Heading into official visit season, plenty of the nation’s top 2026 running back prospects remain uncommitted. 



Of the 29 four and five-star running backs in the cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, just 12 are currently pledged. That includes just five of the top 15 and only one of the top five. 



Eleven teams currently have a commitment from a blue-chip RB. The <a href="https://www.on3.com/college/usc-trojans/">USC Trojans</a> are the only team to land multiple, as of April 29.



Below are where the top running backs in the 2026 cycle are committed, as well as who’s in position to land some of the top uncommitted RBs in the nation:



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-savion-hiter">1. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/savion-hiter-162902/">Savion Hiter</a></h2>



School: Mineral (Va.) <a href="https://www.on3.com/high-school/louisa-county-mineral-va-2567/">Louisa County</a> On3 Industry Ranking: No. 11 NATL.



The Skinny: Hiter continues to stand as the top-ranked running back in the cycle and has now trimmed his list of top schools down to four: Ohio State, Georgia, Tennessee and Michigan. He’s locked in official visits to each this summer. The Buckeyes currently have the slightest edge in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine for the bruising 5-foot-11.5, 200-pounder. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-ezavier-crowell">2. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/ezavier-crowell-238147/">Ezavier Crowell</a></h2>



School: <a href="https://www.on3.com/high-school/jackson-jackson-al-5465/">Jackson</a> (Ala.) On3 Industry Ranking: No. 30 NATL.



The Skinny: Crowell has immediately become a top tailback in the 2026 class upon reclassifying up from the 2027 cycle earlier this year. The Alabama state champion has officials locked in with Texas, Alabama, Auburn and Florida State. Coming out of spring trips, the in-state Crimson Tide is currently trending heavily in the On3 RPM.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-derrek-cooper">3. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/derrek-cooper-236125/">Derrek Cooper</a></h2>



School: Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) <a href="https://www.on3.com/high-school/chaminade-madonna-prep-hollywood-fl-19503/">Chaminade-Madonna</a> On3 Industry Ranking: No. 33 NATL.



The Skinny: The No. 2 player in Florida this cycle, Cooper is an elite runner and has garnered interest from the who’s who of college football. The 6-foot-0.5, 210-pounder has a lengthy official visit schedule lined up, with Auburn, Miami, Alabama, Georgia, Florida State and Ohio State all in the mix. The in-state Hurricanes are leading in the On3 RPM.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-kj-edwards">4. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/kj-edwards-162061/">KJ Edwards</a></h2>



School: <a href="https://www.on3.com/high-school/carthage-carthage-tx-21741/">Carthage</a> (Texas) On3 Industry Ranking: No. 42 NATL.



The Skinny: Quietly one of the top running backs in the nation, Edwards has had a local flavor to his recruitment. SMU, Texas A&M, Baylor and Texas are all battling to land the 5-foot-10 burner. He’s focused on staying in the Lone Star State and has locked in official visits to each of the four aforementioned programs. The Longhorns are trending heavily in the On3 RPM.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-tradarian-ball-oregon-commit">5. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/tradarian-ball-162750/">Tradarian Ball</a> — Oregon commit</h2>



School: Texarkana (Texas) <a href="https://www.on3.com/high-school/texas-high-texarkana-tx-12791/">Texas High</a> On3 Industry Ranking: No. 59 NATL.



Ball on his commitment: “I talked to my family about it they agreed with it,” <a href="https://www.on3.com/news/tradarian-ball-commits-oregon-dan-lanning/">Ball told On3’s Steve Wiltfong upon making his commitment public</a>. “I talked to my coaches and (former Oregon standout running back and Texarkana native) LaMichael James was a huge impact in this too. So I put a lot of trust in the coaches there and I’m ready to be a Duck.” … “Just the excitement about the school,” he said. “Coach Lanning is a great head coach. He’s a great coach all-around.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-jonathan-hatton-jr-texas-a-amp-m-commit">6. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/jonathan-hatton-jr-157975/">Jonathan Hatton Jr.</a> — Texas A&M commit</h2>



School: San Antonio <a href="https://www.on3.com/high-school/steele-cibolo-tx-3922/">Steele</a> On3 Industry Ranking: No. 79 NATL.



