Why Have California's Elite High School Running Backs Disappeared?

Recruiting analysts say California is no longer producing elite running back prospects at the same rate as Texas, Georgia and other football hotbeds. The numbers help explain why.

De La Salle senior running back Duece Drew-Jones broke free for a 64-yard touchdown on his first varsity carry in 2024. He's ranked the No. 2 RB in California. | Photo by Dennis Lee

California has long been one of America's premier producers of elite running backs, sending stars such as Marcus Allen, Marshawn Lynch, Reggie Bush and Najee Harris to college football and the NFL. But heading into the 2026 season, recruiting analysts say that pipeline has slowed dramatically.

In fact, neither the 247Sports Composite nor the On3 Industry rankings place a California running back among the state's Top 50 overall recruits in the Class of 2027.

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Why Has California's Running Back Pipeline Slowed?

Cal-bound Jaxsen Stokes, of Sierra Canyon, is 247Sports’ top tailback as No. 58 recruit overall in California, while Rivals has him at No. 57 among its industry selections. 

“Frankly, I think there’s been a lack of running back talent in California for a while now,” said On3 longtime recruiting analyst and Southern California native Greg Biggins, who was previously at 247Sports and Student Sports. “It’s definitely not just this year. If you go back the last five, six, seven years, the state just isn’t producing elite backs.” 

It’s not just elite, but there appears to be a lack of depth at the position in the state as well. 

After Stokes, On3 Industry ranks just three other backs among its top 100 recruits for 2027: No. 66 Duece Jones-Drew, of De La Salle-Concord, heading to UCLA, Stanford-bound AJ McBean from Serra-Gardena at No. 84, and St. John Bosco’s uncommitted Maliq Allen at No. 93. 

Sierra Canyon three-star senior running back Jaxsen Stokes (3) is California's top-rated college RB prospect from the Class of 2027 | Rene Morales

Back when Jones-Drew’s dad Maurice graduated in 2003, there were 10 running backs among the Top 100 California recruits overall, led by No. 3 Reggie Bush, and three other all purpose backs, which Maurice Jones-Drew was ranked the No. 14 top player in the state. 

“We’re not seeing the elite guys like Joe Mixons (No. 2 overall in 2014) or Najee Harris’ (No. 2 overall in 2017) and I’m not sure what it is,” Biggins said. “Maybe it’s a combination of more throwing teams versus ground and pound you see in other parts of the country like Texas and the South. That’s where all the great backs appear to be now.” 

Indeed, Texas claims four of the nation’s top nine rated senior running backs, led by Landen Williams-Callis, who is headed to the University of Texas. Georgia, South Carolina and Louisiana prep products also claim Top 10 running backs nationally. 

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Remarkably, at No. 51, Stokes is the highest ranked California running back in the country according to 247Sports while Rivals has him at No. 57. Georgia, by the way, has seven running backs ranked ahead of Stokes, Pennsylvania has six and Texas, five. 

One not on the list for 2027 recruits is athlete Honor Fa’alave-Johnson, of Cathedral Catholic-San Diego, who will likely get close to 20 carries a game, but will likely be slotted in as a safety in college. 

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Fa’alave-Johnson is the No. 2 recruit overall in California and Biggins said would be a national Top 5 running back if he was slotted at that position. Last season, the USC commit rushed 150 times for 1,532 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also caught 35 passes out of the backfield for another 564 yards and seven scores for the Southern California Division 1-AA champion. 

“He’s an elite running back,” Biggins said. “But he’s going to USC to play safety for sure. He’s a really good corner and receiver as well, but he’d be the best running back by far. But after him, even if you look at the classes in 2027, 2028 and 2029, I don’t see a bunch.” 

At least at the elite level. 

That said, players develop at different times as do their bodies. 

It’s also hard to be rated super high when not given the touches, which is a big trend, especially in California. 

De La Salle, for instance, one of the final state powers to rely heavily on the run, has not had a 200-carry back since 2023 when Charles Greer rushed 213 times for 1,356 yards and 17 touchdowns. 

Lately, the Spartans, like most teams, have done it by committee, last season as the prime example as no one even carried the ball 100 times, the leader being current North Carolina freshman Jaden Jefferson (93 carries, 1,048 yards, 12 touchdowns). 

Jones-Drew, also a strong safety who was hampered somewhat by injuries, had just 83 carries for 463 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025. 

De La Salle has another long staple of backs, including Jamal Johnson-Lucas and Judah Pape, and considering so many of its wins are by lopsided score, there’s no reason to overwork its backs. Last season, 22 different Spartans carried the ball. 

“It’s all in the flow of the game and situation,” De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh said. “We had so many quality backs and if they’ve earned playing time we’re going to use them. That said, Duece is penciled in to get a lot more carries this season. We hope not to have to use him much on defense.”