Original Article <div align="center">An Early Look At The Class Of 2009: The Running Backs</div> <div align="center"><span style="font-size:8pt;line-height:100%">by J. Chase Boyadjian</span></div> With the stars of the Class of 2008 having now signed their letters of intent, it’s time to focus on what looks to be another great group of high school athletes in the class of 2009. It’s never too early to begin evaluating potential prospects, and over the next three weeks sportstwo.com will assess and rank some of the top recruits in the country for the upcoming class. Next up are the running backs. In the Class of 2008, Darrell Scott (CA) was by far the best running back prospect in the country. Besides Scott, there weren’t too many big time tailbacks, with only Jermie Calhoun, Ryan Williams, and Cyrus Gray garnering that “wow” factor that so many college programs covet. Only Scott, Calhoun, and Williams were ranked as top 50 national recruits. The Class of 2009 looks to be far better in terms of quality running backs, with as many as 5 prospects potentially finishing in the top 50. Cierre Wood (Oxnard, CA - Santa Clara) Cierre Wood figures to be the second best recruit to come out of California in the Class of 2009 behind only Matt Barkley (QB) from Mater Dei High School. Currently listed at 6’0” and 192 lbs, Wood will probably need to add about 15-20 more pounds to excel at the college level, but there’s no doubt he has the frame to handle the extra muscle. No one matches Wood’s combination of size, speed, and skill in the Class of 2009. This overall ability to excel everywhere on the field has garnered Wood not only regional recognition, but national recognition as well. It’s also the reason he’s ranked as the number one back in next year’s class. Desmond Scott (Durham, NC – Hillside High) Scott is one of the smaller backs in the Class of 2009, standing at only 5’9”. Despite his small stature, Scott is a fairly powerful runner; however, where he really excels is in the open field. No one in next year’s class rivals his downfield vision, and his innate ability to avoid tackles makes him the best “big-play” threat in the nation. It will be interesting to see how Scott’s recruitment develops because of his smaller frame, but he promises to be one of the most coveted backs in the nation, regardless of size. He already holds scholarship offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, UNC, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Bryce Brown (Wichita, KS - Wichita East) The quintessential running back, Brown is thought by many to be the most highly touted recruit ever to come out of Kansas, even surpassing his brother and stud 2008 LB, Arthur Brown. Listed at 6’0” and 212 lbs, Brown could start in most college backfields already and there isn’t much he needs to improve on in the weight room. Although he isn’t the fastest back around, Brown is easily the most physical. He won’t ever bother trying to run around a defender; rather, he’ll just bulldoze through the defense on his way to the end zone. His physical play makes him very useful in short yardage situations and while isn’t a big-play threat, he’s certainly a back that any college team would want. There has been some talk that Bryce may follow Arthur down to Miami, but he insists that his brother’s choice will not influence his decision at all. Chris Whaley (Madisonville, TX) Standing tall at 6’3” and 220 lbs, Whaley is one of the biggest backs in the Class of 2009. For his size, he’s surprisingly quick and explodes through the holes his offensive linemen create. His combination of size and cut back ability makes him almost impossible to tackle. Although being recruited mainly as a running back, Whaley could potentially line up as a wide receiver and be just as effective. He’s a terrific overall athlete. He already holds offers from big time programs such as FSU, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M. David Oku (Midwest City, OK - Carl Albert High School) Oku’s small stature is the only reason he’s down at #5 on this list. Currently listed at 5’8” and 175 lbs, his size is the only downside of his game. Despite his height, however, Oku is quite strong, boasting a max squat of 520 lbs. The first thing that jumps out while watching his video is Oku’s speed; he is, bar none, the fastest back in next year’s class. His forty-time is listed at 4.49, but I can’t see how that is accurate because his film suggests he runs somewhere in the 4.35 range. His speed is definitely his best asset, and it has resulted in early offers from Auburn, Oklahoma State, Tennessee, and Texas Tech. Eddie Lacy (Geismar, LA - Dutchtown) Having Eddie Lacy listed as my #6 back might seem a little surprising, but his film was very, very impressive. His vision is outstanding, as is his ability to accelerate in the open field. But his best asset is his patience; he waits for his lineman to pick up their blocks, and then explodes through the hole, most likely ending up in the end zone. Standing at 5’11” and 200lbs, he has the ideal frame for an elite running back, and with a few months in a college S&C, he could be special. He has yet to receive any written offers, but that will definitely change as we head into the summer. Jeremy Smith (Tulsa, OK – Union) Coming in at number seven is Jeremy Smith out of Tulsa, Oklahoma. His speed is absolutely outstanding, with only David Oku besting him in this category in the Class of 2009. He’s listed at 5’10” and 197 lbs, but after watching his film, I doubt he’s that heavy. His frame can certainly handle the rigors of a college weight program, so I don’t really think his size will ever be an issue. He has already received offers from Oklahoma State and Tulsa, with more waiting in the wings. Lonnie Pryor (Okeechobee, FL) No, he’s not related to Terrelle Pryor, but he will definitely be one of the most coveted athletes in college football next year just as Terrelle was. Lonnie has multiple traits that all college programs look for in a back: vision, cut back ability, acceleration, elusiveness. You name, Lonnie Pryor probably has it. The only reason Lonnie is currently down at #8 on this list is because of size. Standing at 6’1” and 195 lbs, he will need to bulk up to fit his frame next year, and if he does, he will definitely be moving up this list. Multiple top tier colleges have already seen the potential this kid has, such as Florida, Boston College, Florida State, South Carolina, and UNC. Ronnie Wingo (St. Louis, MO - University High) Potential is the name of the game when talking about Ronnie Wingo. He has the size (6’2” and 205 lbs), he has the explosion, he has the elusiveness, and he has all the natural abilities all elite backs possess. The only problem is, he needs to actually learn how to play the game. Based on watching his film, you can tell he relies too heavily on his natural ability to get things done. His patience, vision, and cut back ability all leave something to be desired, and for this reason, he slips to #9 on this list. If he improves and fine-tunes his understanding of the running game, he could potentially end up being a top 3 back in this class. He just needs to learn the game and he could end up being great. Chris Thompson (Greenville, FL – Madison) Finishing up this list is Chris Thompson from Greenville, Florida. Standing at 5’8” and 170 lbs, Chris is the smallest back on this list, even smaller than David Oku. Nevertheless, he will be receiving a lot of college interest based on his speed and ability to play multiple positions. His hands are outstanding and he could end up being utilized as a slot receiver. He has received early offers from Clemson, Florida State, and Miami. Others to looks for: Larry Caper (MI), AJ Dugat (TX), Tyler Gaffney (CA), Jarvis Giles (FL), Michael Ford (LA), Christian Michael (TX), Lamar Miller (FL), Dexter Pratt (TX), Theo Riddick (NJ)
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (o.iatlhawksfan @ Feb 9 2008, 10:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>hmm I heard Dutchtown's running back was good.</div> Eddie Lacy?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (o.iatlhawksfan @ Feb 9 2008, 10:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>yea..</div> I put him at #6. His game looks very good and I think it translates well to the college ranks. Nice combination of size and speed; very difficult to tackle.
