2026 Leap List: RB Breakout Picks

*Use code "jackson30" for 30% off your PRZ subscription*   Finding a quality RB in Georgia and Alabama is an easy task, but cutting it down and putting a stamp on some of your favorites is when it gets tricky. That is exactly what I did here. As I continue to debut the first edition of the leap list, here are the RB prospects who made the cut in this years edition.    It seems like for the last 18 months or so, Steele has just slowly and surely raised his stock, with the peak of his recruitment looking like sometime between now and signing day. Steele is a stout, explosive, one-cut style runner who is a TD threat from any spot on the field. He is a T/F standout with a 10.95 PR in the 100M, which is one of the best times at his hypothetical weight classes in the state. Kids that emerge late onto the D1 radar are either really unique, or really fast. Steele is really fast, and he does so on a good looking frame. I imagine some FBS coaches are going to be watching him closely this fall.     Atchison jumped onto the radar last fall for Milton and is set to take over as the lead back as a senior. He has several offers under his belt, but I expect that list to continue to rise as he cuts through his senior season. He is a strong, broad-shouldered back at 5'10 205 who can act as a hammer and power through defenders. He is a patient back with good vision. He stays squared to running lanes and uses his lightfootedness to bounce into new lanes. He has enough juice in space to cut across the face of defenders and create yards, but he will project as a nickel and dime back who can piece and power his way to yards. A good expectation is for Atchison to crack 1,000 yards this fall.     [player_tooltip player_id='2104583' first='Don' last='Mincey'] played both ways for Toombs County as a junior, but he will settle as an RB long-term. Mincey is a really impressive player from a physique standpoint, carrying his 5'10 175 size on a cut, muscular frame. His speed sets the stage for the rest of the game, verifying as a sub-11 100M runner, and consistently proving he can lift off and carry explosive plays. He isn't just a one-trick pony. He is patient, riding blocks to the second level. He is elusive and quick to his top speed. He plays with good contact balance, keeping his feet running at contact to add on some extra yards. With his speed, I am expecting Mincey to continue generating FBS and possibly even P4 buzz as a senior.     Brown returns as Dacula's leading returning rusher, and is set to play an even bigger role as a junior. Brown is a scat back who has played both ways and on special teams in his HS career. He has truly impressive burst, wasting no time dancing and instead putting his feet in the dirt and quickly getting vertical. He runs hard, so while he is certainly more of a finessee option, he gets the most out of each rep and is no easy task to catch and bring down.     Marck Horace and [player_tooltip player_id='1589358' first='Kobi' last='Brown'] will be one of the more impressive RB duos in the state this fall, so both of them had to make this list. I love the body type on this kid. He is a long, lean player with a lot of room to fill out and get bigger. He runs with a physical edge and is a chore to bring down. His long strides help him to lift off once he finds space to operate, and as he grows into those strides, he should be able to find another gear. A lot of developmental upside here.     [player_tooltip player_id='1203643' first='Solomon' last='James'] has been a steady riser this offseason and is looking to carry over that momentum into his junior season. James is listed at around 5'11 190, and runs with a lower center of gravity than you would expect. He is one of the more crafty runners in the state, pairing his impressive short-area burst with the ability to run hard and hit openings aggressively, enabling him to squeeze the most out of each play and generate highlight reel runs. James holds a few offers, and with his ability to break the game, he will continue adding attention.     Lumpkin is coming off a productive fall, but I will be watching him closely to see how his recruitment develops. He is a big, strong runner at all of 6'0 200. He can act as a true bell cow and power through traffic when he gets going downhill. He moves much better than many RBs at his size, especially in the short areas, which gives him the unique ability to create his own yards. From a size, speed, and production standpoint, Lumpkin is pretty close to a triangle traits prospect, and it still feels like a matter of when, not if, regarding his ultimate breakout on the recruiting trail.     Stephenson is an obvious candidate to step in as a breakout, as Colquitt County will have to replace a productive senior back from a year ago. He hovers in as a smaller player at 5'7 160, but I think he has some traits to compensate in spite of his size. He is extremely slippery, changes direction effortlessly, and is simply hard to catch both in the open field and in tough areas. There is plenty of juice here, and he runs hard. He is in line to make his true introduction to the varsity scene, and I wouldn't be shocked to see his stock start to creep up on the recruiting scene, as well.     Brown really flashed as a sophomore and plays his own part in what should be one of the state's best RB duos in 2026. Brown is a strong, well-developed prospect who really flashed as a sophomore. Brown is a physically demanding runner who can wear down the defense with his size. He is a natural candidate to fall forward and stay upright thanks to his weight, but he welcomes contact and drives his feet through traffic, which maximizes his best trait. He is a good athlete for his size and flashes the burst to create his own yards and find space. I am expecting another big year for Brown, and it's a matter of time before his inevitable breakout on the recruiting trail.     Chatmon has been generating some noise since his middle school days, and now, entering his junior year at Buford, we should start to see some of that buzz come to fruition. He is a shorter, stout bowling ball back with a low center of gravity. He is a physical runner who absorbs contact well and keeps his feet running to move the pile forward. He is explosive and light on his feet, showcasing the ability to dart around traffic and create space for himself to operate in the short areas. Chatmon is a no-nonsense runner, and his first offer from Georgia State will certainly not be his last.     