Top Louisiana Running Backs for Class of 2010

by Lee Brecheen

 

January 19, 2010 - After watching film statewide over the last three years for this class, meeting, seeing in person from practice and games, I will list the top Running Backs in two categories, Big Backs, and Small Backs. Big Backs are kids that are either Tall, with the room to be big in college, or not tall in Height, but powerful backs for the next level. Small backs are the twiner guys; these are kids that a lot of college coaches have a tough time deciding if they can take the pounding every play running between the tackles in College Football. Warrick Dunn 5-9 185, Tampa Bay , Barry Sanders 5-8 200,Detroit Lions, Darren Sproles, 5-6 180, San Diego Chargers , and Ray Rice 5-8 200, Baltimore ravens , prove that it doesn’t matter if your under 5-10 and weigh barely 200 pounds or under . These backs get the job done as good as any tall, Adrian Peterson 6-2 220, Minnesota Vikings or big, Jerome Bettis 5-11 260, retired Pittsburgh Steelers.

 

 

Big Running Backs

1. Alfred Blue 6-2 215 Hahnville HS - Alfred Blue has more upside than any Running Back for the 2010 class in Louisiana. Blue is tall, (6-2), he’s a lean 215 pounds, which I see this kid being 225 easy in college, and not losing much speed. Alfred has yet to peak with his ability, meaning he did not hit his ceiling for talent while in High School. Once Alfred gets on the college weights and college off season program, he has a chance to have a look of an Adrian Peterson type body. Sometimes you see a kid listed (6-2) in height and he’s (5-11) in person, but after meeting Blue in person at the high school, he’s all of (6-2), and he’s got so much room to put a lot more weight on his frame. Alfred has a lot of speed 4.45 forty, and has really good quickness in his hips to slide side to side, and run outside against smaller quicker players. A lot of time tall running backs run high, but seeing him play last two years, he’s runs with a little lean, with is impressive for a big guy. Alfred Blue is so Athletic, he could make ALL Conference in DIV I, as a LB, RB, or FS, in college. If Alfred shows up in tip top shape for the fall at LSU, where he’s committed, he could make a big time impact right away. He’s the best tall running back signee for LSU since Harvey Williams, who was (6-2) 210 pounds out of Hempstead HS in Texas. Harvey if you remember got up to 215 in college, and played at 225 in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs. Alfred has a chance to play at 225 in college, shows you , how much things have changed in the last few years, with kids training year around, compared to the 1980’s, when Harvey came out of Texas.

 

2. Greg Hudson 6-1 220 Richwood HS - Greg Hudson is one of the most impressive kids you will see, playing Running back in uniform, from a build stand point and upside stand point, not many people outside of Monroe, LA , know much about him. I have seen this kid play for three years, and he has all the tools to be a big time football player in DIV 1. Greg had so many talented players around him the last three years,, he did not have to carry his team on his back, so he never got a ton of carries, and really was never asked to show case that as a RB. His junior year team had two other RB prospects to rotate every play. Hudson, might time 4.6 in the forty yard dash, but he looks faster than that on film. Hudson runs with as much finesse as he does power. Needs to show more of his power at the next level. Hudson Can be as good as he wants to be, if this kid puts in the time and plays with more power, again he’s got a NFL body and NFL God gifts with quick feet and really good speed.

 

3. Anthony Garrison 6-1 195 John Ehret HS - This is a truly amazing story of a kid , that only started one year at Running Back as a Senior, and looked like a big time DIV 1 football player. Anthony is a lean 195 pounds; he looks like he can weigh easily 215 in college, at (6-1) in height. What I really liked was his ability to break away from Cornerbacks in open field, with just really natural speed. He can run over, and around anyone. His effort was all ways there too. This kid did not have any Junior Film as a Running Back, but who cares, see film on this kid as a senior, and you will truly be impressed. This is the type of kid that makes a recruiter from a college into a genius for signing him.

