The Rivals250 for the class of 2026 has been updated and now it’s time to analyze each position. We’re going to get to running back by looking at four big storylines moving forward.
NEW POSITION RANKINGS SCHEMES 2026: QB in professional style | Dual-threat QB | Walk back | Universal back | Wide receiver | Tight end | Offensive tackle | Offensive guard | Center
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Sunday: Who should be number 1?
Monday: Five Star Countdown | Meet the new five-star
Tuesday: New Rivals250 revealed | Gorney goes position by position | Biggest risers
Wednesday: New attacking position rankings released | QB Ranking Breakdown | RB ranking distribution | WR/TE ranking breakdown | OL ranking breakdown
Thursday: New Defensive Position Rankings Released | DL Rankings Overview | LB Rankings Overview | DB Rankings Overview | ATH Rankings Overview
Friday: New State Rankings Released | Who’s #1 in Every State?
Saturday: Roundtable discussion on the new Rivals250 rankings
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WHO IS NUMBER 1?
Savion Hiter is the top-ranked running back in the Rivals250 and he’s a solid pick. The Woodberry Forest (Va.) Woodberry Forest School star rushed for more than 1,100 yards last season, had 11 touchdowns, is great at making cuts and then accelerating, and also makes arm tackles.
But this is a class without a clear No. 1, no-doubt-he’s-the-guy, top running back. There will be plenty of prospects pushing Hitler down the road, because there’s still a long runway here before the 2026 cycle comes to a close.
Michigan and many others are gunning for Hiter, and it would make perfect sense for the Woodberry Forest four-star to remain the top-ranked running back in the 2026 class. But it also wouldn’t be a total surprise to see others make a bid for that top spot.
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A STRONG TEXAS CONTINGENT
Nick Lucero/Rivals.com
Four of the top eight running backs in the 2026 class come from Texas, and the No. 1 all-purpose back also hails from the Lone Star State. So this is going to be an interesting discussion, because all five offer different things they bring to the backfield.
Oregon connect Traditional ball could move up to the all-purpose roster as he makes a lot of catches out of the backfield and is a dynamic threat on screen passes and in the run game.
Oklahoma promise Jonathan Hatton Jr. is the big, strong running back who may not have the best speed, but can beat tacklers and gain big points. KJ Edwards can do anything and the plan in Carthage, Texas, is a real godsend for him. Javian Osborne is perhaps the most dynamic and reaches its top speed the fastest.
And then there is Davian Grocethe top-ranked all-purpose back, who is a threat in the backfield, in the passing game and on special teams. He provides Ollie Gordon vibes on the same stage.
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WHO’S GOING TO COME UP?
Nick Lucero/Rivals.com
With two more football seasons to go for these 2026 prospects, it is inevitable that prospects will emerge and move up the rankings. Some may already have been identified and a big junior season could see them climb even further up the rankings.
Javanese Mallory could make the top 10. Yes Michael Jones is a big, strong back who could really thrive on Pike Road, Ala. Early Bay connect Ryelan Morris has excellent sophomore tape. Shahn Alston has seen its recruitment increase in recent months. Many in the West are talking about Valencia, California, a notable Brian Bonner.
There will be moves up, moves down and moves everywhere, but this early in the process, there is no doubt that some lower-ranked full-backs will make a statement to move much higher.
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IS THERE A FIVE-STAR IN THE GROUP?
Nick Lucero/Rivals.com
Two of the last four NFL Drafts had no running backs taken in the first round. No more than two have been drafted in the first round since 2018.
So when it comes to five-star running backs – even despite their on-field performance – it’s simply not a position that gets drafted early by the pros and our rankings should reflect that reality.
To be fair, we haven’t had much success with five-star running backs in our rankings either. In 2017, Najee Harris was a hit but Cam Akers was also a five-star. He was a second-round pick, though, even though people in Mississippi said he was the best running back ever in the state, better than Walter Payton.
In 2018, Zamir White And Lorenzo Lingard were five-stars, but neither was a first-round pick, far from it. Trey Sanders was not a first round pick in the 2019 class. There were four – four! – five-star running backs in 2020 and none of them were drafted in the first round. So it’s just been really hard to pick the right ones from a projection standpoint and they’ve been devalued in the NFL Draft.
Which brings us to this 2026 class. There are some elite running backs in this class, some very talented players who have first-round potential. Right now, there are no five-star rankings. That could change, but the bar to get that five-star ranking at that position is going to be higher.
Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on Rivals.comthe leader in college football and basketball recruiting coverage. Be the first to know and follow your teams by signing up here.
