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Scouting Report: What 4-Star Ohio State RB Commit James Peoples Brings to Buckeyes

The Ohio State Buckeyes landed head-turning Texas running back prospect James Peoples on Sunday

Buckeyes Now Staff

Ohio State Athletics
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The Ohio State Buckeyes often make quite the mark in the state of Texas. 

It doesn't take long for even a casual fan to rattle off names of key Texan OSU stars just in the last few years, whether looking at Jaxson Smith-Njigba, Garret Wilson, Baron Browning, Jeff Okudah or even back to J.T. Barrett.

At running back, J.K. Dobbins is probably the first name OSU faithful would register from the pipeline, though now the current NFL star could have some company. On Sunday, Tony Alford landed another top target in San Antonio (Texas) Veterans Memorial star James Peoples. 

Peoples picked the Buckeyes over finalists Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, TCU, and Oregon in the end. He was in Columbus for a multi-day trip over the weekend, clearly sealing the deal in a busy recruitment where Peoples collected nearly 30 scholarship offers. 

As a prospect, most of the recruiting industry is high on the four-star back, ranking as high as No. 5 at the position (247Sports) and as low as just No. 11 (On3), though ESPN hasn't tabbed a running back ranking on the newest Buckeye just yet. 

Buckeyes Now takes a closer look at what the newest verbal commitment brings to the table.

Strengths

Peoples, as productive as it gets as a junior in 2022 with 2,044 rushing yards to his name and another 294 as a pass-catcher to combine for 34 touchdowns from scrimmage, is a prep workhorse type. The reigning Co-District MVP in the area lists himself at 5-foot-11, 196 pounds, working with the build that can carry a traditional running back load on a rock-solid frame. 

There's plenty of modernity to Peoples' game, however. His prep program runs a relatively wide open, RPO or zone read system, allowing for the rising senior to scan the defense and react from depth much like he will be asked to do once at OSU for good. He presses the hole well and can break into the second level near top speed, putting pressure on back-seven defenders to abandon the thought of staying square to the line of scrimmage. This lets Peoples make subtle shifts of his weight to break contain on routine. 

Peoples runs with a bit of an upright style but displays subtle quickness both in tight spaces and out in the open. While possessing the top-end speed to run away from secondary players, validated with explosive numbers in the long jump and hurdling events on the track, his contact balance is worthy of praise. 

If there is a sleeper element to the newest Buckeye's game as a back, it's his ability to work beyond the backfield. VMA has utilized him split out as a receiver to run screens and Peoples shows natural ball skills, great feel and instincts before the catch with of course plenty of comfort thereafter. 

Areas for Improvement

Peoples has the type of running style that could lull a defense to sleep. He's upright and plays within the play calls responsibility in that he isn't going to go against the grain or break outside unless the primary plan is taken away initially by the defense. More of an unknown than an area for improvement, additional lateral samples and early-run creativity could be key elements to add to his game as a prep senior. 

The upright style used to be more of a no-no than current running back evaluations suggest, though there remains potentially more to be seen from Peoples in the power department. He routinely breaks arm tackles from back-seven players, but there aren't many samples on his available tape of pass-protection, lead blocking or punishing players bigger than him for extra yardage. 

Again, Peoples has time to round out the expectation surrounding his game being that he's still got another year of high school ball left to be played. 

Projection

The build, production, big-play ability and three-down nature of Peoples' game is near undeniable at this stage of his development. Fine-tuning, as the same for any prospect at any position before college, could bring even more star power with his name once he is in Columbus for good. 

Still, the Texan profiles as a potential lead back at the next level or even as a strong change-of-pace to a more classic Big Ten type back at the next level, threatening house calls on every touch. His ability in space and as a pass-catcher provides a modern spin on the position, something that likely helps Peoples see the field sooner rather than later in the Big Ten -- even at a place like Ohio State.

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Buckeyes Now Staff
BUCKEYES NOW STAFF

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