Rivals Camp Series Midseason Team: Running Backs
The Rivals 3 Stripe Camp Series presented by adidas kicked off just after National Signing Day and has already rolled through seven different cities. With the circuit on a brief break before resuming this weekend in Atlanta, we look back at the RCS first half and identify the best performances by position.
Today we look at the running backs. The respective prospects are listed in alphabetical order.
RELATED: Quarterbacks that have impressed so far on the Rivals Camp Series | Full Rivals Camp Series coverage
Dollars turned in a repeat MVP performance at this year’s Los Angeles camp, proving that his surprise performance in 2017 was anything but a fluke. The talented prospect has everything college coaches look for in a running back, including good hands, quick feet and excellent speed. Schools such as Oregon, Washington, UCLA and USC are involved in Dollars' recruitment.
A true star on the camp circuit, Jones continues to impress at every turn, including at this year’s Dallas stop where he earned MVP honors. Jones has a terrific build for a running back prospect and his low center of gravity helps him make defenders foolish during games on Friday nights as well as in space in the camp setting. Despite his lofty resume of performances and a four-star ranking, Jones only has one offer, courtesy of Howard, something that continues to puzzle recruit observers.
A newly-minted five-star in the class of 2020, Evans cemented his status with his showing at the Houston stop of the series. In fact, if it weren’t for a fluke injury suffered by Evans when he landed on his shoulder during a drill, he likely would have walked away with MVP honors. Nevertheless, the highly-coveted prospect has everything college coaches love in a back, including speed, vision and cutting ability. Texas A&M, Texas, Ohio State, Alabama and several others are among the programs in the mix early in his recruitment.
The camp circuit is a great place for prospects the raise their profile and that’s exactly what Jones did with his showing at the Los Angeles camp. He routinely embarrassed defenders in space during one-on-ones and he already has the look of a college running back despite being an underclassman. Schools such as UCLA, Utah and Arizona State are among the programs involved with Jones in the early stages of his recruitment.
An athlete who has the ability to play at several positions at the next level, Holmes wowed at the Orlando stop of the camp while showing good hands and very impressive speed. Playing for powerhouse program Cocoa in Florida, his profile will only continue to rise and recently programs such as Florida and Miami have entered the mix in his recruitment. Just a 2020 prospect, Holmes’ development going forward will be fun to watch.
What Manuel lacks in size he makes up for in playmaking ability and that was on full display during his MVP performance at the Houston stop of the series. Not only did he not lose a rep during one-on-ones, he went virtually untouched by defenders thanks to his speed and shiftiness. Because of his size, Manuel will have to continue to shine in front of college coaches in order to start nabbing offers.
A big-bodied back who can also move in space, McIntosh just narrowly missed out on MVP honors at the Miami stop of the series. He’s been a consistent riser in the Rivals.com rankings over the past few cycles and showed an ability to make quick cuts without losing much speed, if any. Miami, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Notre Dame are just a few of the programs in hot pursuit of McIntosh.
McNeely earned his invitation to the San Francisco camp after competing at the Rivals adizero Combine the day before and made the most of his opportunity. He wowed all day long, from drills to one-on-ones and ended up walking away with MVP honors for his performance. The sleeper prospect could project to many different positions at the next level and is currently listed in the Rivals.com database as a cornerback. His lone offer to date is via Wyoming, but expect that to change in the future.
A versatile athlete who has also shined in the past at defensive back, Richards came into Miami on a mission to prove that he is just as dangerous as a running back. He did just that, lighting up the competition and drawing rave reviews from camp running back coach and former NFL MVP Priest Holmes. Richards has a long list of offers, including Miami, Georgia and Auburn. Most think that the presence of his older brother at Miami will help the Hurricanes land his commitment eventually.
A virtual unknown on the recruiting trail coming into the Mobile stop, Spivey earned MVP honors over several other backs with elite offer lists. He impressed with his ability to catch the ball in the open field as well as his quickness in space at his size. Since the event, Cincinnati has joined the race for his recruitment but expect several other programs to join his list once they get a chance to evaluate him in person.
OTHER RUNNING BACKS THAT IMPRESSED
Demarkcus Bowman (Orlando), Raleek Brown (San Francisco), Noah Cain (Dallas), Jared Connor (Mobile), Glover Cook (Orlando), Marcus Crowley (Orlando), Tyrion Davis (Mobile), Niko Duffey (Orlando), Andrew Henry (Dallas), Michael Hollins (Mobile), Jordon Ingram (Mobile), Samy Johnson (Dallas), Brandon Marshall (Orlando), Jase McLellan (Dallas), Jalen Mitchell (Orlando), Chux Nwabuko (Houston), Isaiah Spiller (Houston), Esaias Taylor (Miami), Jauheem Taylor (San Francisco), Nay'Quan Wright (Miami).
