Because most teams take between 0-2 backs, they are willing to wait to get the player they want. That puts them in a precarious position with recruits who may be the No. 2 or 3 option on the board. If a school misses on its top target, will the backup plan still wait around?
Run on running back recruits coming: Green, Collins, Bryant
Perhaps no other position is as interesting in the 2013 recruiting cycle as running back.
Here are the top remaining running back targets.
Derrick Green, Richmond (Va.) Hermitage High School, 6’0 220: Green is a consensus four-star running back and is one of the top remaining prizes for a pro-style offense. He runs hard and always falls forward. The contenders? Michigan and Auburn. Green has scheduled an official visit to Oregon, perhaps because of his experience at Nike’s The Opening, and any time Oregon gets a recruit on campus it must be considered a contender. Still, most think he ends up at Michigan due to program stability.
Alex Collins, Plantation (Fla.) South High School, 5’11 208: Collins has been committed to Miami since January, but has never seemed solid. He reciprocated overtures from Wisconsin and Florida State, and after taking in the FSU-Miami game, tweeted the following.
Been doing alot of thinking , close to decision time seems like .
— alexander collins (@Budda03) October 22, 2012
The wording on that tweet is interesting, as Collins is currently a committed player. A committed recruit usually doesn’t need to make a decision unless he plans to make a move.
Corey Clement, Glassboro (NJ) High School, 5’11 205: Clement recently decommitted from Pittsburgh, and the consensus is that he will commit to Wisconsin during his Nov. 2 ceremony. The four-star technically has a final four of the Badgers, Notre Dame, Pitt and Nebraska, but any choice other than Wisconsin would be a surprise.
Alvin Kamara, Norcross (Ga.) High School, 5'10 195: Kamara is a great all-purpose running back recruit. He has excellent body control, hands and quickness. The in-state Georgia Bulldogs are seen as the favorite for Kamara, particularly after former Georgia commitment Derrick Henry decommitted and chose Alabama.
Greg Bryant, Delray Beach (Fla.) American Heritage High School, 5’11 196: The former Oklahoma commitment is very athletic and strong and is one of the better backs in Florida. This, too, seems to be a battle involving Auburn. This time, however, it’s not Auburn v. Michigan but Auburn v. South Carolina. Bryant is in a strange place with those two, however, as Auburn is thought to favor Green, and the Gamecocks may prefer David Williams, who seems to be favoring South Carolina as well. Bryant has stated that he wants to play in the SEC, and there is an outside shot that Georgia could make a play if it misses on Kamara.
Tarean Folston, Cocoa (Fla.) High School, 5’9 190: is one of the most interesting running backs remaining. In previous years, a player of Folston’s caliber had an argument for being the best back in the state. But in a loaded 2012, the Cocoa (Fla.) High School star is just one of six or seven stars. If Florida State misses on Miami’s Alex Collins, the ‘Noles could move in. If Miami loses Collins, the Hurricanes could make a play for Folston. If he doesn’t land there, South Florida could be the beneficiary. Though the Bulls’ season has been an unmitigated disaster, they could pitch Folston on being the starter from Day 1. Notre Dame may also be in play after Folston’s recent visit to South Bend.
A.J. Turman, Orlando (Fla.) Boone High School, 6’0 205: Turman has seen his stock slip over the last year as other backs with better talent emerged. But he is still a good runner and is drawing interest from big schools. Tennessee has maintained contact with Turman, and if Miami misses on Collins, the Hurricanes may step up their efforts for Turman.
And remember, these are just the obvious moves as of the third week in October. With many more decommitments expected to happen as recruits take visits, all of this could change very quickly.
