SC ’26 Running Backs Class Solid From Top To Bottom
Running Backs at the 2025 HSSR Media Day.
By Neill Kirkpatrick
Special to the HSSR
Goose Creek – South Carolina has a long history of producing some outstanding running backs and the 2026 class will continue that trend as there are several backs poised to add to their impressive career totals.
The past couple of years three running backs have joined the exclusive 6,000 plus career yards in Midland Valley’s Traevon Dunbar (23), BHP’s Marguise Henderson (24), and South Aiken’s Jevon Henderson (24). Dunbar rushed for over 6,500 yards aided by a 3000-plus his senior year. Henderson, now at Clemson, ushed for 6,580 yards and Jevon led them all with 6,689 yards.
They joined the states all time leading rusher Demetrius Summers (Lexington) 9,076 yards, Derek Watson (Palmetto) 6,766 yards and John LaBoard (Middleton) 6,500 yards.
This season the top-rated running back and one of the top ten players in the state by the HSSR are ready to join that exclusive group in Thomas Heyward Academy’s Tony O’Banner
O’Banner (6-1,215) has been one of the top athletes in SCISA since 2020 when he rushed for over 800 yards and scored 10 touchdowns and averaged 11.6 points per game and six rebounds as an 8th grader. He is big strong back who runs through contact has excellent vision and reads his blocks well. He has good speed (4.56) and can score from any time he touches the football. A very versatile player who as sophomore played quarterback throwing for over 900 yards. A diamond in the rough where people will question his competition but as an 8th grader he rushed for 74 yards, averaging 6.4 yards per carry against AAAA Bluffton.
Heading into his senior season O’Banner can become just the second running back in state history to rush for over 7,000 yards. He has 5,882 yards, averaging over 10 yards a carry and has averaged over 2,000 yards the past two season so 8,000 yards it not out of the question. He presently has an offer from Liberty but several schools have shown interest. Some colleges also like him as an outside linebacker.
O’Banner scored two touchdowns on runs of 52 and 48 yards in the SCISA Class A state championship game this past November against Williamsburg Academy. Despite being the focus of all 11 defenders in the game, O’Banner was literally untouched by any opposing player on one of his TD’s runs out of the Wildcat formation. Both SC and Clemson are maintaining interest in O’Banner along with Duke. He carries a 3.7 GPA in the class room.
Note: Former Mountain View Prep running back Jaylen McGill had been a top 10 RB in the HSSR 2026 class of running backs, but he reclassified to the 2025 class and he is now at North Carolina. One source close to the family said McGill received a $1.2 NIL offer to enroll a year early with the Tar Heels.
Gaffney’s Jaiden McDowell (5-10, 165) is the 16th ranked player in the state and the second highest rated running back by the HSSR. McDowell had a solid freshman year for the Indians but as a sophomore he was named the Region 2 AAAAA offensive player of the year. After rushing for 1313 yards and 13 touchdowns while grabbing 45 passes for 548 yards another four scores. Last season was cut short due to injuries but the Mercer commit is expecting a big senior season.
“Jadien was slowed with an injury last year and missed the majority of his junior season. I hope his senior year compliments or is an extension of his 10th grade year,” said Gaffney head coach Donnie Littlejohn. “His strengths are his vision, breakaway speed, confidence and experience coming in as a 4-year starter.”
Ashley Ridges Ryan Campbell (5-9, 185) is the 48th ranked player in the HSSR top 100. He comes to Ashley Ridges after spending his first three seasons at rival Fort Dorchester where he rushed for over 1800 yards and 18 touchdowns. He brings blazing speed to the Swamp Fox backfield this season. He runs a 4.31 forty and has clocked at 10.07 in the 100 meters. He has great vision in the hole and reads the play and blocks well. He can score from anywhere on the field. He has several offers: Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Colorado State, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, UConn, Wake Forest, and West Virginia.
