Rivals Rankings Week: Breaking down the 2020 running backs
The class of 2020 rankings have been updated this week, including the position rankings. The running back group comprises all-purpose backs, running backs and fullbacks, and we take a look at some of the more interesting storylines from those positions.
2020 RANKINGS: Running backs | All-purpose backs
RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK:
Monday: Top 10 revealed
Tuesday: Rivals100 revealed | Mind of Mike | New five-stars
Wednesday: Rivals250 revealed | Analyst roundtable
Thursday-Friday: Updated position rankings
Saturday: Team rankings analysis
Sunday: Updated state rankings
PROSPECT ON THE RISE: DeMarkcus Bowman
There were four prospects who earned the five-star bump in this update of the Rivals100 and one of those came at the running back position. Bowman was just outside of the five-star range following the post-junior season update of the Rivals100, but another standout showing at the Under Armour Future50 event in January pushed him over the threshold.
Although he checks in at just 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, Bowman really is the complete package at running back. His stocky frame provides balance and the ability to run between the tackles, but he also has the ball skills and open field agility to be a weapon on the edge or as a receiver out of the backfield. The home-state Florida Gators are the projected team to beat at this stage of his recruitment, but Clemson and Georgia are also strong with the newly-minted five-star.
TEAM ON THE RISE: Northwestern
After losing starting tailback Jeremy Larkin last September to a career-ending medical issue, Northwestern had to find a replacement in the 2019 class. Head coach Pat Fitzgerald and his staff made attempts at the few remaining Power Five caliber prospects uncommitted in the class, but came up empty. Finally, the Wildcats put an offer out to two-star Evan Hull in January and signed him in February.
Northwestern is not waiting that long to address the running back position in the 2020 class. Back in December, the Wildcats landed the commitment of three-star Cameron Porter, the No. 21 ranked prospect at the running back position, out of the same Cincinnati (Ohio) LaSalle High School that produced Larkin.
Under Fitzgerald, Northwestern does not put out many scholarship offers, and only about 50 total prospects in the 2020 class list offers from the Wildcats at this stage. The only other 2020 running back offers Northwestern put out were to four-stars A.J. Henning (who listed the Wildcats in his top ten last month) and Michael Drennen II, but both of those went out prior to Porter’s commitment. It will be interesting to see if they try to add depth at the position as well with this 2020 class.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Reggie Love
Now that his teammate, Mookie Cooper, has committed to Texas, running back Reggie Love becomes the highest-rated uncommitted prospect in the 2020 class at talent-rich Trinity Catholic High School in St. Louis. Love is one of four 2020 prospects at Trinity Catholic who has multiple Power Five offers, while several more at the school hold Group of Five offers.
From both a recruitment and ratings standpoint, this spring could be big for Love. That depth of talent at Trinity Catholic ensures college coaches will be through the school regularly in the spring. The Rivals 3 Stripe Camp is headed to St. Louis in May, so there should be several opportunities to discuss Love throughout the next several months.
Love’s recruitment has been active already this winter. Penn State extended a new offer on Wednesday and this past weekend he made another visit to Illinois, where his former head coach, Cory Patterson, is now the Illini’s tight ends coach. Love checks in at No. 190 in the updated Rivals250, and lands at No. 16 in the running back position rankings.