2023 Rankings: Running Back Breakdown
Welcome back to our 2023 top 40 positional breakdowns. Today we will be taking a deeper look at the running backs in our top 40. This group features a few experienced starters from a year ago, some first-time varsity contributors,…
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Continue ReadingWelcome back to our 2023 top 40 positional breakdowns. Today we will be taking a deeper look at the running backs in our top 40. This group features a few experienced starters from a year ago, some first-time varsity contributors, and some big-time transfers who are making their mark early in the season. So without further ado, let’s get familiar with our running backs in the top 40 for 2023.
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Jaiden Carroll Jaiden Carroll 5'10" | 180 lbs | RB Jenks | 2023 State OK – Booker T Washington
It is not often you see a freshman play at such a high level for Booker T Washington, but due to injuries to other starters that is just what Jaiden Carroll Jaiden Carroll 5'10" | 180 lbs | RB Jenks | 2023 State OK did last season. When I watched his freshman tape, I liked the short-area burst and vision I saw but thought he still looked a little raw, which is normal for a freshman. This year, however, Jaiden looks like an upgraded version of himself. He looks faster, more explosive, and more elusive than he did as a freshman. As a freshman, he was more of a downhill, hit the hole and go running back, but this year he has added a dynamic one-cut ability to his game that makes him even harder to bring down once he gets going in the open field. After seeing Carroll’s development from year one to year two, I am very excited to see the finished product he will become in a few years.
Rickey Hunt Jr Rickey Hunt Jr 6'0" | 175 lbs | RB Millwood | 2023 State OK – Millwood
In terms of versatility and overall role for their team, Rickey Hunt may be one of the most valuable underclassmen in all of 2A. Hunt has been used in many roles for Millwood this season including as a runner, pass blocker, pass catcher, and as a wildcat QB as both a runner and passer on occasion. Hunt is not the most explosive runner out of the backfield but he has a nice one-cut ability to make tacklers miss and has great contact balance, he rarely goes down after the first hit. Millwood has asked a lot of Hunt this season so he has not specialized in any certain area of the offense too much, but that should change in the years to come as he develops as a true running back.
Mike Taffe Mike Taffe 6'0" | 190 lbs | RB Bishop McGuinness | 2023 State OK – Bishop McGuinness
As we wrote earlier this year, Taffe is a transfer from Millwood where he played a little bit of QB but now he is with McGuinness where has played at RB and WR and has complimented Luke Tarman Luke Tarman 6'2" | ATH Bishop McGuinness | 2021 State OK brilliantly and has turned the Fighting Irish’s offense into one of the most explosive in the state. He splits time between the two positions pretty equally and we may have to switch him over to our WR rankings sooner rather than later, but for now, we’ll keep him here. Taffe is averaging over 115 total yards per game and will only raise that number as he becomes more and more comfortable in this offense. After struggling to bring down Braylin Presley Braylin Presley 5'9" | RB Bixby | 2022 State OK and Bixby’s rushing attack a week ago, it will be interesting to see how Carl Albert’s defense looks against Mike Taffe Mike Taffe 6'0" | 190 lbs | RB Bishop McGuinness | 2023 State OK and Luke Tarman Luke Tarman 6'2" | ATH Bishop McGuinness | 2021 State OK when they matchup.
Emmanuel Crawford Emmanuel Crawford 5'10" | 170 lbs | RB Grove | 2023 State OK – Grove
Earlier this week, we talked about Grove QB Carson Trimble Carson Trimble 6'1" | QB Grove | 2023 State OK in our QB breakdown for this class, and now we’ll get to the other half of Grove’s young but dynamic backfield with Emmanuel Crawford Emmanuel Crawford 5'10" | 170 lbs | RB Grove | 2023 State OK . We currently have Crawford at number 4 for our running backs in this class but by the end of the season, he could very well be much, much higher. Crawford is a dynamic athlete that Grove uses as a runner and pass-catcher on throws deep down the field. He is dynamic in the open field and might be the fastest out of all the RBs we have ranked in this class. He has the ability to reverse field and make something out of nothing due to his speed and vision and he does it quite often for this Grove offense. Similar to a few other teams represented on this list, Grove has a lot to look forward to with Trimble and Crawford in the backfield for the next 2 and a half seasons.
Emery Neeley Emery Neeley 5'11" | RB Owasso | 2023 State OK – Owasso
Emery is another back on this list that plays on an explosive offense and is a big-time contributor. Neeley is not the biggest back in the world, but he makes up for it with his vision and speed in the open field where he has the burners to outrun defenders for homerun type plays. Additionally, Emery is no stranger to contact and does not shy away from hits by any means. Owasso has dominated nearly every team they have played this year which is scary when you remember that their skill position players on offense, as you have seen by now in our rankings, are mostly Sophomores and Juniors. Neeley is not the most sought after recruit as of now, but he is definitely a big-time player in 6A-I for Owasso.
Malek Murphy Malek Murphy 6'0" | RB Chickasha | 2023 State OK – Chickasha
Malek Murphy Malek Murphy 6'0" | RB Chickasha | 2023 State OK is a young back from Chickasha who we were on the fence about coming into our rankings update but ended up giving him the nod towards the tail end because of his potential. Murphy has the traits to be a solid running back in the state of Oklahoma, he just needs time and reps to develop, luckily for him he is only a sophomore so he has a lot of opportunities to grow over the course of the next few seasons. He may not be at the top of anyone’s list right now, but look out for Malek Murphy Malek Murphy 6'0" | RB Chickasha | 2023 State OK to make a splash in the recruiting game in the near future.