 

4. Clayton Lewis 6-2 190 Wossman HS - This is another one year starting Running Back, with just really God gifted speed and quickness hitting the hole in a very tough league. Lewis, has so much upside with being tall (6-1), and can weigh easily 215 or more in college. IF Running Back doesn’t work out, I can see this kid making a very good FS or OLB in college. He’s a hidden gem for some in state school.

 

5. Centarious Donald 6-0 210 Caldwell HS - This is a kid in a small town outside of Monroe ,LA, that started 4 years at Running Back, and sowed really good power and quickness hitting the hole, and leadership. Donald has very deceptive speed, when you’re watching him on film; he looks smooth for a big man in open field, and find a way to get down field, with usually 30 to 40 yard runs, which he made a habit in his 4 years at Caldwell. Donald runs in the 4.69 range, but consider he’s 210 pounds and (6-0), he looks faster on the field in pads, and he’s hard to bring down. I love the kid’s vision, and how quick he hits the hole every time. Donald to me is a big time steal as a Commitment to ULM of Monroe. Donald could weigh in the 225 range easy in college, and if he keeps his speed could be an ALL Conference type player.

 

6. Ricky Nicholos 5-11 210 Jonesboro Hodge HS - This kid can be as good as he wants to be at the next level, he just needs to run with more authority, and show that power more that he has, in open field. Ricky showed his ability as a True Freshman starting at Jonesboro Hodge, leading the team in Rush yards and big plays. A few years back, they had another great Running Back start as a true freshman guy by the name of Norman Bradford (6-2) 225 pounds, who went off to play college football, and just recently Charles Scott (6-0) 230, just finished his Senior season at LSU, and will go high in the draft. Charles Scott had 4 great years at Jonesboro Hodge. Ricky to me was just as good as Charles Scott in his Freshman Year at Hodge HS, but since then his numbers were not as good, and he did not look as quick. Ricky might be better playing at 200 pounds instead of 210. I think the weight gain, slowed him down. I still think he’s a big time DIV 1 prospect, and whoever gets this kid, has a player with the ability to play on Sundays, if he keeps working hard, to reach his potential.

 

 

 

Small Backs

 

1. Frankie Jackson 5-9 195 Capital HS - This kid is truly amazing, how many kids do you know run for over 200 yards in a game in a spread offense mostly geared for the pass. This kid had the biggest heart of any kid I saw play, the last two years. Like coach Germany has mentioned many times, he started giving Frankie the ball as a junior, and he did so well, he just keep feeding him the ball, and all this kid did was make things happen, play after play. Frankie, has a rare 4.41 forty to his credit on grass, and has great hands coming out of the backfield, that’s something you don’t see from a lot of Running Backs in High School. Frankie also, has the ability to carry or run over bigger players in open field, or zig- zag past defenders. He’s super strong, and, when the game is on the line he wants the ball, and has the get it done attitude, and can. This kid reminds me of a young Kevin Faulk, because he’s not tall, but yet he’s strong and compact. Frankie has recently committed to Memphis University, in Tennessee. Frankie one day will be viewed in my opinion as the one who got away from the state schools. Remember the name Marshall Faulk 5-10 190, out of Carver School, had these same qualities, Marshall went to San Diego State, and became a star in college and the NFL.

 

2. Charkandrick West 5-9 190 Springhill - If there was one player in North Louisiana, that put his team on his back for playoffs it was this kid. West played on a team, that was well coached, and did not have the large Offensive Line, but had West at Running Back, running all over other teams. West might have one of the quickest first steps, when he gets the ball, other than Frankie Jackson. This kid is always running, with the ability to change directions, regardless of the play. West is not a fast forty time kid, probably running in the low 4.5 range, but he looks so much faster on a football field. West is committed to La Tech, and hopefully he will stick with the in state school, since Derrick Dooley left for Tennessee. I feel like he’s LA Tech best Commitment s far, because it’s so hard to find an impact Running Back, right in your back yard of Springhill Louisiana. Springhill produced a Heisman Trophy winner by the name of John David Crowe, who went on to play RB for the legend Paul Bear Bryant at Texas A&M.

