With the 2025 football season now here, The Sporting News is taking a look at the top returning players by region and position.
This list focuses on the top 25 running backs to watch in the state of Tennessee. It includes several commits, as well as seniors and juniors who are being pursued by several of the top schools in the nation.
Lawrence Autry, Collierville, Sr. (Tulane commit)
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Autry is considered as the No. 7 running back in the state according to 247Sports. He committed to Tulane in June, picking the Green Wave over a host of other schools such as Southern Miss, Middle Tennessee and UNLV. A workhorse back, Autry carried the ball 199 times a season ago, gaining more than 1,350 yards and 15 TDs.
Robert Bailey, Shelbyville, Sr. (Austin Peay commit)
Bailey had a breakout junior season for the Golden Eagles last season. He rushed for 1,894 yards on 210 carries and scored 22 TDs. In late June, he decided to stay in-state with his commitment to Austin Peay, turning down offers from Jacksonville State and Eastern Kentucky.
Asa Barnes, Martin Westview, Jr.
Jamar Coach/The Jackson Sun/USA TODAY NETWORK
Barnes made an impression during his sophomore campaign, running for more than 800 yards and scoring 25 total TDs for a Westview team that played for a state championship. But another key stat was his 13.8 yards gained per reception. He’s already been offered by Tennessee and Vanderbilt, as well as USC and Maryland in recent months.
Marcelles Davis, Germantown Houston, Sr. (Kennesaw State commit)
Chris Day/Memphis Commercial Appeal/USA TODAY NETWORK
Davis increased his production a year ago from his sophomore season, more than doubling his yardage total (1,296) and also going from six TDs in ’23 to nine trips to the end zone. But he’s also been part of some tremendous team success, helping the Mustangs claim the 6A state title in ’23 and returning to Chattanooga last season to play for another championship.
Roman Eulo, Walker Valley, Sr.
Eulo might be the most unsung running back in the state. But he definitely has the accolades, coming off a year in which he was named the Region 4-5A Offensive Player of the Year and Division I 5A All-State, accounting for 935 all-purpose yards and 20 total TDs. Eulo also started 2025 out on a high note, scoring all four TDs for the Mustangs in their season-opening win at rival Cleveland.
Nix Fullen, Millington Tipton-Rosemark Academy, Sr.
Fullen had quite a junior season to remember. He averaged 10.4 yards per carry while generating 2,381 yards and 27 TDs. In addition, Fullen caught 16 passes for 206 yards and two TDs.
Kinnie Fuller, East Nashville, Sr.
Fuller has received several offers, including those from Division I schools like Memphis, Southern Miss and Arkansas State. As a junior, he had 1,253 yards rushing and made 11 trips to the end zone.
David Gabriel Georges, Chattanooga The Baylor School, Jr.
Saul Young/Knoxville News Sentinel/USA TODAY NETWORK
Originally from Quebec, Canada, Georges has already made an immediate impact in his new country. As a sophomore in ’24, Georges rushed for more than 1,100 yards and 14 TDs. He’s now considered a five-star recruit, already having received offers from more than 30 schools including Tennessee, Georgia and Ohio State.
Michael Hassell, Franklin Road Academy, Sr.
Last season, Hassell was selected as the DII-AA Middle Region Athlete of the Year after accounting for nearly 1,400 all-purpose yards and 19 TDs. He also had four takeaways and a TD playing defense. Hassell has reported offers from Marshall, East Tennessee State and Eastern Kentucky.
Jaden Haywood, East Hamilton, Sr.
The highlight of Haywood’s junior season came in early October against Ooltewah, in which he rushed for 333 yards and scored five TDs in his team’s 42-7 win. He went on to score 26 TDs while gaining nearly 1,700 yards.
Hicks Hunter, Pleasant View Sycamore, Sr.
In his sophomore and junior seasons, Hunter has combined to rush for nearly 3,650 yards while scoring 43 TDs. He’s already off to a tremendous start as a senior, carrying the ball 33 times in the season opener for 161 yards while finding the end zone twice.
Jaidon Hurst, Springfield, Sr.
Hurst carried the ball 155 times and turned that into nearly 1,250 yards rushing. He also had 12 TDs while helping Springfield reach the Class 5A state semifinals.
Quinnterion Hollins, Memphis Whitehaven, Sr.
Over the offseason, Hollins received offers from Tennessee-Martin, Mississippi Valley State and Georgia State. He did make a school choice, too, this offseason, transferring from another Memphis school, Fairley.
