Texas, Florida lead the way in five-star RB production

Over the history of Rivals dating back to 2002, certain states have produced more five-star prospects than others at certain positions. Today, we move to running backs, which states have been most impactful and which ones have done surprisingly well.

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MORE: Georgia, California, Texas produce most 5-star QBs

CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State

CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State

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The names: Lache Seastrunk, Trey Williams, Zachary Evans, Malcolm Brown, Jermie Calhoun, Christine Michael, Soso Jamabo, Johnathan Gray, Camar Wheaton, Brandon Williams, Adrian Peterson

Overview: Wheaton is the top running back in the 2021 class, someone with superstar potential who has Alabama, LSU and Oklahoma as his favorites. He’s the second-straight state of Texas prospect atop the position rankings as TCU’s Evans led the way last recruiting cycle. There have been some hits and misses along the way in Texas but also one of the biggest hits in Rivals history as Peterson was the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2004 class and he’s had a Hall of Fame-worthy NFL career.

Farrell’s take: Peterson is one of the greatest running backs in history and the best I’ve seen at the college level. But there are so many busts here it’s weird. I was convinced Gray would be a star and Seastrunk was one of the most dynamic players you’ll ever see. Some have done well for themselves, but it’s a mixed bag.

The names: Mike Bellamy, C.J. Spiller, Dalvin Cook, Greg Bryant, Trent Richardson, Demarkcus Bowman, Trey Sanders, James Cook, Noel Devine, Duke Johnson, Jacques Patrick, Lorenzo Lingard, Dee Hart, Ciatrick Fason, Sony Michel, Antone Smith, James Wilder Jr.

Overview: Other than the quarterback position, Florida is loaded with five-star prospects at almost every position and running back is no exception. Sanders was the No. 1 running back in the 2020 class and his career at Alabama has been slow to progress after a knee injury and sitting behind Najee Harris, but Sanders could be next in Tuscaloosa. Michel had a terrific career at Georgia and others have performed well, too. No doubt, though, there have been some misses here and last recruiting cycle Bowman picked Clemson and is already in the transfer portal.

Farrell’s take: Talk about an exciting group and some dynamic players. Devine is still the most electrifying player I’ve ever seen at the running back position and the NFL is loaded with others from Spiller (since retired) to Dalvin Cook and Michel. There have been some busts (Bellamy, Hart) and a tragedy (Bryant), but this overall is an amazing group and still the go-to state for SEC and ACC running backs.

The names: Joe Mixon, Lorenzo Booker, Dillon Baxter, Stafon Johnson, Reggie Bush, Darrell Scott, Marc Tyler, Kendall Milton, Marlon Lucky, Najee Harris

Overview: Bush was a superstar at USC and won the Heisman Trophy. Mixon has become one of the best running backs in the NFL. Harris is having a fantastic senior season at Alabama and could be the first running back taken in the 2021 NFL Draft. Milton is in a multi-back attack Georgia. Those are some of the big-time names to have performed well out of California although there have been others who definitely didn’t back up their ranking as well.

Farrell’s take: Harris is the latest star running back from California and Milton could be next. Bush has arguably the best highlight tape you’ll ever see and his resume speaks for itself while Mixon has become an NFL regular. But there have been some hyped guys like Booker and Baxter and Lucky who just didn’t get it done. And the state doesn’t churn them out as regularly as Texas and Florida for some reason.

The names: Kregg Lumpkin, Isaiah Crowell

Overview: With names like Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields and Brock Vandagriff among others, Georgia made the On The Rise section in the quarterbacks story on Monday, but there has not been a ton of five-star running backs through the state - even though the Bulldogs have done an excellent job developing five-stars from other states and some players like Nick Chubb should have been five-stars. As it stands, Lumpkin and Crowell were the only two five-stars from the state and both busted for different reasons.

Farrell’s take: This is astonishing to me. Yes, Chubb probably should have been a five-star, but where have all the elite backs been in the state? For a state that just trails the big three in California, Texas and Florida for talent, this is puzzling. Georgia lands elite running backs all the time, but they hail from places like New Jersey, North Carolina, Florida and California more than Georgia.

Plenty of other states have produced five-star running backs, led by Louisiana with seven led by Joe McKnight and Leonard Fournette. Virginia has had five and Tennessee comes in with four. Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Ohio boast two each. Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Oregon and Washington are represented with one each.