Sophomore Spotlight: Scouting top 2027 running backs

It’s never too early to begin looking at the next stars of college football, so welcome to the Sophomore Spotlight. Each week Rivals national data analyst Austin Cochran will highlight a number of prospects from each position who made our initial 2027 Rivals250.

We continue this week looking at running backs.

Player comp: Travis Etienne

They don’t call it all-purpose back for nothing. Cowley has been a big-time weapon for Birmingham (Ala.) Spain Park on the ground, through the air and on special teams. He has excellent vision and hits the hole downhill with a lot of speed. He’s very quick and agile and does a really good job making guys miss in the hole and in open space. He’s got hands like a receiver and also does a good job blocking. He’s a real do-it-all back.

Like all of these prospects, Cowley is still young and is splitting carries behind a senior starter, but you can expect to see an increased workload next year. Cowley has 16 total offers, but his recruitment has been a little slow due to him splitting carries. His talent is undeniable and the offers should pick up soon.

Player comp: Marshawn Lynch

Beast Mode has been reborn. The four-star athlete is a very hard runner who, more times than not, is dragging multiple would-be tacklers on his back. He’s got great strength and balance, which makes him a nightmare to bring down. He has an elite combination of speed, vision and acceleration, which makes it look as if he’s been shot out of a cannon when he hits the hole. He runs hard downhill with power, but also has the speed and flexibility to get on the edge. Crowell has all the potential to be the next great running back in college football.

Crowell has been a busy man so far this season. He’s taken visits to Alabama, Auburn, UCF and Mississippi State. With 24 total offers, it’s good to see Crowell taking so many visits, doing his due diligence and enjoying the recruiting process. I expect he’ll be taking more visits as the season goes on.

Player comp: Isiah Pacheco

Robinson runs like he’s mad at the world, his opponents and even the dirt he’s running on. He is very strong and doesn’t shy away from contact. He shows good agility and quickness with the ability to make one cut and get vertical upfield. This year, he’s been a really good weapon in the passing game and has improved his abilities as a receiver both in the backfield on screens and downfield.

The four-star athlete has really seen his recruitment pick up lately. He has 16 total offers with his most recent one coming just a few days ago from Arkansas. He also took a visit to Texas A&M a few weeks ago to watch the Aggies play Missouri.

Player comp: Zamir White

Spell is a little bit of a blast from the past when it comes to his running style. He’s a very old-school, powerful, downhill runner who isn’t afraid to dish out some punishment. He has good size and is still getting bigger, and has speed to get around the edge when necessary. Spell would definitely prefer to run right through you, but he does have some wiggle to make guys miss.

The Pennsylvania native has 10 total offers, but, to no one’s surprise, has already committed to Penn State. He will be an excellent player for the Nittany Lions and bring back old-school, Big Ten football.

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Player comp: Aaron Jones

Williams-Callis has the perfect blend of speed and power. He has true game-breaking speed, but also runs with great strength to power through would-be tacklers. He has strong vision and is a very decisive runner. He doesn’t dance around in the backfield; when he sees the hole, he goes. Williams-Callis is very shifty and does an excellent job of making guys miss.

Williams-Callis is on a lot of teams’ wish lists. So far he has 35 total offers with his most recent ones coming from Michigan, South Carolina and Oklahoma. He also took a visit to Texas A&M back in August.