National Scouting Sleeper Report: 2022, ’23, ’24 Fullbacks
We are back with our second edition of PrepRedzone’s National Scouting Sleeper Report focusing on the position of fullback! After publishing our 2021 report last week we are going to finish things up by checking in on some fullbacks from the 2022,…
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Continue ReadingWe are back with our second edition of PrepRedzone’s National Scouting Sleeper Report focusing on the position of fullback! After publishing our 2021 report last week we are going to finish things up by checking in on some fullbacks from the 2022, 2023, and even the 2024 class. There are some heavy-hitters in this feature, and all of these preps would make for great fullbacks at the collegiate level. Let’s take a look at some of the featured athletes, breakdown the strengths in their game, and try and predict what level they could potentially play at in college. Thanks for reading!
2022s
Brigham Evans (Heritage Hall, OK) 2022. 6’2, 190 lbs. @evans_brigham – The first of several Oklahoma 2022s to make this list, Evans is slightly undersized for the position but is still a physical blocker who is a good finisher and can block from the H-back or FB position and has great leg drive and tremendous effort. Also has a ton of game at the LB position and flies around at whatever spot he’s at. In terms of the FB position I think he could do it at the DII level, but his game as a LB has D1 potential written on it.
Jeston Gilliam (Plainview, OK) 2022. 6’2, 220 lbs. @JestonGilliam – Has a fullback specific highlight which I loved to see. He plays from the traditional backfield fullback position with great size at the high school level. He looks like a great athlete running the football and possesses some great quickness to go along with a mean stiff-arm and the obvious power a kid of his size can run with. He’s also dangerous as a pass-catcher out of the backfield and has great hands and can run screens as well as deeper and intermediate routes. It’s obvious he’s a great athlete for his size. As a blocker he plays with low pad level and good effort, and shows good hand placement and the strength to be a strong and consistent finisher. He could play fullback at the Division 1 level, and potentially the FBS.
Seth Spady Seth Spady 6'3" | LB Hinton | 2022 State OK (Hinton, OK) 2022. 6’2, 245 lbs. @seth_spady – Goes beastmode in the first highlight of his 4 game 2020 tape and evades a backfield tackle attempt, surprising the defense, and takes off down the field for a long TD. He’s built like a lineman but runs like a natural ball-carrier and is a tremendous athlete for his size who also doubles as Hinton’s MLB. He’s got great contact balance and lower-body strength and can break off big runs with his crazy combo of size, strength, and speed. Also a dominant MLB. Could definitely play fullback at the FBS level.
James Maguire James Maguire 6'3" | DL Piedmont | 2022 State OK (Piedmont, OK) 2022. 6’2, 250 lbs. @James_Maguire44 – Great size for the position who doubles as a disruptive, strong-tackling, and technically sound DE.
Montre Samuels-Parker (Jenks, OK) 2022. 6’, 245 lbs. @Montre44samuels – Plays standup FB in the backfield for Jenks, and is an aggressive and explosive blocker with a ton of pop who will fire through the hole and stick LBs right in the chest. Shows great bend in his second role as an OLB. Also a nice pass-catcher out of the backfield and can swipe across formations in a more HB role. Love his pop overall. He could play FB at the D1 level and I think at an FBS program.
Ryan Shields Ryan Shields 6'2" | LB Weatherford | 2022 OK (Weatherford, OK) 2022. 6’2, 215 lbs. Also displays himself as a rangy, hard-to-block LB, Shields has some game as a FB as well.
Mitchel Jaskowiak (Glencoe-Silver Lake, MN) 2022. 6’3, 220 lbs. @Jaskowiak2M – The early pick for the best fullback in the 2022 class in my homestate of Minnesota, Jaskowiak is a massive fullback prospect who plays some RB as well and is a long-strider who covers a ton of ground and has some massive, hard-to-tackle legs that he uses to violently run over tackle attempts. Lines up all over the field for GSL, including as an HB and at WR – where he made some really impressive catches. As a fullback and blocker he displays good run-blocking technique I love how he gets his hands inside and feet pumping, and he has a good amount of pop and finishes plays through the whistle. He’s strong enough to completely crumple DBs and move LBs far downfield. He’s just so versatile and athletic that I think he could play fullback at the FBS level.
Carson Joe Carson Joe 5'10" | 200 lbs | LB South Medford | 2022 State OR (South Medford, OR) 2022. 5’10, 215 lbs. @carson_35_joe – Bowling ball of a fullback prospect who can make an impact in the passing game and is shifty and powerful as a ball-carrier after the catch. He’s a really dangerous pass catcher who can do a lot of different things out of the backfield who is a strong lead blocker as well. That is all from his sophomore tape from last year, as Oregon’s 2020 season has been delayed to the Spring. Looks like he could play at potentially the FCS level as a fullback, and forsure at the DII level.
