Two College Football Powerhouses Locked in Battle for Nation's No. 5 RB

These two SEC programs are engaged in a recruiting battle for the No. 5 running back prospect in the class of 2028.

Nov 15, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Gabe Harris Jr. (0) attempts to tackle Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) in the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

2028 four-star running back Micah Rhodes is once again trending toward a commitment in the months following his decommitment from Oklahoma.

34 programs have offered Rhodes scholarships, and contenders have begun to separate themselves in his recruitment. Sam Spiegelman of Rivals reported that Texas and Georgia are prime contenders for Rhodes' commitment.

Where does Rhodes rank in the class of 2028?

Rhodes is the No. 5 running back, No. 9 prospect from Texas and the No. 73 overall prospect in the 2028 Rivals 300 rankings.

The 5-foot-9, 180-pounder ended his outstanding freshman season with 934 rush yards and 10 touchdowns for Klein Oak High School. He was named the Offensive Newcomer of the Year in his district and earned Freshman All-America honors from MaxPreps in 2024.

MaxPreps once again showered Rhodes in accolades in 2025, naming him to its Sophomore All-America team. He has already received an invitation to the 2027 Polynesian Bowl.

Gabe Brooks of 247Sports called Rhodes a "well-rounded back who does several position-specific duties well" and noted his ability to "play through contact and regularly finishes runs" in an evaluation from August of 2025.

Why is Texas so invested in Rhodes' recruitment?

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian went 5-7 during his first season with the Longhorns. 2022-08-22-steve-sarkisian | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Longhorns have two strong connections to Rhodes that may serve as boons in their recruitment of him.

There is the obvious in-state connection; Rhodes' hometown of Spring, Texas, is just north of downtown Houston and within four hours' driving distance of Austin. Rhodes' grandfather, Bobby Rhodes, played linebacker for the Longhorns in the late 1980s, making him a legacy prospect.

Texas offered Rhodes his scholarship while he was attending a camp there in early June of 2025. Rhodes has visited the Longhorns twice since picking up that offer: first for their game against Texas A&M at the end of the 2025 season, and most recently for a spring practice in March.

Why is Georgia so invested in Rhodes' recruitment?

November 17, 2012; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Todd Gurley (3) runs with the ball against the Georgia Southern Eagles during the second half at Sanford Stadium. Georgia defeated Georgia Southern 45-14. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

From Herschel Walker in the 1980s to Todd Gurley and Nick Chubb in the mid-2010s, potent running backs have long been a staple of Georgia's success on the gridiron.

A commitment from Rhodes would mark two consecutive classes with a top-five running back commit for Georgia. Following a year-long commitment to Penn State, Kemon Spell, the No. 1 running back in the 2027 cycle, announced his commitment to the Bulldogs on Feb. 2.

The Bulldogs began their recruitment of Rhodes by offering him a scholarship in September of 2025, five months before he committed to Oklahoma. Georgia received the most recent of Rhodes' recruiting visits back on May 16.