Spring Scoping: Cowboys Top 2021 Running Back Options
STILLWATER -- Unofficially, we have Oklahoma State having offered 11 running back prospects in the 2021 class, a couple have already committed like local hero Devin Neal to Kansas and Katy's Brandon Campbell to Southern Cal. However, there are plenty out there and the Cowboys and their recruiting staff along with running backs coach John Wozniak, offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn, and head coach Mike Gundy could pop up and find a top prospect under the radar and go for it.
Gundy told the media this week on his conference call that he feels really strong about the job that recruiting director Todd Bradford and the entire staff is doing with recruiting efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said he likes the "recipe" because it is a recipe that not everybody has in their cook book.
They have to hope that the tactics will work at the running back position. All-American and returning NCAA leading rusher Chuba Hubbard will be gone after this next season and speedy L.D. Brown is a senior.
Dezmon Jackson has two years left in the fold and he looks great in practice and last year's four-star signee Deondrick Glass is coming around, but the next "bell cow" running back needs to be in the 2021 class.
In our scope series with the 2021 recruiting class, count this a little like our old "wish list" we did in the old days on the other site. We're not spotlighting all of the backs offered, but the ones that we have kind of taking a fancy to. Marshall Levenson weighs in on all of these and I will weigh in on the position stories that he writes up.
So, here goes, several running backs we've watched, we've studied, and we really like.
Tavierre Dunlap is one of my favorites.
Tavierre Dunlap is the biggest back physically that we listed in scope.
Texas Football
The Facts: Dunlap is 6-0, 196-pounds with a college build already. He plays for a big-time program in the Austin-area in Del Valle. We're going to use some stuff from my man Greg Powers at Texas Football Magazine. "Big-framed with long strides and speed-building ability at the top end. Best as a north-south hole puncher, but athletic enough to bounce and win the edge." He has 29 offers at last count with Oklahoma State and including LSU, Michigan State, Miami, Missouri, Nebraska, USC, Utah, and Washington.
The Stats: Last season he had 128 carries for 1,348-yards and 20 touchdowns. He also caught 20 passes for 203-yards and three touchdowns. He rushed for 1,449-yards and 17 touchdowns as a sophomore.
Our Take: I'm not disagreeing with Greg and Dunlap is powerful, but I love his vision and his feet. He has great feet that he can use as a weapon. Watching plenty of tape, he never is taken down with ankle tackles. He breaks those every single time. He usually kicks another gear after first contact and that leads to plenty of yards after that first attempt to bring him down.
Green, up close, looks powerful and strong to go with his speed.
A.J. Green is a home grown talent and he has both Oklahoma State and Oklahoma on his list. He is also a really good prospect on defense at the corner.
The Facts: 5-11 and 190-pounds, so he is very strong and powerful with big-time speed and a recorded 4.39 in the forty. Being an Oklahoma product he is not listed in Texas Football, so no opinion here from Greg Powers. He has 14 scholarship offers and some believe it will be a big-time Bedlam recruiting battle, but Michigan is in there using Daxton Hill to work on him.
The Stats: Maybe the most important here are from the track where Green won the Class 6A 100 meters at state as a sophomore with a time of 10.38 seconds. He was fifth in the state in Class 6A as a freshman. He combines that speed with a 290-pound max on the bench and a 500-pound max on the squat. Big-time numbers for Green in the weight room.
Our Take: Green is very powerful and strong to go with his speed. He also has that stop and start thing going that not every back has. Excellent body control helps him as well. When he gets in the open, it's over.
Cam'ron Valdez has been associated with Oklahoma State for a long time and he was one of the first to get an offer from the Pokes. He is out of Rockdale, Texas.
Valdez plays with a lot of enthusiasm and causes people watching to have plenty as well.
Rockdale High School
The Facts: He can certainly match up with the two running backs above in the strength department as Valdez is 5-10, 187-pounds. He has a 260-pound bench max and a 410-pound squat. He reports a 4.55 forty, but looks faster on video. Valdez has 23 offers from Oklahoma State, Texas Tech (the two reported leaders) and Arkansas, Houston, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, TCU, Utah, West Virginia, and more. Greg Powers says: "Big-play threat as a runner and return game option. Shows good burst and acceleration. Has flashed promise in limited pas-catch opportunities."
The Stats: Last season he rushed for 1,697-yards on 183 carries with 26 touchdowns. He caught 21 passes for 177-yards and two touchdowns. As a sophomore he rushed for 1,175-yards and 17 touchdowns with one receiving touchdown.
Our Take: Valdez is quick and he can stick his foot in the ground and make a move, change of direction that will cause a defender to break his ankles. He also has that stop-start move that he often uses. I like his vision, he makes a lot of defenders miss by combining his speed and taking angles that keep the defender from having a chance. Vision is a great attribute.
It is no coincidence that Nixon finishes runs like he is breaking the tape in track. He is that fast.
Texas Football
Jaden Nixon is the most recent addition to the running back offer list that we know of. He is more of a scat-back type out of Frisco Lone Star High School.
The Facts: Nixon is 5-10, and 170-pounds, but I have seen guys like that come in and Rob Glass and company have them at 5-10 and 195-pounds before they hit the field with the speed staying right where it was. Nixon has 17 offers and they keep on coming. Oklahoma State is there with the service academies, North Texas, and Tulsa. Nixon wasn't mentioned in the spring Texas Football Recruiting issue, so that should make the chip on his shoulder even bigger.
The Stats: Last season Nixon had 821-yards and 14 touchdowns on just 90 carries. He caught 18 receptions for 262-yards and two touchdowns. He returned at least one kickoff for a score.
Our Take: Start with this, Nixon is one tough runner. If you think that he is just an outside speed guy and receiver out of the backfield then you are mistaken. He breaks tackles and even punishes defenders on runs. Now, his speed is really good and he has excellent ball skills and is a good receiver. Don't underestimate his ability between the tackles.