Royce Fasel Royce Fasel 6'0" | 225 lbs | LB Glencoe | 2022 State OR (Glencoe, OR) 2022. 6’, 225 lbs. @Royce_tmfasel – Also has seen his 2020 season delayed to the Spring, but in his sophomore tape from 2019 he shows he can run the rock really well for a 225 lber. and has a great mix of finesse and straight up power. He’s got a massive truck stick and can move piles of defenders with a strong and constant leg drive and a nonstop determination through the whistle. He’s a tremendous runner for his size and primarily plays tailback as a prep, but shows a unique blend of size and athleticism that could help him play FB at the D1 level. He can also play RB at the D1 level it looks like.
Jayden Giles (Dakota, MI) 2022. 5’11, 225 lbs. @jaydengiles33 – In his junior season tape from 2020 the Michigan native shows a FB keen on finding defenders around the play who has a great understanding of leverage and a love for finishing defenders into the turf. He uses his hands well from both the FB position and his DL role, and I really like how he finds work as a blocker and is extremely hard to move out and disengage from. He could FB at the DII or FCS level.
Javeon Lyons Javeon Lyons 5'10" | 250 lbs | LB Godwin Heights | 2022 MI (Godwin Heights, MI) 2022. 5’10, 230 lbs. @lyons_javeon – Stocky and strong two-way player who is explosive and powerful from both the FB and LB positions.
Carter Dewberry (Shawnee Mission South, KS) 2022. 6’1, 200 lbs. @DewberryCarter – The Kansas native is a good athlete who can catch the ball out of the backfield and is fun to watch run and slip through tacklers with the ball in his hands. He’s long, shifty, and has a strong lower body. Not a lot of fullback related highlights.
Garrin Sattler Garrin Sattler TE GFRed River | 2022 State (Grand Forks Red River, ND) 2022. 5’11, 205 lbs. @GarrinSattler – Strong and well-built traditional fullback who is shifty with good vision as a ball-carrier and has some good speed for his size. As a blocker he’s a total mauler who closes space quickly and uses great technique to make putting defenders on their backs look easy. He’s got a lot of power behind his pads and seeks out contact. Also has a nasty streak and so no problem laying on would-be tacklers and reminding them who put them on their butts. I really like his game as a fullback, and he could easily play it at the DII level. If he adds some more weight he could play some FCS ball at the position too.
Darren Richardson (Iowa City, IA) 2022. 6’, 205 lbs. @24_DRichardson – Strong ball-carrier who lines up in the traditional backfield FB position, and is a ferocious blocker once he gets hands on or initiates contact. He’s got great leg-drive with quick feet and good vision, and explodes out of his 3-point stance. I love watching him run people over too, and in his junior tape there sure is a lot of that. He’s really tough to bring down and plays the game of football with a lot of violence, as it should. I think he could be a D1 FCS fullback.
Jace Ulrich (Fort Dodge, IA) 2022. @UlrichJace – I really wish I could find a height/weight for Ulrich, as he is built like an OG, wears #90 at times in his highlight tape, and moves like a kid much smaller than his appearance shows. He lines up all over the field for Fort Dodge High School and is one of the best blocker son this entire list. He can move and get out in space really quickly, and moves to the second and third level of defenses efficiently and is always looking for work. He is also extremely powerful, and when combined with his unreal effort and hand-placement you get a lot of injured defenders being put into the turf. I am a really big fan of his game and I think he could be a FCS or potentially FBS fullback in college.
Josh Jacobson (Lakeville South, MN) 2022. 6′, 180 lbs. @JoshJacobson725 – Playing for the #1 ranked big-school program in MN, Jacobson plays in the offenses FB role but is built and runs like a RB. However, he still blocks like a fullback, and is a vicious lead-blocker who can get a full head of steam and runs straight into defenders chests with a ton of force and pop. He has a strong lower body and also possesses the ability to run past tacklers or right through him. It’s tough to predict what level of college football he could play at, but it easily seems he could play DII scholarship ball in an offensive backfield.
Chris Gordon (Frostproof, FL) 2022. 5’10, 220 lbs. @chrisgordon9_ – The Florida native gets out of his stance explosively and shows off some good vision as a ball-carrier. I like his balance through contact, leg drive, and hand placement as a blocker. He’s well built to boot and he could play DII ball as a fullback.
Mikey Leonardo (Jesuit, FL) 2022. 6’2, 230 lbs. @MikeyLeonardo – More of a TE, but he does line up in the HB positions on the wing and is a more than willing blocker with great technique and the strength to move DL, LB, and DBs out of the way of his ball-carriers. Has some great hands and runs good routes to boot. If he wanted to play fullback he could do it at the D1 level.
