Film Room: 5 high upside running backs heading into 2026

<!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1698851"],"_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-69447a3bebd94"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Harris is one of the most explosive and electric backs in the state, and checks into our rankings as a top three ball carrier in the class. He has elite short area explosion and quickness, flashes start/stop abilities and can make defenders miss in the hole with elite open field speed to break away. At contact he shows he can bounce off arm/ankle tacklers and is tough to bring down in one on one situations, and is looking for contact inside while able to bounce it outside and stick behind his blockers when needed. He is a well balanced back with receiving abilities out of the backfield as well, and has elite top end speed for the P4 level. Miami, Oregon, Arizona, Texas tech and UCLA among others have all offered, and he should be a 12+ offer guy by the time it's all said and done. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Jordan Montgomery","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"190","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Lakewood","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69447a3bebec8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Montgomery is a big and physical downhill thumping back that gets behind his pads and is tough to take down once he gets going at the second and third level. He looks for contact in the hole, shows good balance while always falling forward and can bounce off tacklers in tight windows. More of a north and south runner, he stays patient behind his blocks before hitting his second gear and can cutback against flow and make tacklers miss in the open field in multiple different ways. Very strong at the POA and a well built prospect, he should draw plenty of next level interest and could find himself in our next rankings update as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1197559"],"_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-69447a3bebf42"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Hunter is a well rounded ball carrier that runs hard at all three levels, can make tacklers miss with quick cuts and short area agility and also shows cutback abilities and patience to stay behind his blocks before exploding into the second level. On tape he displays the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield or play in the slot and is dynamic after the catch in the open field and a truly big play guy. He has a good build for the position in college and will continue to pack on mass/muscle this off-season and should be inline for a huge senior season. Look for Hunter to be one of the top returning players across the San Diego section and field plenty more college interest/offers this off-season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1717727"],"_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-69447a3bebfae"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Lee is one of the more explosive and big playmaking running backs in the 2028 class across the state and is a FBS caliber player that checks all the boxes. He is a natural ball carrier with a strong initial burst, contact balance in traffic and hits the hole hard and runs behind his pads while very strong and powerful at the POA. Lee is tough to bring down individually and shows elite tackle breaking abilities and runs tough inside while able to cut it outside the tackles and gain the edge if need be and can take direct snaps as well. Playing at the highest level of central valley football and dominating as a sophomore along with already passing the eye test for the FBS level, there should be no shortage of schools coming in and offering this off-season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1598286"],"_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-69447a3bec017"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Rivera made the transfer over to Compton for his Junior season and is a smooth and elusive back with home run speed and big play abilities at anytime. He is quick twitched in the hole when breaking tackles and a excellent receiver out of the backfield or in the slot running precise routes and having natural hands before turning upfield. Rivera shows great short area twitch and lateral agility to make defenders miss in the hole, can evade tacklers in-between the tackles and his start/stop abilities makes him very difficult to tackle in space. He is another no-brainer next level caliber back and should draw plenty of college looks this off-season and is one of the top returning athletes </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->