The 2019 class is officially on the clock and with the early Signing Period just about nine months away and the first opportunity for prospects to take official visits coming this spring, it’s time for recruiting fans from across the country to start familiarizing themselves with the class of 2019.
We at Rivals.com are here to help. Over the next two weeks, we will introduce the top five players at each position in the class. Today we take a lot at running backs.
RELATED: Meet the top 2019 pro-style QBs | Dual-threat QBs | All-purpose RBs
Early contenders: Clemson, North Carolina, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Virginia Tech
Breakdown: Ford named a top six last month, a sign that he’s already starting to lock in on his recruitment and starting making progress toward a decision. The Hokies and Nittany Lions both like their chances with Ford and the Buckeyes have made a major push to get near the top of his list as well. After recent visits to Blacksburg and Happy Valley, it will be worth watching to see when and/or if Ford makes visits to the other programs on his list.
Early contenders: Alabama, Miami, Florida State, Georgia, Ohio State, among others
Breakdown: Sanders had been committed to Alabama for quite some time, only to re-open his recruitment in December. The news came as a surprise to some but like most recruits who commit very early in their high school careers, Sanders was feeling like he might be missing out on the recruiting experience. Since he’s been back on the market Miami as emerged as a contender, while other programs are working to get him on campus for visits this spring. Alabama is still the odds-on favorite but Sanders is expected to take his time before making another commitment.
Early contenders: Notre Dame, California, Washington, UCLA, Oregon, Stanford, among others.
Breakdown: Jones is a Bay Area standout who has already compiled a national list of scholarship offers. As expected, several Pac-12 schools are heavily involved in his recruitment, included the two schools closest to home, Cal and Stanford. But Jones has also praised Oregon and Washington and Notre Dame has made it clear to him that he’s a major priority in the class. His visits over the next few months will be telling, with Stanford likely to be his next stop.
Early contenders: Ohio State, Auburn, Georgia, Clemson, Oklahoma, LSU, Texas, among others.
Breakdown: Cain came from IMG Academy but has also lived in Louisiana, meaning he could consider several different places “home.” Obviously the Longhorns are hoping to lure him back to Texas to play college ball, while LSU has been a consistent factor in his recruitment as well. The one school that seems to have the most traction right now is Miami, with Cain making several visits over the past year. But his recruitment could go any number of ways and with several of college football’s top programs heavily involved, there will be plenty of twists and turns along the way.
Early contenders: Michigan, Ohio State, Miami, among others
Breakdown: Carter keeps a low profile on the recruiting trail and is tough to read, but it’s clear he’s in demand for some of the country’s top programs. Michigan has been a factor in his recruitment since the fall and the Wolverines continue to make recruiting South Florida a priority, while Miami is a factor as well. Both the Canes and the Buckeyes are also involved with several other highly-ranked backs so it will be worth watching to see how the dominoes fall at the position and whether or not it leads to other programs jumping into the mix.