Darius Givance Darius Givance 6'2" | 200 lbs | RB Champlin Park | 2022 State MN (Champlin Park, MN) 2022. 6’2, 200 lbs. @DariusGivance – Another big-school MN product who is a strong lead-blocker that can send smaller defenders flying, Givance lines up all over the field and can run, block, and catch out of the backfield. He sticks his facemask right into the chest of defenders, and is a powerful runner with the ball in his hands. When he’s lead blocking he shoots out of his stance like a cannon and eats up space quickly and gets toe to toe with defenders in seemingly no time. He’s got great technique and physicality at the point of contact as well. You can tell he likes hitting people, and has made some big strides from his sophomore to now junior season. If he adds more weight he can play fullback at the D1 level.
Aaron Grant (Germantown, WI) 2022. 5’8, 235 lbs. @AaronKingGrant2 – The Germantown junior is electric with the ball in his hands, and at 5’8, 235 lbs. he has a vast array of moves as a ball-carrier, including some shifty jukes and a sweet spin move that he displayed a couple of times. He’s built low to the ground and has great balance and throws some high-effort, big-time blocks when leading ball-carriers. I love watching him play football out of the backfield, and he can do a lot of different things as a RB or FB. If I was a FCS coach I would check this kid out as a fullback, but he can definitely play some DII ball. He’s a unique athlete at his size.
Jason Albritton Jason Albritton 5'10" | 220 lbs | RB Lithia Newsome | 2022 FL (Newsome, FL) 2022. 5’10, 215 lbs. @JAlbrittonRb10 – Unreal balance as a ballcarrier and lays the wood defenders are trying to tackle him. He’s got a ton of burst as well, and has the leg strength of a 215 lber. when toting the rock. He primarily plays RB but runs so hard he can definitely play fullback at the next level, and possibly the D1 level.
Jamon Garrett (Gibbs, FL) 2022. 5’10, 200 lbs. @JamonGarrett – There’s a lot of strength and power when meeting in the hole against opposing LBs and he hits hard enough where it seems to freeze defenders in place when he sticks them. Also one of – if not the only – FB on this list to display some pass-pro ability, and he is a nasty finisher and put multiple kids violently into the turf. He also has some quick feet and is an asset out of the backfield. He could play some scholarship DII or possibily FCS ball as a fullback.
Bryce Pazdel (Vacaville Chrsitian, CA) 2022. 6’2, 205 lbs. @b_pazdel – Doesn’t have updated highlights for 2020.
Layne Self (Leesville, LA) 2022. 5’10, 200 lbs. – Really shifty, bouncy, and balanced fullback who is filled out for 200 lbs. and makes some impressive and fun to watch runs with the ball in his hands. He can catch the ball out of the backfield and is a playmaker at the position who is very hard for one single tackler to bring down.
2023s
Ethan Kneip (Chippewa Valley, MI) 2023. 5’8, 200 lbs. @Ethan66383179 – Looks like he’s starting both ways as a sophomore and plays with a lot of power and looks all of 200 pounds as only a sophomore. He’s got some powerful leg-drive and some good moves as a ballcarrier, and when he drops his shoulder he can put a hurtin’ on would-be tacklers. It’s too early to predict where underclassman can play in college, but he’s got a lot of promise and potential in his game and has some good football in-front of him.
David Gauderman David Gauderman 6'2" | 225 lbs | ATH Wittenberg-Birnamwood | 2023 State WI (Wittenberg-Birnamwood, WI) 2023. 6’2, 230 lbs. @Dg2Drippy – The #1 ranked recruit in the entire 2023 class of Wisconsin, Gauderman plays all over the field and moves incredibly well for a kid of his size. He is a powerful kid who absolutely levels kids as a blocker, and is a great athlete who can slip through weaker tackles and has some good moves that can shake defenders out of their shoes if needs to. When he goes all in on a block or all in with full contact, there isn’t a player he goes against in Wisconsin that can resist and withstand him, and as a fullback he puts kids into the dirt with ease. Has laid some massive hits this season sending opposing players flying sometimes out of screen.
Brian Fitzsimmons (Bishop Ready, OH) 2023. 5’10, 190 lbs. @Bfitzz23 – Ran for 660 yards and 13 TDs in 2020 and shows off some great vision and and power through contact. Primarily plays RB but does do some lead blocking and does not shy away from contact. He’s a nasty finisher with good technique when they need him to block.
2024s
Ty Vinson (Warner, OK) 2024. 5’10, 175 lbs. @TyVinson47 – The freshman Oklahoma native played some varsity this season and displayed an ability to catch out of the backfield and has some good blocking technique. Lined up at a few different spots on the offense as well.
Justin Kramer (Parkway Christian, MI) 2024. 5’11, 205 lbs. @JustinKramer26 – Already has tremendous size for the fullback position as only a 14-15 year old, the Michigan native got varsity reps and is a strong runner with great leg drive already. He’s a really promising future collegiate fullback prospect.