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Year of the RB: Throwbacks and current pace setters

 
Former Gator and current NFL player Matt Jones made an impression on more than few state RBs when he played at Armwood High. (Times file)
Former Gator and current NFL player Matt Jones made an impression on more than few state RBs when he played at Armwood High. (Times file)
Published Aug. 31, 2016

Lasting impressions

State-wide college players recall the best running back they faced in high school

TE Kano Dillon, USF (Ocala Vanguard)

"Raphael Webb (now at Vanderbilt). He was just shifty, very fast. He was able to get out of the gate and just go. Once he got outta there, wasn't nobody gonna catch him."

S Tajee Fullwood, USF (Tampa Bay Tech)

"I played at East Bay High School my freshman year, and we played Armwood, and Matt Jones — that's the best running back I've ever seen play in high school … It was like he was a man-child out there playing with little kids."

WR Chris Barr, USF (Jacksonville Trinity Christian)

"The best running back I faced in high school was Derrick Henry. … He was just a beast. He just did anything he wanted to do."

RB Jordan Scarlett, UF (Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas)

"I would say Dalvin Cook. … Just his speed. He definitely had a lot of breakaway speed, and his acceleration was nice. He had a great offensive line behind him."

RB Jordan Cronkrite, UF (Miami Westminster Christian)

"Probably Jordan Scarlett. … Freshman year, he got the ball in the red zone. He ran one of our linebackers over. I saw his strength come out. That was only as a freshman. That was impressive."

OL Martez Ivey, UF (Apopka)

"Maybe Jacques Patrick at FSU. … Just big, fast and strong. He was freaking like 6-3. You don't see many guys who can run as fast as he can move as well as do what he does."

WR Jesus Wilson, FSU (Miami Columbus)

"I'd say Dalvin Cook. … He's always been good. Dalvin's always been good, since Pop Warner, little league."

RB Dalvin Cook, FSU (Miami Central)

"Dalvin Cook. I don't know, man. I ain't seen nobody better than that guy in high school."

Around the nation

Backs with Florida ties who could contribute outside the Sunshine State.

Matt Breida, Sr., Georgia Southern

Only two returning players in the country (San Diego State's Donnel Pumphrey and Oregon's Royce Freeman) have rushed for more yards over the past two seasons than the Nature Coast Tech alum (3,093).

Brandon Holloway, Sr., Mississippi State

The Alonso alum joins Stanford star Christian McCaffrey as the only returning players with at least 400 rushing yards, 300 receiving yards and 500 on kickoffs last year.

Bo Scarbrough, So., Alabama

One-time star at Bradenton's IMG Academy will try to help fill the void left by Heisman winner Derrick Henry.

Ralph Webb, Jr., Vanderbilt

The Gainesville native's 1,152 rushing yards were the second-most in program history, and he ripped off a 74-yard touchdown run against the Gators.

Ish Witter, Jr., Missouri

The Alonso alum led the Tigers with 518 rushing yards last season and is expected to vie for the starting spot this fall.