Scouting 2027 Running Back Class: Stars, Sleepers, and Secrets

The junior season is perhaps the most important year for recruits to put a strong resume on tape for college coaches to see and evaluate their games and the level of prospect they project them to turn into at the next level.   In this edition of the series, we take a look at some of the intriguing names to monitor in the state of Tennessee for the 2027 recruiting cycle at the running back position.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">SCOUTING THE STARS</h2>    David Gabriel Georges is a running back with good size and a strong frame that allows for him to run in between the tackles at a high level, but also kick it outside for large gains as a ball-carrier.   While he can run with power, he does not sacrifice athleticism and quickness in his cuts, making him arguably the top running back prospect in the entire nation for his class.   As he looks to keep improving, third downs will be the area he can take a step forward in, especially with pass protection and becoming more of a factor in the dump-off passing game.     [player_tooltip player_id='1103496' first='Asa' last='Barnes'] is a running back with good size that possesses a strong blend of power and athleticism that makes him a good downhill runner that can make plays working through and around the defense.   He is a smooth runner who is effective at getting downhill once he finds a crease, especially in zone rushing concepts, which has allowed for him to have strong results complementing an explosive offense.   He has flashed natural hands as a receiver downfield at times in that offense and could become a factor in the passing game and on third downs.   He could improve his initial burst but he has the lane recognition, cutting ability, good athleticism, and strong frame to make up for it.     [player_tooltip player_id='905235' first='Khamoni' last='Williams'] ia tailback who blew up over the offseason due to his solid size, strong frame, and big play ability.   He is best at carving up the middle of the defense, earning yards by working behind his offensive line to find the correct lane and get upfield. His ability to identify the right lane has allowed for him to get into open space and he has enough athleticism to outrun defenses when he gets the advantage.   He has been moved around the formation for his school in the past, including as a wildcat quarterback and outside receiver, flashing the ability to be a part of the passing game out of the backfield.   As he keeps developing, he could continue to become more explosive working outward, but he has the tools to be an exciting prospect.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">SCOUTING THE SLEEPERS</h2>    [player_tooltip player_id='1182191' first='Brayden' last='Maples'] is an explosive running back that is a natural mover with solid size and strong cutting abilities that give him home-run ability from anywhere on the field while not sacrificing the toughness to run up the middle of the defense.   He is explosive in space and in his cuts, which his school takes advantage of in the middle of the field, allowing him to make a cut depending on the leverage of the linebacker.   He is not necessarily undersized, but if he can add more receiving work to his resume, that would only make his explosiveness even more valuable on the field.   Frankly, he deserves to be in the 'stars' category of this story, but somehow he has yet to receive the high-profile attention that should come his way soon, so he will be the biggest riser to watch as the season progresses and especially when coaches see him again in the offseason.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">SCOUTING THE SECRETS</h2>    [player_tooltip player_id='1665478' first='Jean-Pierre' last='Eto'o'] is big running back with very good size that thrives on an one cut and go type running style and should jump on to the scene soon.   He is stuck behind Gabriel Georges, right now, but the skillset is there for a majority of college football programs to appreciate, putting together a productive season last year while in Canada.   He is a tall running back around at least 6-foot-1 and he tends to run upright at times, but he can explode out of cuts whether running up the middle or to the outside. That cutting ability has the potential to make him a third down option out of the backfield and his size suggests he could develop into a solid pass protector.   He is due for a breakout soon and college programs will take notice of his increasingly valuable skillet of a downhill runner with very good size, athleticism, and cutting ability.     [player_tooltip player_id='1567420' first='Damillyan' last='Porter'] is a stocky running back with solid size that thrives at getting upfield efficiently up the middle of the field.   He lacks ideal explosiveness, but he runs hard, fast, and with intent, all of which makes him difficult to bring down to the ground. He has improved his cutting ability this season which allows for him to get out of jams in the middle of the field after running through his gap.   He has flashed natural hands underneath and if he could add strong pass protection to that in college, he could carve out a solid career at the next level with a specific role.

The junior season is perhaps the most important year for recruits to put a strong resume on tape for college coaches to see and evaluate their games and the level of prospect they project them to turn into at the next level.