NCISAA RBs To Know

<p>The 2026 North Carolina high school football season is nearly here. It can be easy to miss talented players across the state, and often fans miss some of the best players, especially at private schools. There's plenty of talent across the NCISAA ranks, and here, we're looking at some of the top players in that association. Let's look at the running backs.</p>   <p><em>Get 30% off your first billing cycle with promo code Helms30.</em></p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top NCISAA Running Backs</h2>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Rising Seniors</h3>    <p class="text-gray-700">I'm interested to see what Krider can do with an increase in workload. He only had about six carries per game, but still ran for nearly 750 yards, scoring 15 touchdowns as a spell back. HPCA loses its workhorse, so there are plenty of available opportunities within the offensive structure this year for a guy who has worked hard to add weight and become a starter.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Every time I watch Mukendi, I come away more impressed with the massive back. His physical profile is as good as any in the state, as he's pushing 220 pounds and runs well. He's actually been training some as a receiver recently, and there's a thought among some of the FBS schools recruiting him that he could play there. Regardless, you want the ball in his hands, and 1,250 yards on 131 touches is proof of that.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Douglas has gained a bunch of weight in the last few months, and that should work with his running style. He's a patient, one-cut runner who has excellent burst out of his cuts. When he gets downhill, he has plenty of power to run through would-be tacklers and the speed to rip off huge runs.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Dowdy was one of the more quietly productive backs in the state last year, partially because he didn't have much volume until nearly halfway through the season. He had double-digit carries in only five games last year, but I'd expect that to change this season. He has good speed and excellent vision, able to squeeze through smaller holes in the running game.</p>    <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Talented Underclassmen</h3>    <p class="text-gray-700">Troy is one of the top backs in the 2028 class after a 1,300-yard season last year for Northwest Cabarrus. After picking up an East Carolina offer, Troy moved over to Cannon School. The Cougars are building a strong offense, and we expect Troy to be at the center. He runs with good speed and contact balance, and we're excited to see what he can do over the next two seasons.</p>    <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Other Names To Know</h3>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2092465' first='Jaiden' last='Colon']</strong> | Cannon School</p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1728227' first='Jarrod' last='Miller']</strong> | Harrells Christian</p>   <p><em>Our preseason coverage is just getting started. Coaches, if you want your team featured in a team preview, <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeB9YBH_he_sOP-lhvI26XRh0P9vobS8PsVJy_5QCJ4jQLTvQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=118251332469799088451">fill out our survey</a>.</em></p>

The 2026 North Carolina high school football season is nearly here. It can be easy to miss talented players across the state, and often fans miss some of the best players, especially at private schools. There's plenty of talent across the NCISAA ranks, and here, we're looking at some of the top players in that association. Let's look at the running backs.