1. Andrew Grinde - CMR - 5'11", 210 lbs. (Pitre, Cramsey, and Kempt all follow Andrew on Twitter)
The kid has it all with maybe the exception of height. He runs with speed, power, and agility between and outside the tackles. Catches the ball out of the backfield well. Good pass blocker. Punishing blocker on outside runs. Very intelligent young man who is leaning towards Ivy league schools such as Harvard, Yale, and Columbia. If a Montana school were to get him, he would have the chance of being an immediate contributor. Bobcat comparison: Cody Kirk.
2. Sean Opland - Troy - 6'0", 200 lbs.
Some may say that Sean doesn't belong this high but he has the size of the other running backs and he is the fastest runner of the group. His upright running style reminds of Bobcat HOF - Ryan Johnson. Sean had a chance to take home the gold in all three sprints (100, 200, 400) at State Class B this year but only won the 200 while losing the 100 and 400 by a small margin. His team may not be very good but that is what makes his tape that much more fun to watch. He literally has to break a tackle every time he touches the ball. In his tape, you see a player who knows how to get to the edge and, at times, with authority. His best play exemplifying this comes at 1:05 in his video. He turns the corner and is gone without anyone touching him. Sean is not afraid to deliver a blow and he has tremendous break away speed (he does both often in his video). He has shown plenty to be regarded as one of the best running backs in the state this next year. Sean should have the versatility to play defense too with his speed and size. Bobcat comparison: Ryan Johnson.
3. Conner Bokma - DGS - 6'1", 210 lbs. (Cramsey follows him on Twitter)
I could have put Michael Banna (Missoula Big Sky) and Alex Draper (Hamilton) in front of Conner. Both are big, bruising fullback/H-back types from the AA and A ranks that show plenty of ability to play at the Division 1 level. Conner plays in 6-man so versatility is the name of the game...and this is what separates Conner from Michael and Alex. Not only do I believe he is a good running back, but I believe he is a good wide receiver, outside linebacker, and safety. He doesn't really have a set position but I think his best position is a push between running back and outside linebacker. He excels at using his hands on both side of the ball (catching, breaking tackles, and shedding blocks). He has decent speed and above average athleticism. The reason Rhett Young made the Bobcats was not only because he had size for the league, but also because he was versatile. I believe Conner would be a great get. He can play about four positions. Bobcat comparison: Rhett Young/Cole Moore.
4. Michael Banna - 6'0", 225 lbs.
Michael is your classic fullback. Big, physical who runs downhill. Not as fluid of an athlete as the rest of the running backs on this list but still good enough to play at Division 1. Shows good hands out of the backfield. Lacks speed but makes up for it by fighting for every yard. I have been told he lives in the weight room and is a very hard worker. Because of his height, I don't really know what his role would be in a Tim Cramsey offense. If he increased his speed enough, he could definitely make it as an H-back or maybe even as a normal RB but I don't see him converting to Tight End. A true player comparison for him would be ex-Griz Dan Moore due to his size and playing style. There is always room on a roster for a kid who works his tail off and has the physical tools to boot. If he has a big year next year (>1500 total yards), he should be on the radar. Bobcat comparison: C.J. Palmer.
5. Alex Draper - 6'0", 205 lbs.
Love Alex's offensive film from his junior year. He has some of the best feet and balance of the group. For a bigger runner, he runs under control which means he has good vision even if he is in a crowd and knows where the soft spots are in the defense. He also shows good lateral movement, showing a knack for making defenders miss in the open field without top end speed. Has great hands and he proves that with a nice one-handed catch at about 1:26 on his tape. He plays linebacker well but I think he is a better running back. He is smaller than Chad Newell but he plays just like him. I don't think people give Chad enough credit for being a good OVERALL running back instead of just a big, bruiser. Chad is a great athlete who also has steadily improved his balance and feet for the position every year. However, like Chad, Alex knows when to lower his shoulder and the results are usually in his favor. Bobcat comparison: Chad Newell.
