The Rize: Scouting Notebook on Running Backs, Part 2

On Saturday, June 27, 2026 Prep Redzone Next was back-in-action in Jackson, New Jersey, as they hosted "The Rize." A double-session prospect showcase, this event drew middle school prospects from all across the country to see how they stacked up against their national counterparts. Each prospect was personally hand-selected by middle school guru <a href="https://x.com/AlPopsFootball">Al Pops</a> to compete and attend.   As per usual, I attended and report to you my positional notes for the position group referenced in the title of this article. My evaluations are through the lens of a high school coach and talent evaluator.   Be sure to follow me on <a href="https://x.com/BrendanScoutsNJ">Twitter</a> for the latest New Jersey high school football prospect news and not miss a beat!   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />    The look I got of [player_tooltip player_id='2074347' first='Peter' last='DiBlasi'] was a bit of a mixed bag. In fairness to him, I probably need an extended look at the former regional top performer. I noted that his cuts were more deliberate than natural, and that he did not always finish his runs/reps. That said, DiBlasi showed a burst out into the flat when running routes. All that said, I probably need a second look at the Bergen Catholic-bound back.     I really liked much of what I saw from [player_tooltip player_id='2210008' first='Jordan' last='Peeples']. One of the bigger backs in attendance, I also thought he made some of the best cuts. When doing so, Peeples made sure to protect the ball throughout all his totes. A good looking back, I am lucky that Peeples is staying in-state at Immaculata for the foreseeable future.     I cannot wait for Malaki Hansley-Roland to get away from 7v7 and start playing real football. Fundamentally, Hansley-Roland did not pin the ball to his body all that often, rather electing to hold it away from his body for the sake of making moves. That said, Hansley-Roland did have the presence of mind to switch the ball to his outside arm just about every time he changed directions when cutting.     Practice makes perfect - and this was the case for [player_tooltip player_id='1518251' first='Ayveron' last='Hudson']. A New Jersey native with heavy Pennsylvania roots (he, headed to Roman Catholic, and his brother committed to Pitt), the more Hudson got reps, the stronger he performed. At first when participating in a stimulus drill, he was a bit slow to react; however, as he worked and worked, Hudson's performance in this particular drill improved. This, in my estimation, is a tribute to his coachablility and adaptability - both positive things coaches will look favorably upon.     Perhaps it is his running style, or perhaps it is due to the coaching he had previously received, but [player_tooltip player_id='2060983' first='Liam' last='Cittrich'] had a way about him when he runs the rock. I thought that when setting up his cuts that Cittrich got too wide. However, after contemplating it as I did to open this write-up, I can see it being coached; or, this being Cittrich's approach to setting up cutbacks. The DePaul Catholic-bound prospect's freshman tape will only tell.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Rize Event Coverage</h2>   <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/06/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-defensive-line-part-1">Defensive Line, Part 1</a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-defensive-line-part-2">Defensive Line, Part 2</a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-defensive-line-part-3">Defensive Line, Part 3</a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-offensive-line-part-1">Offensive Line, Part 1</a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-offensive-line-part-2">Offensive Line, Part 2</a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-linebackers-part-1">Linebackers, Part 1</a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/06/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-quarterbacks-part-1">Quarterbacks, Part 1</a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-quarterbacks-part-2">Quarterbacks, Part 2</a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-receivers-part-1">Receivers, Part 1</a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-receivers-part-2">Receivers, Part 2</a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-running-backs-part-1">Running Backs, Part 1</a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-running-backs-part-2">Running Backs, Part 2</a>

On Saturday, June 27, 2026 Prep Redzone Next was back-in-action in Jackson, New Jersey, as they hosted "The Rize." A double-session prospect showcase, this event drew middle school prospects from all across the country to see how they stacked up against their national counterparts. Each prospect was personally hand-selected by middle school guru Al Pops to compete and attend.