Keith Johnson, East Nashville, Sr.
Johnson is determined to have a bounce-back season after being limited to four games his junior season due to fracturing his fibula. But before that injury, Johnson was putting up some solid numbers, rushing for 600 yards with five TDs.
Marvancy Johnson, Tullahoma, Sr.
His first name rhymes with Fancy, and Tullahoma announcers have taken to calling him Fancy Marvancy. Johnson definitely runs with flair, picking up nearly 1,470 yards last season with 17 TDs. In the Wildcats’ season-opening win against rival Shelbyville in late August, Johnson had three rushing TDs and took a screen pass 54 yards to the house for another score.
Ethan Kellum, Franklin Battle Ground Academy, Sr.
Though BGA is generally a pass-oriented squad, Kellum keeps opposing defenses honest with his ability to carry the rock on a consistent basis. Last season, he carried the ball 119 times for 966 yards and found the end zone 15 times while scoring two more TDs receiving. At the moment, he has fielded offers from Tennessee-Martin and East Tennessee State.
Rawls Patterson, Christ Presbyterian Academy, Sr.
Helen Comer/Murfreesboro Daily News Journal/USA TODAY NETWORK
Patterson could be the latest member of his family to play college football. He has two older brothers, Kane and Langston, who are currently playing for Vanderbilt. Last season, Rawls Patterson gained nearly 1,600 yards and 18 TDs for CPA’s Division II-AA championship team. He really stood out in the Blue Cross Bowl title game, running for 336 yards and four TDs, the third-best rushing performance in the state championship game history.
Jaydon Peete, Milan, Sr.
Peete found the end zone a whopping 31 times in 2024. He also gained 2,235 yards, averaging 11.6 yards per carry. Peete is already off to a strong start in 2025, running for 177 yards and three TDs in Milan’s season opener.
James Pierre, Franklin Page, Sr.
Another Canadian native on this list, Pierre hails from Montreal. He’s fit in just fine in the states, coming off a junior year at Bell Buckle Webb School in which he gained nearly 1,300 yards and 13 TDs while adding another TD receiving. As a senior now at Franklin Page, Pierre is determined to run for 2,000 yards - or in French, deux mille.
Omarion Starnes, Pearl-Cohn, Sr.
Starnes wants to build off of his junior season, in which he rushed for 1,214 yards and 17 TDs.
Chelton Swafford, Hendersonville Beech, Sr.
Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean/USA TODAY NETWORK
As a junior, Swafford accounted for nearly 1,200 yards on the ground and scored 17 TDs for a Beech squad that reached the Class 5A quarterfinals. He and his teammates are seeking to take a higher step in ’25. As for his college prospects, Swafford has received offers from Tennessee-Martin, East Tennessee State and Eastern Kentucky, among others.
Christopher Talley, Memphis Whitehaven, Sr. (West Virginia commit)
He might be the fastest athlete in the state. In fact, he is a two-time state champion in track, also setting a state record in the 110-meter hurdles. Talley is very good on the gridiron as well, having rushed for at least 1,500 yards each of the past two seasons, including more than 1,600 yards and 18 TDs as a junior. He committed to West Virginia in July, picking the Mountaineers over Georgia Tech and Cincinnati.
Jayzon Thompson, Anderson County, Sr.
Thompson transferred over the offseason from Knoxville Bearden, where he rushed for nearly 800 yards and scored 10 TDs his junior season for a state quarterfinal squad. The three-star prospect is still undecided on his college choice, but has received offers from schools like Auburn, Georgia Tech and Ole Miss.
TJ Ward Jr., Nashville Christian, Sr.
George Robinson/The Tennessean/USA TODAY NETWORK
While quarterback Jared Curtis gets plenty of attention, especially considering he may arguably be the top signal-caller in the Class of ’26, Ward’s contributions can’t be overlooked. He scored seven TDs and gained nearly 700 yards during the Eagles’ title-winning season, playing just four games while waiting to gain eligibility due to TSSAA rules. Ward is already off to a strong start in ’25, rushing for 194 yards and four TDs in Nashville Christian’s season-opening win against Davidson Academy.
Khamoni Williams, Memphis Business Academy, Jr.
Williams is one of the top Class of ’27 backs to watch. He turned in a solid sophomore campaign, running for more than 1,150 yards and 13 TDs for a Memphis Business Academy team that finished 9-3. He also had a pair of games where he rushed for at least 200 yards, scoring a combined seven TDs. In August, Williams reported an offer from Miami (Fla.).
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