Breaking down the top RB classes in the 2027 cycle so far
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The 2027 recruiting cycle has moved incredibly fast this summer and that’s led to myriad decisions from the nation’s top prospects. That’s especially evident when looking at the running back position.
According to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies, 85 of the top 100 RB prospects in the cycle are already committed, as of July 3. That includes 41 of the top 50, 21 of the top 25 and eight of the top 10.
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A slew of programs have landed a burner this cycle, but which schools are loading up with talent at the position? Rivals breaks down the top 2027 running back classes coming out of an action-packed month of visits and decisions.
LSU
4-star Tre Segarra (No. 128 NATL., No. 7 RB)
4-star Trey Martin (No. 178 NATL., No. 12 RB)
3-star Brennen Lacey (No. 466 NATL., No. 33 RB)
Perhaps the most underrated part of LSU’s 11th-ranked recruiting class — per the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings — is its trio of running back commits. All three pledged within 10 days of each other last month.
It starts with Segarra, the No. 2 recruit in the state of South Carolina and someone that the Rivals Scouting and Rankings team says reminds them of Dameon Pierce. Martin, the No. 6 recruit in Louisiana is a quintessential LSU target who chose the in-state program over a slew of other SEC suitors.
Lacey was the first to commit back on June 7. He’s someone who could certainly obtain blue-chip status down the road during his senior season playing for the Frisco Raccoons.
Notre Dame
4-star Lathan Whisenton (No. 151 NATL., No. 10 RB)
4-star Isaiah Rogers (No. 205 NATL., No. 15 RB)
For the second cycle in a row, Notre Dame is set to sign a pair of blue-chippers in the backfield.
Marcus Freeman, position coach Ja’Juan Seider and the Irish staff continue to recruit the position as well as anybody. They identified their two top targets and closed on them both in March.
First came Whisenton, the No. 20 recruit in Texas. He rushed for over 1,500 yards and 24 touchdowns as a junior. Five days later, the Irish beat out Indiana, Penn State, Georgia and others for Rogers, the No. 2 recruit in Massachusetts.
Notre Dame has the No. 2 class in the nation, per the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. Whisenton and Rogers are two of 17 blue-chippers in the mix thus far.
Georgia
Five-Star Plus+ Kemon Spell (No. 7 NATL., No. 1 RB)
3-star Noah Parker (No. 818 NATL., No. 66 RB)
Any running back duo that features one of the nation’s top overall prospects will always be among the best. Spell had a wild recruitment that eventually saw him land with the Bulldogs back in February.
Formerly a longtime Penn State commit, Spell backed off that pledge back in October after the Nittany Lions fired head coach James Franklin. He proceeded to hit the reset button on his process, took some visits and named multiple different leaders over the next few months. It was a visit to Athens in late January that really made its mark, though. Spell left locked in with Kirby Smart and Co. and has kept things awful quiet since.
He joined Parker, an in-state bruiser who’s been committed to UGA since November. He officially shut his recruitment down in April.
Other notable running back classes
Auburn
4-star Myson Johnson-Cook (No. 61 NATL., No. 4 RB)
3-star Moni Williams (No. 560 NATL., No. 42 RB)
Oklahoma
4-star Keldrid Ben (No. 122 NATL., No. 6 RB)
3-star Jakoby Dixon (No. 630 NATL., No. 48 RB)
Penn State
4-star Aiden Gibson (No. 142 NATL., No. 8 RB)
3-star Chukwuma Odoh (No. 724 NATL., No. 60 RB)
Alabama
4-star Nigel Newkirk (No. 286 NATL., No. 22 RB)
3-star Tai Phillips (No. 553 NATL., No. 40 RB)
Georgia Tech
4-star Moonie Gipson (No. 279 NATL., No. 21 RB)
3-star Tristan Willis (No. 657 NATL., No. 51 RB)
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