PRZ Iowa | 2023 Rankings | Winter Update | RB Breakdown

The Running Back class of 2023 in Iowa features a lot of talent and at least a handful of players who will be toting the rock on Saturdays in the near future at the highest level. Plenty of new names grabbed spots near the top and several of the existing ranked ball carriers saw their stock rise. Preview some of the Running Backs featured in Prep Redzone Iowa’s rankings here and learn about what makes them so dangerous out of the backfield. Newcomers RB3 [player_tooltip player_id="246740" first="Abu" last="Sama"], Southeast Polk, 5’11 180, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/12782759/613ea6c4041d6b0b64f4c5ef">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/AB3_sama">Twitter</a> Sama didn’t just jump on the radar this season; he materialized over the course of it as one of Iowa’s best ball carriers. Sama’s unique skill set added great depth and dimension to the Southeast Polk backfield. The 5A all-state selection and state champion joins the position rankings at number 3. What becomes immediately clear when watching him is how much power and contact balance he runs with. Rallying and getting eleven hats in pursuit doesn’t guarantee that you are going to get Sama down. He has an impressive ability to absorb hits, deliver his own, and make defenders fall off. Sama does an outstanding job of being patient behind pullers and cutting into gaps his blockers create. He is just as good at getting lateral and planting his foot to fly downhill behind zone schemes. It helps, too, that he has 4.5 speed. RB4 [player_tooltip player_id="246738" first="Makelle" last="Taylor"], Prairie, 5’11 175, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11312944/Makelle-Taylor/highlights">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/MakelleTaylor26">Twitter</a> Taylor, another new face to the varsity scene and 5A landscape, emerged as one of Iowa’s premier backs after a season that resulted in a top 5 finish for rushing yards and touchdowns. Taylor is explosive and it is a lot of fun watching him take direct snaps out of Prairie’s heavy formations. The way he makes things happen and hits for big plays, even when a defense knows exactly what is coming, lands him at number 4 in the Running Back rankings. He can accelerate in a flash and is so nimble in close quarters. Taylor has the body control to move at full speed in those tight spaces; it is very hard to track him and just as easy to lose him. Taylor can often be found striding out of those piles and breaking away from the pack. There’s plenty of fight in Taylor’s tank, too. He can make the tough runs and is also a skilled receiver. RB9 [player_tooltip player_id="246739" first="Carter" last="Henderson"], Linn-Mar, 6’0 190, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/12889547/Carter-Henderson/highlights">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/CarterHendee26">Twitter</a> Henderson took over as the Lions lead ball carrier this fall and never looked back as he rumbled for 1,180 yards and 16 touchdowns and a number 9 position ranking. His 7.6 yards per carry was good for third best in 5A among players who had at least 100 carries. A couple aspects of his game that stand out are how good he is at making a move near the line of scrimmage and how well he accelerates off-tackle to work into the open field. Henderson is so elusive in his first few steps, which allows him to make positive plays when it seems like nothing is there, turning small gains into big ones. The way he gets defenders to commit, take bad angles, and over pursue in the box keeps things alive. Henderson is deceptively fast; he can get the edge on a play like toss, even when it looks like he’s going to be caught, and gradually pull away. RB22 [player_tooltip player_id="246737" first="Carter" last="Bultman"], West Sioux, 6’0 175, <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GagcW">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/CarterBultman">Twitter</a> West Sioux has featured plenty of prolific passers over the years, but it had been a while since the Falcons had a 1,000 yard rusher in the stable. Bultman gave them that element this year and gave opposing defenses fits. He jumps into the Running Back rankings at number 22 after toting the rock for 1,287 yards and 12 touchdowns; he added another 472 yards and 8 scores in the passing game. He ended the year fifth in class 1A for total yardage and his dynamic play was difference-making. The way the Falcons’ formations spread an opponent out and left fewer defenders in the box was something Bultman took advantage of often. That in combination with the play calls like GT Power, Speed Option, and swing passes that got blockers out in front let him show that he was just a better athlete than everyone else. Bultman is dynamic. RB25 [player_tooltip player_id="246742" first="Jacob" last="Kieler"], Cedar Falls, 6’0 175, <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/13230199/6181e3a55ef6bc0f182d6b09">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/KielerJacob">Twitter</a> Kieler is a player to keep an eye on heading into next year; he has plenty of skill and many of his teammates that got touches this year have graduated. His 36% share of the carries is sure to go up after the ability he proved to have this fall. Kieler is a patient ball carrier who cuts really well and maximizes gains. He jumps into the rankings at 25 with an opportunity to see his stock rise significantly if he capitalizes on the opportunities he should have coming his way. Cedar Falls has plenty of Counters in the playbook and Kieler looks excellent running them. His skill set lends really well to delayed plays that enable him to identify what a defense is