2021 Pokes Report Recruiting Hot List: Running Back
Each year around this time, we've always gone to our hot list and this is the first time around with Pokes Report and Sports Illustrated/Maven backed up by SI All-American. Here at Pokes Report we do our own work and Marshall Levenson and I have watched a lot of video. We've tapped into all of our sources and this is where we believe the Cowboys are when it comes to recruiting running backs in the 2021 class.
If you're wondering where the quarterback hot list is, well, it stops and starts with one name and he is already a part-time student on the Oklahoma State campus and will go full-time in January 2021 and become, as a recruited walk-on, the quarterback in the 2021 class. That would be Gunnar Gundy, who led Stillwater to back-to-back Class 6A-2 Championship Games and threw for over 6,600-yards and 80 touchdowns in his prep career.
That settled it is now down to running backs. The Cowboys have a commitment from Frisco (Lone Star), Texas speedster Jaden Nixon, but they are looking for a second running back in the class as they will lose both Chuba Hubbard and L.D. Brown after this upcoming season.
| Name | Size | Home/High School | Top Attributes | Main Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tavierre Dunlap | 6-0, 210 lbs. | Del Valle, Texas | Speed, Strength, and Balance | Michigan, Mississippi State, Virginia, Washington |
A.J. Green | 5-11, 190 lbs. | Tulsa (Union), Okla. | Power and Vision | Arkansas and Oklahoma |
Alton McCaskill | 6-1, 195 lbs. | Conroe (Oak Ridge), Texas | Speed and Strength | Auburn, Florida State, and Penn State |
Cam'Ron Valdez | 5-10, 180 lbs. | Rockdale, Texas | Vision, Balance, and Next Gear Speed | Arkansas, Nebraska, Texas Tech |
We'll work from the bottom of our chart up and Valdez (@CamronMarquis) has been an Oklahoma State favorite for a long time. He is a definite big play back with great vision to see space in the field and he has excellent balance with a full compliment of moves. Then the trait that puts him at another level is his next gear speed. He hits that shift change and it's over for all but a few defenders in pursuit.
Cam"Ron Valdez is a big play running back.
Rockdale High School
Arkansas is making a push late and Texas Tech and Nebraska have been battling along with the Cowboys and running backs coach John Wozniak.
"The Woz" is also high on Alton McCaskill (@Alto_410) out of Conroe and Oak Ridge High School. McCaskill has excellent attributes to go with 6-1, 195 pound size. We like his speed and strength. He is easy to peg on the type of back that he is as McCaskill is a "one cut and go" guy, very similar to Chuba Hubbard in style.
McCaskill is a big back that looks the part for sure.
His dance card is pretty strong with Auburn, Florida State, and Penn State in it with the Cowboys.
One aspect with all these running backs is they want to take their official visits.
Remember that Tulsa Union's A.J. Green was all set to make a commitment early in May, but now we've been told that is going to be pushed back to at least October. Arkansas has jumped in on Green too. Oklahoma State and Oklahoma were pushing in a bedlam battle. Michigan is also jumping in and they have Tulsa local product Dax Hill to help with the recruiting.
Even in a football uniform, Tulsa Union's A.J. Green has the look of a sprinter.
He wants to play running back and Oklahoma State, Wozniak, and head coach Mike Gundy have been on the same page with Green from the beginning. He has sub 4.4 speed and a state champion in 6-A clocking of 10.38 in the 100 meters. The speed is a give, but he also has power and vision making for a really tough combination for defenses to stop.
Now, some of the recruiting sites have had Oklahoma State out on Tavierre Dunlap (@TavierreD), but the Del Valle back still has Oklahoma State on his list. His list is still expanding with Virginia, Michigan, and Mississippi State recently offering Dunlap to put his offer list at 34.
His number may be two, but Dunlap may be first in number of scholarship offers to Texas high school running backs.
Texas Football
The 6-0, 210 pound back has power and balance, but he is faster than you might think and when he hits open field, he doesn't get caught.
Oklahoma State needs to pull out one of these recruiting battles. They will all be tough as all four backs are very talented and the competition is stiff. But, running back is a position that Oklahoma State has made famous. We've got a feeling that not all of these guys, maybe not any of them, will be able to pass up having a chance at next at running back in Stillwater.