Rivals has rolled out its updated rankings for the 2021 class and our focus today shifts to the running back position. Camar Wheaton is the lone five-star tailback in the country and remains uncommitted to a school as the fall inches closer and closer. That is one of a handful of storylines surrounding the 2021 backs.
CLASS OF 2021: Running backs | All-purpose backs
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CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS WEEK SCHEDULE
MONDAY: Who should be No. 1 in 2021? | Counting down the 20 five-stars | Looking at new five-stars | Which QB will be next five-star?
TUESDAY: Rivals250 revealed | Mike Farrell's thoughts on Rivals250 | Ten big movers | Teams with the most R250 commits
WEDNESDAY: QB rankings | RB rankings | WR/TE rankings | OL rankings
THURSDAY: DL rankings | LB rankings | DB rankings | ATH rankings
FRIDAY: State rankings spotlight
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TEAMS WITH TOP COMMITS: Ohio State, Clemson Â
It seems like ages ago, but Ohio State went on a serious run of elite commitments at the top of the off-season, and as we shift our attention toward the fall the Buckeyes continue their stranglehold on the best 1-2 backfield punch in America. TreVeyon Henderson is the nation's No. 2-ranked back and Evan Pryor is the nation's No. 3-ranked all-purpose back. Both are Rivals100 prospects and offer varying skill-sets to bolster the Buckeyes' running game next season.
Clemson has also done well in this department. Will Shipley, the nation's top scat back and a speedy playmaker to plug into Dabo Swinney's offense, was a colossal recruiting victory over Notre Dame earlier in the offseason. Pair Shipley with Georgia four-star Phil Mafah, a top-10 prospect at his position and a Rivals250 talent, should help the Tigers restock their backfield after Travis Etienne gets drafted next spring.
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TEAMS TO WATCH:Â Texas, Auburn, LSUÂ Â
Texas made noise by signing five-star running back Bijan Robinson out of Arizona during the 2020 cycle, and the Horns have created some momentum yet again this summer. Tom Herman's squad holds an early pledge from in-state three-star Jonathan Brooks, and is also a finalist for two of the nation's best backs: Camar Wheaton and LJ Johnson. Wheaton has the Horns as a finalist along with the Sooners, while Texas has become a popular pick for Johnson, a Rivals100 talent who will make a decision after taking a closer look at his top schools this fall.
Auburn holds a commitment from Rivals250 all-purpose back Armoni Goodwin, but could the Tigers become serious players for Johnson, too? The Rivals100 running back could be a perfect complement to Goodwin in Auburn's 2021 class. Johnson is considering Texas, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Georgia and Auburn, and the intrigue has been mounting after seeing new Tigers offensive coordinator Chad Morris land some key targets in the Houston area of late.
LSU made a splash by dipping into the Midwest and landing a commitment from Rivals250 bruiser Corey Kiner. Coach Ed Orgeron is recruiting with the momentum of a national championship in the backdrop, but the Tigers are out to restock their backfield after Clyde Edwards-Helaire was selected by the Chiefs in the first round. Two in-state names to watch are recent riser Ke'Travion Hargrove, a one-time Louisiana Tech pledge that is being pursued strongly by South Carolina and Florida State, and three-star Logan Diggs, who recently committed to Notre Dame.
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PLAYER TO WATCH: Camar Wheaton Â
Who else but Wheaton is deserving of the spotlight as the 2020 football season approaches? A true man of mystery, Wheaton - the nation's top back - recently sliced his impressive offer sheet down to three finalists: Oklahoma, LSU and Alabama. The decision to narrow the field down to two comes in the aftermath of a recent visit to Norman for the Sooner Summit, which also included five-star quarterback Caleb Williams, five-star tackle Tristan Leight and notable Oklahoma commitments like Cody Jackson and Cullen Montgomery, who also hail from Texas.
Wheaton is moving closer and closer toward the finish line in his recruitment. It'll be either Oklahoma or an SEC West program, and we’ll see if either LSU or Alabama can push the Sooners for the elite back.
