact. He played the role of bellcow last year at times for Sequoyah and was a tough yardage machine down the stretch. When you see him up close, it really puts into perspective the caliber of athlete he is. He carries his weight on a cut frame and has some serious giddy-up. He is faster and a better operator in space than you'd think, confirmed by the in-person eval. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Roswell</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>'26 RB Nick Peal is a low-key D1 talent who is due for a breakout season this fall. He comes in at 6'0 205 and holds his listed weight well. He is a cut, lean 6'0 205 and still has room to add some mass to his frame. Even at a lighter weight, he runs hard and keeps his feet active against contact. He played both ways for Roswell last year, but projects long-term as an RB. He is tall, lean, cut, and equipped with desirable burst and a willingness to take on contact. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Allatoona</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>I'm not afraid to say this, but '26 Allatoona RB [player_tooltip player_id='1201831' first='Xavier' last='Rucker'] is the most impressive prospect I have seen at the RB position from a pure physique standpoint. He is all of 5'11 190, and is cut from head to toe. He is still skinny in the ankles and has room to pack on weight in his lower body, so there is meat on the bone. He can simply do everything on the field. He will run through you, around you, and even go over you if needed. He has elite physical traits and has a wide variety of methods to create his own yards. He reminds me almost identically of Jarquez Hunter, and I think he has a similar career path. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Kell</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>'27 RB Moonie Gipson continues to prove himself every step of the way as a premier RB in the 2027 class. Gipson is a big, bruising RB with bellcow features, but also plays with the finesse to contribute as a receiver and create his own yards in space. Gipson has a floor higher than the ceiling of many RBs in the 2027 class, which is what makes me the most intrigued.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>I continue to be intrigued with '27 RB Donte Grant. He is working back from an injury last fall, but I would be excited about the upside here. He is a tall, thinner prospect who is more of a scat-back archetype. It looks like he has grown into his frame more this offseason. Still, he runs hard against contact and has flashed impressive contact balance for his size. He already has garnered D1 attention, and I expect that trend to continue. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list -->