Who are the top 10 high school football running backs in the Gadsden area for 2023?
The high school football season is fast approaching, but the top 10 running backs in the Gadsden area might be faster.
The stable of running backs could be one of the deeper position groups in the Gadsden area. It sees two back-of-the-year nominees from last season and three All-State players. The Gadsden Times is ranking the top players at each position group in leadup to the start of the high school football season on August 24.
STEVE SMITH: Westbrook Christian football coach Steve Smith named in hazing lawsuit from his time at Piedmont
COOSA CHRISTIAN: Coosa Christian football ready to use semifinal loss as motivation entering 2023 season
10. Blaze Gerhart
Sardis, senior
Why chosen: Gerhart had 606 rushing yards and 125 receiving yards with a touchdown last season.
9. Rock Sainsbury
West End, senior
Why chosen: Sainsbury was a standout last year for West End, running for 912 yards and 13 touchdowns. He will once again be paired with Kane Lawson in the backfield.
8. Tristan Childers
Boaz, junior
Why chosen: Childers ran for 912 yards and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore.
7. TJ Worthy
Gadsden City, junior
Why chosen: Worthy ran for 654 yards and four touchdowns on 111 carries and will be taking on more of the load this year after splitting carries last season.
6. Kane Lawson
West End, senior
Why chosen: The West End senior ran for 670 yards and nine touchdowns while adding 360 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He totaled 1,300 all-purpose yards while splitting backfield duties with Sainsbury.
5. Legion McCrary
Pisgah, junior
Why chosen: The Pisgah standout had 1,500 yards and 20 touchdowns as a sophomore, helping lead the Eagles to the Class 2A semifinal round.
4. Mason Teague
Southside, junior
Why chosen: Teague ran for 1,443 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, and his coach believes it could be even better this season.
3. Carlos Mann
Geraldine, senior
Why chosen: Mann ran for 1,022 yards and 14 touchdowns on 122 carries while adding 508 yards and six touchdowns on 16 catches. He earned second team All-State honors.
2. Logan Anderson
Fyffe, junior
Why chosen: Anderson was a first team AHSAA Class 2A first team All-State selection and was a nominee for the back of the year award. Anderson ran for 1,820 yards and 32 touchdowns before suffering a knee injury in the state semifinal game.
1. Jacob Cornejo
Cherokee County, senior
Why chosen: Cornejo's playoff total of 1,400 yards would have gotten him a top-three selection on this list but he finished the season with more than 2,600 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns. With that came a list of honors including All-State, region and county, a Super All-state selection and 4A Back of the Year nomination.
This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Top 10 high school football running backs in the Gadsden area for 2023
