RETURNING STANDOUT

Jaden Hatfield gives Elkins a home-run threat every time he touches the football. One of the fastest players in the state, Hatfield’s track speed translates directly to Friday nights, allowing him to turn the corner and break free for explosive runs. He’ll thrive in the Tigers’ Wing-T attack as a senior after a year adjusting to it, where his explosiveness creates big-play potential every carry. Hatfield also put together an impressive offseason on the camp circuit, reinforcing what shows up on film. Most weeks, he’ll be the best athlete on the field and a player opposing defenses must account for on every snap.

2027 Elkins RB Jaden Hatfield Jaden Hatfield 6'0" | 185 lbs | RB/DB Elkins | 2027 State WV brings real track speed to the backfield, and it shows up the moment he touches the ball. A sub-11 100 meter athlete, Hatfield gets up to top speed quickly and can outrun angles once he hits the edge. In Elkins’ Wing-T offense, Hatfield was consistently asked to work outside the tackles, and he made defenses pay by turning the corner and getting vertical in a hurry. Hatfield’s speed forces defenders to widen and hesitate, and once he’s in space, he’s tough to track down.

2027 Elkins RB/LB Jaden Hatfield Jaden Hatfield 6'0" | 185 lbs | RB/DB Elkins | 2027 State WV had a solid performance in a tough loss against Spring Valley in round one of the playoffs. He made an impact on both sides of the ball with some explosive runs and a big forced fumble on defense to change momentum. Hatfield’s speed translated well at linebacker in this matchup against a tough, physical Wing-T offense, and he was a big reason why the Timberwolves were held to just 13 total points in the close loss.

We mentioned Elkins having a three-headed monster rushing attack this season, and that came to fruition in their week one win over Lincoln. 2027 RB Jaden Hatfield Jaden Hatfield 6'0" | 185 lbs | RB/DB Elkins | 2027 State WV had a strong debut for the Tigers, rushing for 144 yards and 2 touchdowns on 16 carries. The trio of him, Logan Beam Logan Beam 5'9" | 190 lbs | RB Elkins | 2026 State WV , and Seth Robinson Seth Robinson 6'0" | 225 lbs | RB/EDGE Elkins | 2027 State WV will be tough to contain for defenses as they all have their own skill set and role in Elkins’ Wing-T.

The most important addition to the Elkins program this year was 2027 South Harrison transfer RB Jaden Hatfield Jaden Hatfield 6'0" | 185 lbs | RB/DB Elkins | 2027 State WV . He set records for the Hawks as a sophomore, rushing for over 2,000 yards and 30 touchdowns, and ranked as the #2 RB in the 2027 class by us. Hatfield will further thrive in Elkins’ Wing-T scheme and will be their homerun hitter in the backfield who only needs a small crease to break free. He’s a dynamic athlete who could give graduated Elkins senior RB Nick Bowers’ records a run for his money over the next two years.

You couldn’t have asked for a better sophomore year for 2027 South Harrison RB Jaden Hatfield Jaden Hatfield 6'0" | 185 lbs | RB/DB Elkins | 2027 State WV as he broke the school record for rushing yards with 2,266 along with 30 touchdowns. We took a chance on Hatfield as our #1 RB in the class in the last rankings update, and he more than proved us right during his first real season as a varsity player. He has the size and athleticism to finish as one of the top prospects in this class as a rare highly ranked small school player. Hatfield rounds out our 2027 Top 10 and has further cemented his top running back placement for the foreseeable future.

Jaden Hatfield Jaden Hatfield 6'0" | 185 lbs | RB/DB Elkins | 2027 State WV had an excellent day, competing from the moment he arrived at the complex. The number 1 running back in the class of 2027 more than earned a top performer spot. He is sure to turn heads again this fall coming off his ridiculous sophomore season where he rushed for over 2,000 yards.

All Jaden Hatfield Jaden Hatfield 6'0" | 185 lbs | RB/DB Elkins | 2027 State WV did as a sophomore was rush for 2,226 yards and 30 touchdowns to go along with his first team all state selection. Watching him run the football his vision is top notch, he never runs with his head down. Their are multiple reasons why he is the number 1 running back in the 2027 class (11th overall).

Our #1 2027 RB Jaden Hatfield Jaden Hatfield 6'0" | 185 lbs | RB/DB Elkins | 2027 State WV made history for South Harrison in their narrow defeat to Bluefield in round one. The sophomore running back broke Freddy Canary’s single-season school rushing record and finished the season with 2,270 yards and 30 touchdowns in his debut season for the Hawks. Even in snowy conditions, Hatfield utilized host Princeton’s turf field and displayed his game-breaking speed as he rushed for 144 yards and a touchdown. The ceiling is high for this young running back with two more years of development to take his game even higher.

28 carries 325 yards rushing 4 touchdowns

A week after earning Top Performer honors, 2027 South Harrison RB Jaden Hatfield Jaden Hatfield 6'0" | 185 lbs | RB/DB Elkins | 2027 State WV had his true breakout performance of the season and has been selected as the Class AA PRZ WV Offensive Player of the Week. Hatfield couldn’t be slowed down let alone stopped in the Hawks’ win over county rival Liberty-Harrison. He carried the ball 28 times for 325 yards and 4 touchdowns in the 36-20 victory. Hatfield ran the ball hard on top of his known athletic capabilities and did a great job breaking away from first and second contact. He’s showing why we ranked him as the early top running back in this class with a very strong start to his sophomore season.