Hatton on his commitment: “I have had this feeling for a while,” <a href="https://www.on3.com/news/elite-rb-jonathan-hatton-jr-commits-to-texas-am-college-station-is-a-great-place-for-me/">Hatton told On3’s Chad Simmons</a>. “Texas A&M has been high on my list for some time, but I would say I knew 100% of my decision around a month and a half ago. I wanted to make sure and the more I thought about it, the more clear it became. Earlier this year, it just became clear Texas A&M was the place for me.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-brian-bonner">7. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/brian-bonner-239708/">Brian Bonner</a></h2>



School: Santa Clarita (Calif.) <a href="https://www.on3.com/high-school/valencia-valencia-ca-4482/">Valencia</a> On3 Industry Ranking: No. 102 NATL.



The Skinny: Earlier this month, Bonner announced that Notre Dame, Nebraska, UCLA, Washington and Penn State are his top five schools. He’s continued to see his stock rise ahead of his senior campaign and is still working to lock down a concrete official visit schedule. He took an OV to Washington over the weekend and the Huskies currently have the edge in the On3 RPM.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-8-javian-osborne">8. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/javian-osborne-157992/">Javian Osborne</a></h2>



School: <a href="https://www.on3.com/high-school/forney-forney-tx-9275/">Forney</a> (Texas) On3 Industry Ranking: No. 106 NATL.



The Skinny: It’s down to two for Osborne with a decision date looming. This Sunday, May 3, the four-star will choose between Michigan and Notre Dame. The No. 14 player in the state of Texas was at one time trending to U-M, but it’s the Fighting Irish that currently holds the momentum in the On3 RPM. Osborne is set to be the next big RB to come off the board. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-9-jae-lamar">9. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/jae-lamar-245290/">Jae Lamar</a></h2>



School: Moultrie (Ga.) <a href="https://www.on3.com/high-school/colquitt-county-moultrie-ga-10857/">Colquitt County</a> On3 Industry Ranking: No. 110 NATL.



The Skinny: The 5-foot-11, 205-pounder recently trimmed his list of top schools down to six, telling On3’s Hayes Fawcett that Auburn, Georgia, Clemson, Ohio State, Miami and Florida State are his finalists. He’s got official visits locked in with some of his top schools. A top-15 player in the Peach State, Lamar is currently trending to the in-state Bulldogs, per the On3 RPM.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-10-jonaz-walton">10. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/jonaz-walton-159202/">Jonaz Walton</a></h2>



School: Carrollton (Ga.) <a href="https://www.on3.com/high-school/central-carrollton-ga-16160/">Central</a> On3 Industry Ranking: No. 121 NATL.



The Skinny: Walton has announced a top 10, though contenders have began to emerge within that group. He logged an official visit to Stanford last week and is also set to take OVs to Alabama, Florida, Notre Dame and Tennessee. Official visits will play a major role for Walton as he continues to work towards his commitment. Alabama has a small lead in the On3 RPM.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-running-backs-no-11-20">Running Backs No. 11-20</h2>



11. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/shahn-alston-163200/">Shahn Alston</a> — USC commit 12. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/damarius-yates-241821/">Damarius Yates</a> 13. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/deshonne-redeaux-157519/">Deshonne Redeaux</a> — USC commit 14. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/favour-akih-246400/">Favour Akih</a> 15. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/messiah-mickens-154826/">Messiah Mickens</a> — Penn State commit



16. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/ryelan-morris-155560/">Ryelan Morris</a> — Baylor commit 17. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/christian-rhodes-246401/">Christian Rhodes</a> — SMU commit 18. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/carsyn-baker-239264/">Carsyn Baker</a> 19. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/tj-hodges-240134/">TJ Hodges</a> 20. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/javian-mallory-176059/">Javian Mallory</a> — Miami commit

Tradarian Ball, Jonathan Hatton, Shahn Alston

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