Elusiveness.

Donovan’s tape is very fun to watch, largely because of how dang elusive he is.

His tape kicks off with an amazing 30-yard touchdown, juking past four defenders on the way. The play honestly wasn’t very well-blocked, but that did not matter. Other plays are very similar. Defenders in his face lead to a series of well-timed jukes and broken tackles. Donavan is one of the most elusive backs in the state, and definitely one of the most well-represented in terms of jukes. Dude is a jukebox, and that’ll serve him well at the next level.

I’ve seen Triplett twice in person; once during week 1 of the 2023 season, and once during this year’s postseason. In short, he’s a prototypical elusive RB. Great outside the tackles, good in the passing game, and 100% has the athletic ability needed to make a Division 1 roster. Lower MAC prospect; I could see Donovan work his way up in the MAC or play sooner in the GLIAC.

Athleticism: B
IQ: B-
Strength: D
Receiving: B
Blocking: N/A

I’ve seen Triplett twice in person; once during week 1 of the 2023 season, and once during this year’s postseason. In short, he’s a prototypical elusive RB. Great outside the tackles, good in the passing game, and 100% has the athletic ability needed to make a Division 1 roster. Lower MAC prospect; I could see Donovan work his way up in the MAC or play sooner in the GLIAC.

Athleticism: B
IQ: B-
Strength: D
Receiving: B
Blocking: N/A

Donovan Triplett Donovan Triplett 5'8" | 165 lbs | RB Walled Lake Western | 2026 State MI should be getting more Division 1 looks. It’s one thing to watch Donovan on tape, and it’s a completely different thing to watch him on Friday Night.

He took pregame very, very seriously. Every drill, stretch, practice play, etc- Donovan was locked in. I watch a lot of players, even great prospects, go through the motions during warm-ups. Donovan is not one of those players, and that’s a massive compliment.

In-game, Donovan was the centerpiece of the Walled Lake Western offense. He earned a ton of touches, and was able to break a few for great yardage. Donovan does his best work outside the tackles in space, not surprising considering his size.

I’d expect Donovan to impress college coaches this offseason. As long as he posts solid athletic testing numbers, he’ll earn more MAC offers.

Donovan is in the midst of his breakout Junior season. Just during the regular season, Donovan has rushed for 1830 yards and 25 touchdowns on 12.36 YPC.

Last time Donovan faced Mason, it was one of his worst games the season, but he still broke a few great runs. Against a great team like Mason, Donovan showcased excellent athleticism and vision even when the play broke down. Against lesser teams, Donovan continuously demonstrated excellent explosiveness, vision, change of direction, you name it.
If I were to compare Donovan to an NFL player, it would be Jahmyr Gibbs. Donovan doesn’t quite have the contact balance that Jahmyr does, but otherwise a very similar style of play.

Talk about a breakout season- Donovan has been one of if not the most dominant running back in Michigan through three weeks of play. The first highlight (below) is probably the most impressive play of anyone on this list. On the pitch, Donovan cuts back inside, jukes out half the defense, breaks a tackle, and earns one of the most impressive touchdowns I’ve ever seen. You can see it time and time again on his tape- Donovan is an incredibly talented athlete in the open field. Give him space, and he always has an opportunity to break big. On top of that, there are instances of impressive contact balance. If someone attempts an arm tackle on Donovan, he’ll more often than not run right through it.

We have a pretty small sample size, but this is looking like a major breakout season for Donovan. I’d be shocked if Donovan doesn’t earn several more offers after this season.

Donovan’s time is now. Up to this point, Donovan has been a high projection more than anything. Now, Donovan is putting up phenomenal numbers, and he’s truly showing off his athletic upside. Week 1 against Waterford Mott, he rushed for well over 200 yards. I know he rushed for over 1000 last season, but based on that performance and the film that goes with it, I’m expecting 1500+ yards this fall. I also know that Donovan has a few Division 1 offers, and I’m curious if his in-season performances can propel him toward Power 4 scholarships.