Tahj Brooks Tahj Brooks 5'6" | 150 lbs | RB Chambers | 2028 State NC , junior running back, quietly put together a solid season with over 400 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns, showing flashes of being a reliable offensive weapon. Brooks runs with good balance and physicality, and when he gets into space, he has the burst to finish runs. With more opportunities and an expanded role, he has the potential to be a real bright spot for Chambers next season. As he continues to develop strength and consistency, Brooks could be poised for a breakout year.

Brooks was the first new running back added to the 2028 rankings, chronologically speaking, after a massive breakout game in Week 1. He’s not the biggest back, but he has plenty of time to add weight and a frame that will support it. His pad level, vision, and speed are the three traits that suggest a long, impressive career. He’s excellent at hitting the hole, then bouncing to the outside at the second level, using his speed to get to the corner.

This was my first time seeing Tahj live in person, and he was an impressive back. Going against a very good Pumas defense, yards were hard to come by, but Tahj made the absolute most of every carry he had in this game. Tahj showed some electric ability with the ball in his hands, especially when he had a little space to operate. There was a nasty juke he made on a Palisades defender in the open field as an example of that. On his touchdown run from about ten yards out, Tahj went straight North & South up the middle with no wasted movement, showing his impressive straight line speed. Tahj is the main back for the Cougars, and at his pace he could have a 1,000 yard rushing season for sure.

I had an off-hand mention of Brooks in my “What We Learned” piece for Week 1, but wanted to give proper attention and an evaluation to the speedy sophomore. His vision and burst stood out most. He wasn’t simply running through holes made for semi-trucks, he was hitting his cutbacks and creating space by putting his foot in the ground and getting downhill, something we love to see.