Film Review: Savion Hiter's Skillset Serves National Needs

Louisa County High School running back Savion Hiter is the No. 1 back in America. Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, and Tennessee are all actively pursuing the talented Virginia native.

Louisa County running back Savion Hiter is one of the hottest names on the recruiting trail. Hiter attracted major suitors from coast to coast and ultimately settled on a final group of Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, and Tennessee. He'll officially visit all four this summer and has upcoming spring visits with Ohio State and Tennessee.

Hiter amassed 1,897 all-purpose yards and 26 rushing touchdowns while also shining on the defensive side of the ball as a hybrid linebacker. He's a consensus top-40 recruit across the four major recruiting websites and is regarded as the top back in the 2026 cycle. I went to the tape to decipher why Hiter is being courted by every program, ones that highlight their backs in entirely different manners.

Rare Contact Balance

The No. 1 trait evaluators search for, especially in the transfer portal era, is the ability to survive contact. In an evolving world where skill position players are constantly in rotation, the ability to create yards after contact reigns supreme. Not only does Hiter have the muscle mass to survive contact, but he has the balance to find open space after those tackles. Defenders routinely try to bring him down by attacking the lower half of his frame, but Hiter has weight evenly distributed to survive hits from any angle.

Top-End Acceleration

Hiter has a plethora of athletic tools at his disposal. As a sophomore, he was a state qualifier in the 55-meter dash, long jump, and triple jump. However, his ability to reach top speed in the open field jumps out most on tape. Plenty of fast running backs get caught because it takes them too long to get to their top speed. Hiter can go from his top speed to a standstill back to his top speed within a matter of moments. Perhaps equally important, he utilizes this skillset to decelerate in select moments, ensuring he finds the right crease before fully committing to his track.

Well-Rounded Skillset

His finalists consist of two SEC and two Big Ten powers. Before trimming his list, Hiter commanded serious interest from major players in the ACC and Big 12. Typically, schools recruit the position by conference - there are a few top backs each cycle for each conference, and they are recruited as such. However, Hiter's diverse skillset allows offensive playcallers to envision him in numerous scenarios. He's got the frame to become a between-the-tackles bellcow, the athleticism and refinement to catch passes in the open field, and the physicality to functionally operate in pass protection. His tools allow him to fit in any number of offensive schemes - whoever gets their hands on Hiter will have a specific development plan for him, likely different from the plan of his other three finalists.

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