Once again, it was tough trying to choose the 10 best running backs in the state. There are at least 20 running backs in the state of Georgia who could have made our list, which means some really good backs are not listed here. Here are our choices for the top 10 running backs entering the 2026 Georgia high school football season.
1. Kevin Hartsfield | Newton | C/O 2028
Our No. 1 running back is Kevin Hartsfield of Newton.
Hartsfield is the No. 1 rated back in the 247Sports composite ranking of all running backs in the 2028 class with a .9803 score. While most national recruiting services consider him a four-star prospect, recruiting analyst Tom Lemming considers Hartsfield a rare five-star rated talent.
Hartsfield rushed for just over 2,000 yards in his first two seasons of high school ball, including last year’s 1,300 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.
The junior currently has approximately 50 offers with two years of high school eligibility still remaining.
2. Marquis Fennell | Valdosta | C/O 2027
Our No. 2 running back is a senior and one-of-two players in our top 10 list hailing from the same school.
Marquis Fennell could have just as easily been considered for our top 10 at the athlete position with approximately 2,500 all-purpose yards last season. However, most of his damage comes out of the backfield with 1,480 rushing yards and 764 receiving yards with 33 combined touchdowns in 2025. Fennell was named the 2025 Region 1-6A Offensive Player of the Year.
The talented Valdosta running back has already committed to Oregon State.
3. Nigel Newkirk | Gainesville | C/O 2027
Nigel Newkirk is now with Gainesville after spending two seasons at Ola. The senior reportedly had about three dozen offers but decided to commit to Alabama for college.
He’s coming off a junior season that saw him rush for right at 1,500 yards and 19 touchdowns on 184 carries. He has 39 career rushing touchdowns over his three seasons with Ola.
4. Andrew Beard | Prince Avenue Christian | C/O 2027
Jerry “Andrew” Beard II has made our top 10 running backs list for the second straight year.
As we reported last year, he’s not just one of the state’s top running backs, but he’s also a great receiver out of the backfield. He has proven that over the past two seasons with 3,229 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns, plus 975 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Add to that 574 return yards and three touchdowns as a kick and punt returner, and it’s easy to see how Beard could be a top-10 athlete in addition to a top running back.
Beard has committed to the Florida Gators.
5. Brayden Tyson | Brookwood | C/O 2027
Brookwood running back Brayden Tyson makes our top-10 list for a second consecutive season. He has rushed for over 4,000 yards in three seasons with the Broncos with 46 career touchdowns. He has also been an effective receiver out of the backfield, catching 46 passes for 645 yards.
The senior has committed to South Carolina.
6. Deron Foster | Valdosta | C/O 2027
The second Valdosta Wildcat on our list of top 10 running backs entering the 2026 Georgia high school football season is senior Deron Foster.
Foster is coming off a 2025 season in which he rushed for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also had 148 receiving yards with two touchdowns.
Foster has committed to Oregon State, and together with teammate Fennell, they form one of the most formidable rushing duos on any team in Georgia heading into 2026.
7. Moonie Gipson | Kell | C/O 2027
Quinterrius “Moonie” Gipson is one of the state’s top running backs, and the Kell senior has the stats to back up the four-star rating.
Gipson rushed for 1,918 yards last season with 25 touchdowns, giving him a career total of 4,343 rushing yards and 54 touchdowns. He also has 531 receiving yards with eight touchdowns over his career.
Gipson recently chose Georgia Tech as his college football home, going with the Yellow Jackets over Auburn and Virginia Tech.
8. Austin Stinson | Houston County | C/O 2027
Austin Stinson is preparing for his senior season with the Houston County Bears after enjoying two seasons as one of the state’s top rushers and receivers out of the backfield. He has 1,598 rushing yards along with 623 receiving yards for a total of 2,221 yards combined for the Bears.
Stinson has committed to Colorado State.
9. Zachary Belyeu | North Cobb | C/O 2028
Zachary Belyeu is a Class of 2028 running back who was featured by ITG Next as one of the top TD machines heading into the 2026 season with 27 touchdowns last year. He has 42 career touchdowns in his first two seasons.
College recruiters have taken notice, with Belyeu having received an estimated 30-plus offers.
He also rushed for over 1,100 yards in each of his two seasons playing high school ball so far.
10. Gary Walker | Creekside | C/O 2027
Gary Walker is heading into his senior season with the defending Class 4A state champion Creekside Seminoles.
Walker, a Clemson commit, was a big reason for the Seminoles’ undefeated season in 2025, rushing 178 times for 1,669 yards and 20 touchdowns.
