With preseason practice underway across the Coastal Empire, 912
912 Suspence has released its preseason rankings of the Top 5 Running Backs in the 912, spotlighting five ball carriers expected to leave their mark on the 2026 high school football season.
Now the debates begin.
Because every coach knows one thing.
A great quarterback gets the headlines.
A great running back wins football games.
Every Friday night this fall, defensive coordinators across southeast Georgia will spend hours drawing up game plans for these five players.
The problem?
Knowing who's getting the football and stopping him are two completely different things.
From a Virginia Tech commit with Olympic speed to bruising backs who seem to get stronger as the game goes on, these are the runners 912 Suspence believes will define the season.
Courtesy of 28 Suspence on Instagram, this graphic showcases the outlet's preseason Top 5 running backs in the 912 for the 2026 season.
No. 1 — Stanley Smart Jr., Benedictine
Some running backs wait for the hole to open.
Stanley Smart Jr. creates his own.
And once he reaches the second level...
You might as well start celebrating in the end zone.
The Benedictine standout enters the season as the area's top-ranked running back after rushing for 1,004 yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging nearly seven yards every time he touched the football.
Those numbers helped earn Smart a commitment to Virginia Tech, but they only tell part of the story.
What separates Smart isn't just production.
It's how quickly he changes a football game.
One missed tackle.
One crease.
One foot in the ground.
Suddenly everyone is chasing a player who has already run a 10.63-second 100 meters.
Every defense knows where No. 5 is lined up.
It rarely matters.
No. 2 — Jmere "Doe" Davis, Effingham County
Blink.
That's all it takes.
One second you're lined up across from Jmere "Doe" Davis.
The next you're watching him sprint toward the end zone.
The Effingham County playmaker doesn't need many opportunities.
He makes the most of every one.
Last season, Davis rushed for 1,008 yards on just 119 carries, averaging an eye-popping 8.4 yards per carry while scoring 10 touchdowns.
His career already includes more than 2,000 varsity scrimmage yards, and Division I programs have taken notice.
But if you ask the coaches who have tried to tackle him...
They'll tell you something else.
The first defender usually doesn't.
No. 3 — Khyran White, South Effingham
Need three yards?
Khyran White usually gets five.
Need someone to carry the football when everyone in the stadium knows it's coming?
Give it to White.
South Effingham's workhorse isn't interested in making the highlight reel.
He's interested in moving the chains.
Last season he rushed for 988 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging more than 100 rushing yards every Friday night.
He doesn't dance behind the line.
He doesn't look for the perfect play.
He finds daylight.
Drops his shoulder.
And dares defenders to stop him.
By the fourth quarter...
Most of them are tired of trying.
No. 4 — Christian Kinlaw, New Hampstead
Some players have one job.
Christian Kinlaw has three.
He'll carry the football.
Catch a pass.
Then turn around and make a tackle on defense.
That's just the kind of football player he is.
Kinlaw rushed for 700 yards and seven touchdowns last season while helping New Hampstead in multiple phases of the game.
His statistics are impressive.
His value is even greater.
Every coach wants players willing to do whatever the team needs.
Kinlaw is one of those players.
And those players usually become leaders.
No. 5 — Ca'Den Jones, Calvary Day
Every championship team needs a player willing to do the dirty work.
For Calvary Day...
That's Ca'Den Jones.
While opponents focused on slowing down the Cavaliers' high-powered passing attack, Jones quietly became one of the team's most dependable offensive weapons.
Last season, he rushed for 786 yards and 10 touchdowns, delivering in the moments that counted most.
Goal line.
Third-and-short.
Fourth quarter.
When Calvary needed tough yards...
Jones usually found them.
The best running backs don't always make the biggest headlines.
They keep the chains moving.
Jones has made a habit of doing exactly that.
Final Thoughts
By November, this list may look completely different.
Another running back could rush for over 1,000 yards.
Someone not ranked today may become tomorrow's biggest star.
That's what makes high school football special.
Every August, hope returns.
Every Friday, reputations are earned.
And every championship dream becomes just a little more real when the quarterback turns around...
...and hands the football to the running back.
Photos courtesy of 28 Suspence on Instagram, 912_susepnce, and the players' social media accounts.
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To share scores, story ideas, or corrections, email kdemasi@prepsportsreport.com or text 912.507.9158.
Prep Sports Report Football Coverage Presented by Optim Orthopedics
Optim Orthopedics wants you in the game.
Keeping Savannah-area athletes healthy and ready for gameday all season long.
Team physicians include Dr. Don Aaron (Bryan County), Dr. David Sedory (Benedictine, Bradwell Institute, Liberty County), Dr. David Palmer (Calvary Day, Richmond Hill, South Effingham), and Dr. Thomas Alexander (Savannah Country Day, St. Vincent’s Academy).
