Vote: Who Are The Top Returning Southwest Florida High School Running Backs For 2025?

We have selected 10 individuals as to watch for this season

Riverdale player Lovensky Blanchard makes a run for big gain. The Estero High School Wildcats football team lost at home on their opening night against the Riverdale High School Raiders Friday night, August 23, 2024. Riverdale won with a final score of 42-14. / Ricardo Rolon / USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA / USA TODAY NETWORK

As we continue previewing the top returning high school football players across the country, today we take a look at the top returning running backs in Southwest Florida. The running back position has changed in the past 10-15 years, but the position is as important as ever. These running backs not only posses the skills to burst through the line for a 10-yard gain, but they can be devastating for opposing defenses in the passing game. This season will be an exciting one to watch in Southwest Florida as they look to help lead their team's offenses to glory.

As always, we ask you, the fans, to vote on who you think is the top returning running back in Southwest Florida for the 2025 season.

Voting closes on August 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Here are the nominations:

Lovensky Blanchard, Riverdale

Blanchard rushed for 1,312 yards and six touchdowns on 137 carries. He averaged 9.6 yards per rush and rushed for over 100 yards in five games. Blanchard also caught 12 passes for 76 yards and one touchdown.

Tylen Gore, Dunbar

Last season, Gore rushed for 779 yards and seven touchdowns on 117 carries. He averaged 6.7 yards per rush and also rushed for over 100 yards in two games.

Deshon Jenkins Jr, Bishop Verot

Jenkins returns as one of the best running backs in the area after rushing for 1,786 yards and 22 touchdowns on 216 carries. He averaged 8.3 yards per rush and rushed for over 100 yards in 10 games. Jenkins also caught eight passes for 88 yards last season.

Daniel Haith, Bonita Springs

Haith rushed for 963 yards and seven touchdowns on 129 carries last season. He averaged 7.5 yards per carry and rushed for over 100 yards in four games.

Brady Stewart, St. John Neumann

Stewart had a breakout sophomore season where he rushed for 752 yards and three touchdowns on 134 carries. He also caught seven passes for 88 yards out of the backfield. Stewart proved to be a threat in the return game as well as he gained over 100 yards on kickoff returns which put him just shy of 1,000 all-purpose yards.

Javien Altine, Gulf Coast

In eight games played last season, Altine rushed for 1,015 yards and 10 touchdowns on 130 carries. He averaged 7.5 yards per carry and rushed for over 100 yards in four games.

Sam Sparacio, Naples

Last season, Sparacio rushed for 867 yards and 11 touchdowns on 124 carries. He averaged seven yards per carry and rushed for over 100 yards in three games. He also proved to be a legitimate weapon in the passing game as he caught 59 passes for 761 yards and nine touchdowns.

Ty Collins, Lely

In 2024, Collins rushed for 1,189 yards and 17 touchdowns on 125 carries. He averaged 9.5 yards per carry and rushed for over 100 yards in three games. Collins also caught 16 passes for 211 yards.

Ninaud Joseph, Lely

Joseph rushed for over 1,600 yards with 23 touchdowns on 164 carries. He averaged nearly 10 yards per rush, and Lely also rushed for over 100 yards in six games. Out of the backfield, Joseph caught 13 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns.

Jayvian Tanelus, Community School of Naples

In 2024, the Duke commit rushed for 1,525 yards and 20 touchdowns on 169 carries which comes out to nine yards per rush. He rushed for over 100 yards in six games, and Tanelus also caught seven passes for 84 yards.

Editor’s note: Our corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. This poll is specifically for fans to vote on the players that have been nominated and in no way discredits any other player that may not be mentioned in our poll.