5 Junior College Running Backs To Watch
5 Junior College Running Backs To Watch
Junior college running backs likely to sign with D1 schools after 2017.
Looking for a junior college back who can make an immediate impact on your favorite FBS program in 2018? Look no further than these five bona fide gamebreakers with varying backgrounds.
Arizona Western College (Yuma, AZ)
A year after averaging 6.6 yards per carry en route to 1,187 yards in 11 games, Arizona Western's Greg Bell is among the most sought-after junior college players in the country as we head into the fall. The six-foot, 200-pound Bell was among a trio of Matadors to take an official visit to Louisville last month -- a Division I destination that would make a lot of sense for Bell considering the Cardinals currently have three senior running backs.
In addition to interest from Bobby Petrino and Co., Bell has an impressive list of suitors that includes Arizona, Utah, and Boise State.
Garden City Community College (Garden City, KS)
After leading Garden City to a national title in 2016, workhorse running back Tra Minter was transparent about his hope of making a quick jump to a four-year school -- with Texas Tech and Syracuse among those said to be interested in adding him to their backfields. Instead, Minter will be back in Garden City for his sophomore season, one year removed from compiling 1,255 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The versatile Minter was a late qualifier out of high school, which tempered interest and ultimately led him down the JUCO path. But with a repeat performance in 2017, it seems very likely that he'll be heading to a Power Five program in December with three years to play two.
Butler Community College (El Dorado, KS)
Originally designated as a class of 2017 prospect, Abrams will spend one more semester in Butler County, Kansas, to the delight of the Grizzlies. Abrams was already sitting on four offers heading into the summer (Charlotte, Louisiana-Lafayette, South Alabama, and Youngstown State) after rushing for 1,166 yards and nine scores last fall.
In May, he added a fifth offer -- this one from Colorado, which seems to have become the leader in the clubhouse by default, though the Kevon Abrams sweepstakes is far from finished.
Jones County Junior College (Ellisville MS)
The Netflix series "Last Chance U" has provided an insightful -- if occasionally overdramatic -- look at a level of college football that previously received little mainstream exposure. That being said, while cameras and storylines were focused on East Mississippi's suspended players in a week one loss at Jones, they largely glossed over arguably the best junior college back in the class of 2018. That would be Jones' Scott Phillips, who managed 91 yards on 22 carries in the upset of the Lions.
Phillips was under-recruited out of high school, but after ringing up 1,112 yards during his freshman season, the NJCAA All-American committed to Ole Miss this summer.
Hutchinson Community College (Hutchinson, KS)
One of the nation's top high school recruits from the class of 2016, Emmons rushed for 173 yards as a freshman at Alabama before suffering a foot injury against Texas A&M. As is typically the case for the Crimson Tide, the backfield is crowded with former five-star recruits, which ultimately led to Emmons' defection.
Emmons will be eligible to transfer to another FBS program following his first season in Hutchinson, and, assuming he regains the form that made him one of the country's most sought-after prep runners, it's safe to say he'll have plenty of landing spots available.
Greg Bell
6-foot | 190 pounds | UncommittedArizona Western College (Yuma, AZ)
A year after averaging 6.6 yards per carry en route to 1,187 yards in 11 games, Arizona Western's Greg Bell is among the most sought-after junior college players in the country as we head into the fall. The six-foot, 200-pound Bell was among a trio of Matadors to take an official visit to Louisville last month -- a Division I destination that would make a lot of sense for Bell considering the Cardinals currently have three senior running backs.
In addition to interest from Bobby Petrino and Co., Bell has an impressive list of suitors that includes Arizona, Utah, and Boise State.
Tra Minter
5-10 | 190 | UncommittedGarden City Community College (Garden City, KS)
After leading Garden City to a national title in 2016, workhorse running back Tra Minter was transparent about his hope of making a quick jump to a four-year school -- with Texas Tech and Syracuse among those said to be interested in adding him to their backfields. Instead, Minter will be back in Garden City for his sophomore season, one year removed from compiling 1,255 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The versatile Minter was a late qualifier out of high school, which tempered interest and ultimately led him down the JUCO path. But with a repeat performance in 2017, it seems very likely that he'll be heading to a Power Five program in December with three years to play two.
Kevon Abrams
5-10 | 185 | UncommittedButler Community College (El Dorado, KS)
Originally designated as a class of 2017 prospect, Abrams will spend one more semester in Butler County, Kansas, to the delight of the Grizzlies. Abrams was already sitting on four offers heading into the summer (Charlotte, Louisiana-Lafayette, South Alabama, and Youngstown State) after rushing for 1,166 yards and nine scores last fall.
In May, he added a fifth offer -- this one from Colorado, which seems to have become the leader in the clubhouse by default, though the Kevon Abrams sweepstakes is far from finished.
Scott Phillips
5-9 | 199 | Committed to Ole MissJones County Junior College (Ellisville MS)
The Netflix series "Last Chance U" has provided an insightful -- if occasionally overdramatic -- look at a level of college football that previously received little mainstream exposure. That being said, while cameras and storylines were focused on East Mississippi's suspended players in a week one loss at Jones, they largely glossed over arguably the best junior college back in the class of 2018. That would be Jones' Scott Phillips, who managed 91 yards on 22 carries in the upset of the Lions.
Phillips was under-recruited out of high school, but after ringing up 1,112 yards during his freshman season, the NJCAA All-American committed to Ole Miss this summer.
B.J. Emmons
6-0 | 206 | UncommittedHutchinson Community College (Hutchinson, KS)
One of the nation's top high school recruits from the class of 2016, Emmons rushed for 173 yards as a freshman at Alabama before suffering a foot injury against Texas A&M. As is typically the case for the Crimson Tide, the backfield is crowded with former five-star recruits, which ultimately led to Emmons' defection.
Emmons will be eligible to transfer to another FBS program following his first season in Hutchinson, and, assuming he regains the form that made him one of the country's most sought-after prep runners, it's safe to say he'll have plenty of landing spots available.