How things stand with the top 10 running backs in the 2025 class
With the 2024 recruiting class in the books, we turn our complete focus to 2025 and beyond. Rivals.com national recruiting director Adam Gorney is taking a look at the recruitments of the top 10 players by position in 2025. Next up are the running backs.
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1. JORDON DAVISON
Texas has surged very high in Davison’s recruitment and the Longhorns could be the team to beat. He’s keeping all options open and many other programs have intrigued him.
The Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei standout is very high on Ohio State, likes numerous SEC programs along with Oregon. He will see Alabama, Ole Miss and Ohio State toward the end of March.
This could end up as a battle between Texas and Ohio State but others cannot be counted out.
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2. ALVIN HENDERSON
There was a time when Auburn was the clear front-runner for the prolific running back from Elba, Ala., and some people close to Henderson might still feel that way. But Florida State is moving up really fast and there is a ton of interest in the Seminoles.
The new Alabama staff is reaching out a ton and Georgia is getting seriously involved as well. Miami has intrigued Henderson as well.
Penn State is a dark horse, as it would be a major surprise if he leaves the Southeast.
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3.HARLEM BERRY
It was going to be a major surprise if Berry ended up anywhere other than LSU as he’s arguably the top running back nationally and coach Brian Kelly and his staff made the Metairie (La.) St. Martin’s Episcopal four-star running back a top priority.
LSU landed him in January over USC, which he visited. LSU’s offense has been humming so if there aren’t significant coaching changes in Baton Rouge, Berry should play for the Tigers.
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4. GIDEON DAVIDSON
During the season when Clemson coach Dabo Swinney was receiving criticism, Davidson’s father told me his son picked the Tigers for reasons on and off the field, that the Clemson coaching staff is the only one that has Davidson’s new phone number and that they see Swinney, CJ Spiller, Garrett Riley and others as a “dream team” of a staff.
Some other programs have tried to stay in contact but it would be a major surprise if the Lynchburg (Va.) Liberty Christian Academy standout goes anywhere else.
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5. OUSMANE KROMAH
There is a little uncertainty about exactly where Kromah’s recruitment officially stands but the feeling is that Florida State and Georgia will battle this one out. The South Georgia running back is only two hours from Tallahassee and the Seminoles have definitely made this interesting while the Leesburg (Ga.) Lee County standout has also talked very highly of the Bulldogs in the past.
Many others could be in the mix but this should come down to whether Kromah heads to FSU or if Georgia can go back into that loaded part of the state for another elite running back.
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6. DIERRE HILL
There is still a very long list of programs leading the way for Hill as Oregon, Missouri, Georgia, Louisville, Illinois, Nebraska, Penn State, Kansas and Kansas State and others are still in the running for the Belleville (Ill.) Althoff standout.
The four-star loved a recent visit to Eugene and he especially hit it off with coach Dan Lanning so the Ducks should be watched. There will be significant pull to stay closer as well.
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7. DEONDRAE RIDEN
Texas A&M was long considered the front-runner for the DeSoto, Texas, four-star running back so it wasn't a huge surprise when Riden committed to the Aggies on Monday night. USC, SMU, Baylor, the Longhorns and others were in the mix but coach Mike Elko and his staff made Riden a top priority when they arrived in College Station and that early attention paid off with a big in-state pledge.
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8. ANTHONY ROGERS
In early June, the Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy speedster committed to Alabama over Georgia, Auburn, Florida and Oregon. There have been significant changes in Tuscaloosa with coach Nick Saban retiring. But in some ways, the new offense under coach Kalen DeBoer could be more favorable to Rogers’ skill set of getting the ball in numerous ways, in space and making things happen.
The feeling is that the Crimson Tide still have Rogers locked up in solid fashion.
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9. JABREE COLEMAN
After backing off an early pledge to Georgia, the Philadelphia (Pa.) Imhotep Charter four-star is getting more serious about Penn State while the new coaching staff at Syracuse is also pushing for him to take a serious look at the Orange.
USC, Michigan State, North Carolina, Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin all are on Coleman’s long list as well.
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10. BYRON LOUIS
Ohio State recruits Florida incredibly well and former five-star receiver Brandon Inniss was a teammate of Louis' at Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage. The Buckeyes have proven they can go anywhere for anybody especially as coach Ryan Day looks to have a team that can make a run at the national title.
But in recent weeks, Miami has surged up the list for the local four-star running back and it looks like the Hurricanes could be the front-runner now.