Batesburg-Leesville’s Amandre Wooden (5-11, 205) checks at 59th in the HSSR top 100. He is ranked as the top returning player in the Midlands by The State newspaper. He used his 4.4 speed to rush for the third highest single season rushing yards in Batesburg-Leesville history with 2138 yards and 26 touchdowns. He rushed for over 300 yards against Andrew Jackson in the AA play-offs. He has
“I have worked on my ball security and running behind my pads this summer because I had a couple of fumbles last year when the tackler got lower than me,” said Wooden. “We want to win state this year so we can leave a legacy like past teams.”
North Augusta’s Michael Doe (5-9, 190) is another speed demon who rushed for 1828 yards and 32 touchdowns a year ago. He has committed to Gardner Webb after getting offers from several other schools. He checks in as the 66th best player by the HSSR.
Kingstree’s Tyleek Dukes (6, 200) is coming off a break year where he rushed for 1798 yards and 21 touchdowns for the Blazers. He ranked 92nd by the HSSR. He got his first offer from Presbyterian over the summer and is hearing from Navy and Coastal Carolina.
Former coach Brian Smith said, “Tyleek has great vision and balance to go with excellent speed. He was one of the best players I’ve coached but he is even a better person.”
Dukes talked with the HSSR at media day about his goals and said, “I want to do the same thing I did my junior year and play with my brothers and go out with a bang. I trained a lot over the summer to get bigger, stronger, and faster and I can’t wait to get started.”
A couple of seniors who are under the radar are Clinton’s Javen Cook (5-7, 175) and Andrew’s AJ Lee (5-10, 190). Cook rushed for 1824 yards and 21 touchdowns. He has 2191 career yards and with another season like last year and he could top 4000 yards for his career.
Lee came on strong his sophomore year as he led the Yellowjackets in rushing after an injury to Touchtone North/ South all-star Lavon White with 1257 yards and followed that up with a team high 1467 yards. He can also top the 4000 career yards with another strong campaign. He is currently hearing from SC State, Erskine, and Coastal Carolina.
Andrews head coach Scott Durham said about AJ, “ We just need him to be the best version of himself that he can be. We don’t need him to be superman, we just need him to be AJ and he will have a great year.”
The HSSR asked AJ what his goals for this year, “I want to make all my stats count. I’m really going for 2500 yards this year. I plan to show out with my teammates in my senior year. I want to play at the next level so I’m going to what I have to do to get noticed.”
Some other senior to watch are Nehemiah Brown (5-11, 180) of Barnwell, Brayden Williams (5-11,175) of Saluda, Damais Seegars (5-11,175), Terrance Wilson (5-10,200) of Lake City, and Domonick Felton (5-11,170) of Dillon.
In the SCISA ranks there are some very good returning running backs in Dorchester Academy’s John Whetsell (5-11,200), Beaufort Academy’s Nych Underwood (5-10,190), Saint John’s Christian’s Dor Reichley (5-9, 185), and Northwood’s Academy Kaven Ford (5-8, 180). All if this backs ran for over 1500 yards last season with Whetsell leading the bunch with 1752 yards.
Northwood’s head coach Johnny Waters said of Kaven, “We expect a big year this year from Kaven as he will not have to share the ball as much this year. He is an unselfish player who works hard every day to get better.”
The junior class could be one of the strongest in recent memory as four of the HSSR’s top 25 players are running backs in #5 Jayven Williams (5-8,165) Summerville, #6 Trenton Lynch (5-9,185) Spartanburg, David Segarra #9 (5-10, 205) Byrnes and Josiah Mosley #24 (5-10,165) Wren. Willaims rushed for over 2000 yards for the Green Wave last season.
Northwestern’s Zymier Gordon-Miles (6,200) is another junior to watch. He ran for over 1200 yards in the Trojans pass happy offense.
Also, in the junior class (2026) are Cross’s Mah’ky Green (5-9,170) and Gray Collegiate’s Travon Williamson (6-1,214). Williamson transferred from Gilbert and his head coach De’Angelo Bryant told the HSSR that he reminds him of another back he has coached in Traevon Dunbar.