6. Kyle Harrington - 6'0", 180 lbs.
Butte Central was a powerhouse last year that ended in heartbreak in the State title game against Dillon. They were a smash-mouth team with a stingy defense led by Marcus Ferriter. They also had a workhorse running back named Kyle Harrington that some say was the heart of the offense. Kyle has sprinter speed but he is not the tackle breaker like some of the others on this list (even though he can still make plenty of guys miss). However, Kyle is that kid in high school that doesn't look big but when you hit him it hurts. I was at the Whitefish semifinal game last year where I got to see all these kids play. Kyle ran for 238 yards in this game with about 150 coming before halftime. He probably shouldn't have played in the second half due to injury but he gutted it out for another 80 yards after halftime including a long touchdown run to seal the victory. This kid is what you would call a "gamer." He turned it on hard in the playoffs. Basically a 4.0 student, Kyle is an intelligent kid. He also has a special bond with his brother which you can read about in this article. Bobcat comparison: Gunnar Brekke.
http://buttesports.com/brother-inspires ... greatness/
7. Thomas Trefney - 6'0", 198 lbs.
Productive is a good way to describe Thomas. Started at RB last year for Kalispell Glacier and he was a big part of that high-powered offense. In the State AA Championship game, Thomas had himself a day with a 4 td, 202 yard performance. Thomas knows how to read his blocks and make the right cut to get the extra yardage. He caught a ton of balls out of the backfield last year (most were on screens). The odd thing is that for a runner who can cut so well, he runs a little stiff when in the open field. He can still make guys miss but he isn't as fluid as an athlete. He doesn't have the sprinter speed of the guys like Sean Opland or Kyle Harrington and that may hurt his stock going into his senior season with the two in-state schools. However, if Thomas keeps up the production and keeps improving, the sky may be the limit on what he can accomplish because the frame of a good running back is there. He actually may be able to play a little wide receiver if needed. Anyway, he may not be a Big Sky prospect quite yet but he is definitely good enough to attract the attention of the NAIA schools in Montana. Bobcat Comparison: Noah James.
8. Chris Park - 5'7", 180 lbs.
Every list needs the short running back that packs a punch and Chris Park is that kid. Chris is part of a Whitefish team that is going to be extremely tough to beat next year. His running mate in the backfield is Brian Fauntleroy but I believe Chris is more talented than Brian on the offensive side of the ball (Brian is a standout Safety). He is only 5'7" but he is not afraid to lay the wood to an opposing defender. A big part of his game is his intensity he brings to each game. Chris plays with a lot of passion and it shows on the field. He is a good receiver out of the backfield. However, he lacks elite sprinter speed (same problem as Thomas Trefney). Overall, he is a solid high school running back that knows how to find the endzone. He may have a chance at a preferred walk-on spot if he has a big senior season but he has a steep climb against the other top running backs in the state. He is a borderline NAIA guy right now. The biggest thing Chris has going for him is his passion for the game. A good quality to have! Bobcat comparison: Demetrius Crawford.
Guys who missed the cut:
Justin May - Chester Joplin Inverness (will probably fit WR better in college)
Bridger Coffman - Sidney (good back who can bust a big run; a good wrestler; lacks size)
Luke Weber - Forsyth (Champion wrestler; lacks size)
Josh McCracken - Kalispell Flathead (Chris Park barely beat him out; McCracken is a solid back with decent speed)
Nick Winfield - Helena High (May be transferring to Jefferson for his senior year)
Angus Lund - Wibaux (from a Class C power; keeping an eye on his senior year)
Good enough to be in the top 8?
Balue Chapman - starts at running back for Bozeman but he will most likely be a defensive player in college and he may even move their full-time for his senior season.
Brian Fauntleroy - like I said in the Chris Park post, Brian is a better defensive player
