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Spring has arrived, meaning we’re just a few short months away from the 2025 high school football kicking off. That means it’s a perfect time for some preview action to prepare you for the upcoming season.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll have pieces highlighting certain position groups and the top area players in those groups to keep an eye on in the new season.
These lists will include area players who were statistically some of the area’s best in 2024. All submissions were also sent in with stats provided by their coaches.
On Tuesday, we highlighted the quarterbacks, but now it’s time to focus in on some of the guys who take punish opposing defenses. Here are 35 returning Nashville area running backs you need to keep an eye on during the 2025 season:
Jahkai Bonner Brown, Antioch, Sr.: Bonner Brown was a major contributor on the Bears’ high-powered attack last season, rushing for 613 yards on 101 carries.
Chelton Swafford, Beech, Sr.: Don’t be shocked if Swafford is mentioned as a Mr. Football candidate throughout the season. He’s coming off of a junior year that saw him rush for 1,186 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Fletcher Fields, BGA, Jr.: Fields basically does it all on the WIldcats’ offense. On the ground, he rushed for 450 yards and seven touchdowns, while also being a consistent receiving threat catching 35 passes for 557 yards and four more touchdowns.
Ethan Kellum, BGA, Sr.: Kellum was BGA’s workhorse back last season, rushing for 966 yards and 15 touchdowns on 123 carries.
Jabari Kemp, Blackman, Sr.: Kemp established himself as the Blaze’s top back in 2024, carrying the ball 138 times for 614 yards and five touchdowns.
Larry Sanders, Brentwood Academy, Jr: Sanders impressed as a sophomore, averaging more than five yards per carry with an impressive eight touchdowns.
Brayden Smithson, Cannon County, Sr.: Smithson had a very productive junior year as the Lions’ workhorse back, carrying the ball 125 times for 631 yards and nine touchdowns.
Rawls Patterson, CPA, Sr.: There may not be a back in the area entering the 2025 season with more momentum. Patterson capped off a remarkable junior season (1,593 yards, 18 touchdowns) by rushing for 336 yards and four touchdowns in the DII-AA championship.
Caden Stroud, Davidson Academy, Sr.: Stroud’s had a great career for the Bears and had a career season as a junior, carrying the rock 270 times for 1,483 yards and 15 touchdowns.
King Gardner, DCA, Jr.: Gardner was a weapon anytime he touched the ball for the Wildcats, racking up 1,252 yards and 15 touchdowns on 160 carries.
Kinnie Fuller, East Nashville, Sr.: When KJ Johnson went down early in the year, Fuller took over and thrived as the Eagles’ No. 1 back, carrying the ball 108 times for 1,253 yards and 11 touchdowns.
KJ Johnson, East Nashville, Sr.: Johnson was on track for a Mr. Football type of year before a season-ending injury four games in cut his year short. He was still able to account for 598 yards and five touchdowns on 52 carries.
Caleb McNeil, East Robertson, Sr.: McNeil was called upon to lead the Indians’ ground game when Isaiah Groves went down in Week 1. He thrived rushing for 790 yards and 11 touchdowns while also recording 72 tackles on defense.
EJ Gibson, Ensworth, Jr.: Gibson had an impressive sophomore season on a strong Tigers offense. He ran for 1,072 yards and nine touchdowns on 148 carries.
Jayden McGowan, Friendship Christian, Sr.: McGowan proved himself to be quite a capable back last season in Friendship’s smashmouth offense, rushing for 578 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior.
Cam Glenn, FRA, Jr.: Glenn was part of a two-headed monster for the Panthers backfield last season. He did his part, carrying the ball 67 times for 646 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Mike Hassell, FRA, Sr.: Hassell was FRA’s ‘Mr. Do-It-All’ last season. On offense, he carried the ball 72 times for 694 yards and 11 touchdowns while also catching 31 passes for 680 yards and five touchdowns. Defensively, he accounted for 46 tackles, three forced fumbles and two interceptions, while also returning three kickoffs for touchdowns..
Jemario Williams, Gordonsville, Sr.: When injuries began to hamper the Tigers’ offense, Williams took over, rushing for 718 yards and 10 touchdowns on 85 carries.
Zach Cartwright, Green Hill, Jr.: Cartwright became a massive contributor in an already potent Hawks offense, winning All-Region honors while rushing for 839 yards and nine touchdowns.
Brayden Hightower, Hillsboro, Sr.: Hightower put up solid numbers both on offense and defense for the Burros. Offensively, he rushed for 655 yards and five touchdowns while recording 53 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions on defense.
Jaylan Hill, Lawson, Sr.: Lawson was electric for the Lawson offense, rushing for 548 yards and five touchdowns as a junior.
Z Crockett, Lipscomb Academy, Sr.: Crockett was one of the leading rushers for a Mustang offense that really started to find its groove late in the season.
Alie Bangura, MTCS, So.: The Cougars found their star back in the freshman Bangura. On 137 carries, he rushed for 1,002 yards and eight touchdowns, earning All-Region and All-State honors.
Shy Murphy, MTCS, Jr.: Murphy adds another dynamic to what should be a really good MTCS backfield in 2025. Last year, he carried the ball 17 times for 472 yards and five touchdowns while also recording three receiving touchdowns.
TJ Ward, Nashville Christian, Sr.: Jared Curtis isn’t the only Eagle racking up Power Four offers. Ward didn’t get to play until late in the year due to the transfer rule, but made the most of his limited playing time with 61 carries for 653 yards and seven touchdowns.
Craig Tutt, Oakland, Sr.: With TT Hill and Daune Morris gone, it’s time for the 2024 615 Preps Large Class Player of the Year to fully lead the Patriots’ backfield. He excelled last year, rushing for 1,232 yards and 18 touchdowns while also accounting for 64 tackles and seven pass breakups on defense.
Colt Brown, Page, Sr.: A lot was made out of the Patriots’ defense last season, and for good reason, but their offense was just as potent. It starts on the ground and Brown was one of of their best rushing for 641 yards and five touchdowns.
Isaac Otey, Page, So.: Brown may have had the experience, but the Patriots also had a freshman phenom in Otey. He finished the year with 108 carries for 597 yards and nine touchdowns.
Omarion Starnes, Pearl-Cohn, Sr.: Javion Kinnard stole a lot of the headlines, and for good reason, but the Firebirds also had one of the area’s best junior backs in the backfield right beside him. Starnes was massive for Pearl-Cohn with 182 carries for 1,214 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Keilan Dalton, Portland, Sr.: Dalton did a bit of everything for the Panthers last season accounting for 1,382 all-purpose yards (934 rushing, 229 receiving, 219 returns) and 16 touchdowns (11 rushing, three receiving, one kick return, one defensive), while also recording 30.5 tackles.
Caden Pace, Ravenwood, Jr.: Pace was a great complement to the Raptors’ elite passing attack, balancing it out with 845 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Jaidon Hurst, Springfield, Sr.: Hurst had a monster 2024, carrying the ball 155 times for 1,239 yards and 12 touchdowns on a Yellow Jackets team that made it to the Class 5A semifinals.
Hicks Hunter, Sycamore, Sr.: Hunter was one of the area’s best in 2024, carrying the ball 208 times for 1,400 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Cale Hunt, White House Heritage, Sr.: Hunt was a great dual threat back last season for the Patriots. He rushed for 1,083 yards and eight touchdowns while also catching 31 passes for 244 yards and four more touchdowns.
Chaz Martin, Wilson Central, Sr.: Martin had a solid 2024, with 550 all purpose yards and five total touchdowns capping off an all-region season.
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