Florida’s Top Returning High School Running Backs for 2025: The Ground Game Will Dominate

From breakout stars to seasoned powerhouses, these running backs are redefining dominance on the field with jaw-dropping stats and unmatched resilience

Bell Landin Williams (0) gets grabbed by Lake Weir defenders during a high school football game at Lake Weir High School in Candler, FL on Friday, September 13, 2024. [Alan Youngblood/Ocala Star-Banner] / Alan Youngblood/Ocala Star-Banner / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The victories on the board carrying teams into the playoffs and to state titles proves the ground game is still alive. While airing it out may get more of the fanfare, teams need a tailback that can get the tough yards to keep drives going and put points on the board. In the state of Florida, there are fantastic backs returning ready to even best themselves in 2025. We take a look at the top returning running backs based on their 2024 statistics.

Fans of the Bell Bulldogs (Bell) knew something special was coming with Landin Williams during his freshman season. In 2023, Williams appeared in nine games rushing for 622 yards with four scores against varsity competition. The jump in yards covered was amazing seeing the 2027 prospect fall 19 yards shy of 2,000 with 20 touchdowns in 13 games played.

Marianna (Marianna) fans knew Amari Clemons would tear it up in 2024, but just how good he would be was the question. The junior bumped up his rushing yards by 515 hitting 1,880 on the year. The 12.3 yards per carry average speaks to the explosiveness in his game. The 34 rushing scores show in the Bulldogs’ 10-1 record. Clemons already has four-star recruiting status with offers coming in from Miami, Florida, Florida State, Ole Miss, Wisconsin, Auburn, Kentucky, and others.

The 2024 season was breakout time for Ronnell Dubose. Through 12 games, Jefferson High School (Tampa) used their junior playmaker for 1,818 yards watching him surpass the 100-yard rushing mark nine times. Filling in the statistics, Dubose scored 20 rushing touchdowns and had three receiving. The all-purpose nature to his game added 291 receiving yards off 17 receptions.

Watching Deshon Jenkins Jr. tote the pigskin brings shades of former four-star Lake Gibson tailback Jaylon Glover (Utah-UNLV). Like Glover, Jenkins is a freight train that refuses to go down off first, second, or even third contact. Since busting onto the scene as a freshman, Jenkins has bested himself with 1,218 yards in 2022, 1,260 a year ago, and 1,786 in 2024 with 22 touchdowns for Bishop Verot (Fort Myers). Offers have come from Florida A&M and West Virginia.

Tymir Gaines helped Mount Dora (Mount Dora) to an 8-3 mark crushing 3A defenses on the ground and in the passing attack. Gaines took 219 handoffs for 1,779 yards while posting 19 scores and secured 15 passes for 297 yards with seven more touchdowns. When kicked to, Gaines helped the Hurricanes on special teams with 80 kick return yards off two attempts, and 81 punt return yards off four attempts.

A name to remember, Von’tavius Keller. Keller averaged 20.8 carries per game rushing 271 times for 1,774 yards notching 21 touchdowns for Choctawhatchee (Fort Walton Beach). The sophomore sensation appeared in three games as a freshman rushing 17 times for 53 yards.

Working out of the backfield for Christ’s Church Academy in Jacksonville, Kyree Wilson did it again… and that is turn in a monster year. As a freshman, Wilson stormed for 1,282 yards on the ground getting into the end zone 12 times. In stats posted through eight games, he averaged 217.1 yards per contest tallying 1,737 yards scoring the ball 20 times. Bethune-Cookman and East Carolina have already extended scholarships to this 2027 prospect.

A tip of the proverbial hat is deserved for Arthur Lewis. With 6A defenses scheming to stop him, he still went wild for 1,666 yards off just 149 carries punching it in 21 times. Again, Lewis was a difference maker in the passing game taking 21 passes for 244 yards lightning up the board three more times for Bartram Trail (Jacksonville). The abilities he brings to the field as an every-down-back is not lost on colleges with East Carolina, Georgia Southern, Western Kentucky, UTEP, James Madison, and USF offering among others.

By the Numbers: Top 10 Returning Florida High School Quarterbacks

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