Long stepped in and looked good all year. He’s a confident back with good vision and just enough power to finish runs strong. He does a nice job letting his blocks develop and doesn’t rush into contact. He finished with 413 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns, showing he can find the end zone and handle scoring situations. I like how patient and composed he is with the ball, and I think he’s only going to keep getting better as he takes on more work.

The first game of the year for Long was as good as can be and showed as much promise as anyone in the state. He was in the backend and not only did a good job shutting down his side of the field with a few PBUs, but then had one of the longest interception returns for a TD you’ll see. It was a 103-yard pick-six, but what made it so impressive was Long’s ability to read it, undercut it, and then weave back through the entire opposing team to take it to the house. Long put on a show in Week 1 and should have your attention moving forward, too.