doing as he approaches the handoff. His vision takes him to open gaps and into space, beyond the first level of defense, and is very hard to line up. Kieler is so good at limiting contact. Stock Risers RB1 [player_tooltip player_id="152703" first="Jazan" last="Williams"], Kennedy, 6’0 180, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/13089782/618c26e7578db20568fb5e2b">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/_jazanwilliams_">Twitter</a> There is a new number 1 Running Back in Iowa’s class of 2023 and the title belongs to Kennedy’s [player_tooltip player_id="152703" first="Jazan" last="Williams"] who put together a season that proves he checks every box when it comes to what you want in a ball carrier. There is nobody harder to tackle than Williams. He can make you miss with dime cuts, throw violent stiff arms to keep you off his body, or run you right over with explosive leg drive. If broken tackles were a tracked statistic there is no doubt that he would be at the top. They aren’t just broken tackles either; the way Williams positions himself as defenders close in is perfect and shows terrific awareness. There are several plays on his highlights where he keeps moving, but sinks his hips, puts both arms over the ball, accelerates into the body of the tackler, and absolutely trucks them. Williams is that good. RB7 [player_tooltip player_id="104114" first="Nolan" last="DeLong"], Durant, 6’1 195, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/13349124/61ae42232ab0d6041496c5a8">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/NolanDelong">Twitter</a> DeLong, who earned several accolades this fall and is seeing his recruitment really start to take off, is one of the best athletes in Iowa and bumps up to number 7 in the Running Back rankings. The Wildcats’ leading rusher and tackler was all over the field and, whether he continues to run the ball at the next level or not, one thing is for certain: there just aren’t many out there who can do what DeLong does on a football field. He has the kind of ability that makes any play called the right one. DeLong doesn’t need perfect blocking or an assist from scheme; there are several plays on his highlights where it is clear that he is just creating and letting his natural skills take over. His combination of speed and power is among the best and it is exciting to see how and where on the field that will be harnessed once he is at the college level. RB8 [player_tooltip player_id="152704" first="Caden" last="McDermott"], Pleasant Valley, 5’9 180, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/16043628/Caden-McDermott/highlights">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/cadenMcdermott8">Twitter</a> McDermott is a swiss army knife in Pleasant Valley’s backfield and everything he does, from wherever he lines up, is executed at a high level. His versatility and talent help him move up to number 8 in the rankings. There are a few things that are for certain whether he is at Quarterback, Wing, or Fullback in the Spartans offense: he is an excellent decision maker, he does an incredible job following and cutting off blocks, and he is very dangerous in the open field. Defending the flexbone is hard enough; it becomes a daunting task when you have players as skilled as McDermott operating it. There was one play this year that took him off-tackle and he only had the Corner to beat. McDermott slammed on the breaks at full speed and his opponent ran right by him; he quickly accelerated again and was gone. RB18 [player_tooltip player_id="152706" first="CJ" last="Hisler"], Webster City, 5’11 190, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/13169736/6193cc79ff01f10a2483ede1">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/CjHisler">Twitter</a> Hisler cracked the 1,000 yard mark this fall in a backfield that featured three players that had at least 100 carries. His 9.2 yards per carry was good for third on a deep, talented list of 4A ball carriers. The way he took handoffs as the Wingback or Slotback in Webster City’s different option looks was dynamic and helps him move up to number 18 in the rankings. Hisler really excels on plays like counters and sweeps that give a defense false keys and initially take them away from where the ball is actually going. Hisler is very fast and the way he can capitalize on his speed is a perfect fit to the system he plays in. One of Hisler’s many attributes that are clear on film is how well he stretches a defense and then can win an edge or cut up inside of blocks to get north-south. He delivers some crushing blocks for teammates, too. RB23 [player_tooltip player_id="152688" first="Ethan" last="Schoville"], Denver, 6’1 185, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/10525949/617629be041e55018c3eb6a2">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/ethan_schoville">Twitter</a> Denver has a beast in the backfield in [player_tooltip player_id="152688" first="Ethan" last="Schoville"]; he is a powerful runner who gets downhill, attacks his gap like a freight train, and dares opponents to meet him there. The way he excels in that throwback, violent style of running the ball helps him move up to number 23 in the rankings. Schoville really thrives on any kind of play that gets linemen downhill in their first couple steps. If blockers can reset the line of scrimmage just a little bit and give him a few steps to reach full speed he is extremely difficult to tackle. Schoville doesn’t slow down for anything; he can cut and break to change direction at full speed and it is a great advantage. When Schoville goes down he is going to be taking bodies with him. Something you’ll notice on his film that is really impressive is how hard he starts driving his knees when he gets hit.