 

3. Carlos Wilson 5-10 190 Ruston HS - Carlos Wilson, is the best student Athlete I’ve meet in Louisiana for DIV 1 ability. This kid has the maturity level of some 30 year olds, and runs the ball, with a ton of quickness. Wilson can run in the low 4.5 forty, but he is so quick hitting the hole, and has really good hands. He’s a lean 190 pounds, with no body fat. This kid has a chance to be a student body president by the time he’s a senior in college. If you need a leader, with DIV 1 ability, that can play 4 positions in college RB, WR, CB, and SS, then Carlos is your guy. I really believe this kid will get to 200 to 205 pounds in college, or if he moves to CB, can be a shut down CB, and stay at 190 pounds.

 

4. Bryant Dunn 5-11 190 Donaldsonville - the biggest sleeper in Louisiana at RB, in the 2010 class for small backs. Dunn has started for 4 years, and has really super raw speed, this kid can run in the low 4.5’s, and has great athletic ability. The problem is there’s so much talent at Donaldsonville on offense, it was hard for anyone to stand out, but if you ever saw a game at Donaldsonville, you would see this kid stick out. You can’t coach speed, and the ability to run past defenders, and make people look slow. That’s what this kid can do. He’s got the frame to be over 200 pounds in college. If this kid falls to an IAA school, they will land a big time player. It will be interesting where Dunn plays in college, RB or CB.

 

5. Sherman Jackson 5-10 180 St Augustine HS - This kid got lost in an offense of big time DIV 1 players at ST AUG. There are 7 DIV 1 players on the offense, that are juniors or Seniors, and this kid got the ball enough to show me on film and in games, he’s a big time player. Super fast and Super Quick hitting the hole, do I need to say more. I also saw, that he’s super tough, when there’s contact. Jackson did not get the ball 20 to 25 times a game to get the big time stats, but who cares, he’s a quick and fast, and durable as any back in the state that I’ve seen. If the in state schools get this kid, he could become a star at the next level. Get this, did not start running ball for the team much till his senior season. Remember a kid by the name of Tyrone Hughes, few years back, he only started one season at ST Aug, and went on to make ALL American at Nebraska, and played in the NFL.

 

 

Other Sleeper Running Backs for 2010 class (in no order)

every one of these kids can run, and play college football

 

1 Darrell Sherman 5-10 200 McMain
2 Dillion Williams 5-8 175 Comeaux
3 Troy Brooks 5-9 190 Southwood
4 Marshall Bellazan 5-9 180 Independence
5 Anthony Phillips 6-0 200 Bastrop
6 Chris Current 5-10 175 Archbishop Shaw
7 Joseph Green 5-9 205 Ponchatoula
8 Perry Chatman 5-10 200 Sam Houston
9 Darrin Gums 5-9 200 Gueydan
10 Johnelle Rivas 5-10 185 Carver
11 Lloyd Richard 5-10 200 Hahnville
12 Terrance White 6-0 191 Southern Lab
13 Antoine Todd 5-9 175 Patterson
14 Wendell Hunt 5-10 178 Jeanerette
15 Blair Broussard 5-9 180 Acadiana
16 Dwayne Lee 5-11 200 West Jefferson
17 Jerome Hardin 5-9 180 West Jefferson
18 Melvin Francois 5-8 175 West Jefferson
19 Henry Lenox 6-0 195 Destrehan
20 Dakota Cryer 5-10 185 South Beauregard
21 William Johnson 5-8 180 Alexandria
22 Toney Casey 6-0 189 Homer
23 Kendall Denson 5-9 180 Grambling
24 Keegan Staten 6-0 200 Ouachita
25 Josh Pate 6-0 190 Lafayette
26 McKenzie Price 6-0 190 Central
27 Justin Betts 5-9 200 Hammond
28 Wendell Collins 5-11 200 Zachary
29 Everick Johnson 5-0 180 McDonough 35