Rivals continues to roll out its updated rankings for the 2021 class and our focus today moves to running backs. The running back position is strong at the top, and only a few have committed early, so there are some major storylines to track.
2021 rankings: Running backs | All-purpose backs
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK:
MONDAY: Five-star countdown | Who should be the next five-star WR? | Who is best OG? | Who will finish No. 1? | How was this rankings cycle different?
TUESDAY: New Rivals250 released | New five-stars | Farrell's thoughts | Is Mario Williams the best of the new five-stars? | Who should be the next five-star QB? | Behind the rankings | Who is the best ILB?
WEDNESDAY: QB | RB | WR/TE | OL rankings breakdowns
THURSDAY: Defensive position rankings released
FRIDAY: New state rankings released
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Team with top commits:Â OHIO STATE
Nobody has picked up a better duo at the running back position since the last rankings update than the Ohio State Buckeyes. On March 16, Cornelius (N.C.) Hough four-star Evan Pryor announced his commitment, then a week and a half later, on March 27, Hopewell (Va.) four-star TreVeyon Henderson added his name to the list.
Both backs had options across the country, and the pair gives the Buckeyes commitments from two of the top six running backs in the country and two of the top 80 players.
Henderson and Pryor are two of Ohio State’s 18 verbal commits for the 2021 class that currently has it ranked No. 1 in the Rivals Team Rankings.
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CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position
CLASS OF 2022: Top 100
MORE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
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Team to watch: GEORGIA
Georgia is expected to add another high-profile running back to its class. After signing only one in five-star Kendall Milton in 2020, the Bulldogs will ink two this cycle.
Back in April, four-star athlete Lovasea Carroll of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy surprised some with a commitment to Georgia. He is a former South Carolina commit, and before transferring to IMG Academy, he was playing at Warren County High in Warrenton (Ga.), so he has roots to the Peach State.
Georgia has its eyes on a couple of out-of-state running backs and looks to be high on each list. Donovan Edwards is player you hear about the most, and there was some buzz Georgia and Michigan could end up battling this one out.
Edwards is the No. 2 running back in the country, and another target, LJ Johnson sits at No. 4. In the position rankings. Johnson is a star out of Texas, so Georgia is battling schools in the Midwest for this four-star.
Neither Edwards nor Johnson look to be closing in on decisions at this time, so that actually plays into Georgia’s favor. You hear a lot of buzz around these two with talking UGA running back recruiting, and it is hard to bet against the Bulldogs when it comes to landing an elite back each cycle.
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Player to watch: CAMAR WHEATON
How close is Wheaton, the No. 1 running back this cycle, to making a decision? Does anyone really know? He could be closer than some expect, so he is one we are tracking closely this spring and into the summer.
The five-star out of Garland (Texas) Lakeview Centennial has not officially trimmed his list, and he has taken numerous visits over the last 18 months. Signs are slowly starting to point to this becoming a Red River Shootout between Oklahoma and Texas.
There have been whispers that Wheaton has started to cut his list down behind the scenes with the Sooners, Longhorn, and maybe Alabama being the main contenders midway through the spring.
Could Wheaton make a move and commit? Some think if he does, Texas my have the slight edge now. But with Wheaton’s silence when it comes to his recruitment, that could just be a guess.
He is one we are keeping a close eye on.