Lucas is a favorite of mine and someone who I have always considered as one of the best 2028 RBs in AL. I have always considered Lucas an extremely well-developed player who has just seemed another step ahead of most other backs in the state, at least from a physical standpoint. He is a compact, strong player who hovers around 5'10 190. He is another bowling ball style back with the elusiveness and twitch to create his own yards, but he will put his head down and welcome contact if needed. He has several FBS, and even P4 offers under his belt, but I still think he isn't getting the love he deserves nationally.     Harris is a bit of a tweener between RB and WR, but at his size, a future projection as a back just makes the most sense here. Harris is an intriguing, finessey player who had over 600 rushing and receiving yards last year, each. He is a one-cut, explosive runner who doesn't lack speed and accelerates hard when he changes direction. He is capable of hanging onto his top gear over long distances, helping him lift off and outlast tackling angles. He plays with good contact balance as well, especially for his size. There aren't a whole lot of flaws here. He is a juiced up playmaker who does everything well, and I believe he is a true D1 prospect.     Casey has held steady as one of the more well-known RB prospects in the state, and as dominoes start to fall and the recruiting scene comes together, I think Casey is a strong candidate to finally break through and receive major recruiting attention. He is a strong, physical runner who stays vertical and runs hard. He squeezes the most out of each rep and continues to get bigger, which will only help him become more physical. He doesn't waste time dancing, but he has the short area quickness to quickly vacate space and get the ball moving. Just a super solid player.     Similarly to Casey, Harris has been a well-covered name here in AL and appears close to breaking out as a prospect. He is a versatile player who has produced in non-tradtional RB spots, especially as a receiver. He is a no-nonsense, true one-cut runner with elite foot speed. His 0-60 speed is functional, but his 0-20 speed is elite, so you can expect him to generate his own yards and play true as a cloud of dust runner. He will surely grow his list of offers over the next year and hold steady as a premier RB prospect in AL's 2028 class.     Archer might be the most obvious breakout candidate on this list. He had some flashy moments as a fresman on varsity, and appears to be next in line as a replacement for a college back a year ago. Archer is a stout, really strong player around 200 pounds, especially for his age. He is a feisty, physical runner who embraces chaos and violence as a runner. He runs hard and is a true hammer in short yardage situations, but he certainly has the athleticism to expand his game and play every down, which I believe we will see more of this fall.     Nolan is a stong contender to be the best 2029 RB in GA once all is said and done, so while the major P4 buzz has already kicked off here, this fall should be when we see him takeover on varsity and light up the box score. He is a long, leggy prospect who hides 215 pounds on his frame. He stays squared to running lanes, has good vision, and can get going in space thanks to his long strides. If you watched Kerryon Johnson at Auburn, or even Amari Latimer the last few years at Sandy Creek, I think that is the general archetype that [player_tooltip player_id='1307365' first='Ty' last='Nolan'] falls under, especially when you factor in his natural growth and development.     Tucker is coming off a productive fall for Stockbridge and has a Georgia State offer under his belt. Still, things are fairly quiet here, but I don't expect that to stand. Tucker has a strong upper body and is still growing into his limbs. Even with a more leggy build, his foot speed is impressive, and I would consider it elite. He is quick to occupy space, and throws off would-be tacklers with subtle jabs and head nods in an alley. He runs exceptionally hard, which gives him good contact balance while also pulling himself away from the grips of tacklers. There is so much to like here. Tucker can really go, and he is only going to get better.     Huff is a versatile, athletic RB projection who flashes real potential as a playmaker in space. Huff is a lean, cut runner with snappy change of direction. He can sink low in his hips and explode when jumping across the face of defenders, which he pairs with the foot speed to deceive ball carriers and create his own yards. Huff is slippery, explosive, and will round his game off as he adds more weight. He could be one of the more underrated players on this list, but his upside is just as high as most others who made the cut.     McClendon is a big, strong back who is starting to generate some FBS buzz. He is listed closer to 200 pounds now, which is certainly what it looks like when you factor in his frame. While raw, McClendon is a true hammer who can wear down defenses and handle a large workload. He is a functional athlete who is still learning how to move, and once he does, watch out. There is still a lot to learn here, but McClendon has earned several D1 offers this spring, and I am eager to see how he looks with a larger workload.     Sellers led the rushing attack for SPE last fall, and with another big year, his stock should boil over and yield way to recruiting attention. Sellers is a well-built, strong runner with a low center of gravity. He is really sturdy and is capable of banging around and staying on his feet against contact. He is light on his feet, forward leaning, and has the long speed to lift off and create explosive plays. Sellers has all of the tools to break onto the FBS recruiting scene, which I think is a reasonable expectation after he just picked up his first offer from UTEP.     [player_tooltip player_id='1717553' first='Theo' last='Jackson'] is coming off a productive freshman season and has put himself in a good spot headed into his sophomore season. He is a shorter, strong RB with a stout lower body and a low center of gravity. He is a true plug, sticking into gaps strong and using his frame to power through contact. He is a functional athlete with the foot speed to create his own yards. He is capable of throwing subtle head nods to deceive defenders, so while he is certainly physical, he isn't just a one trick pony.

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