James Peoples

James Peoples had a monster 2022 season, earning district Most Valuable Player and first-team Class 5A all-state honors after tallying 2,044 yards and 31 touchdowns on 208 carries, good for 9.8 yards per carry. He also added 294 yards and three touchdowns on 16 receptions, enough for 18.4 yards per catch. “He runs the ball really hard, and he doesn’t go down on first contact,” Veterans Memorial coach Robert Irvin told the San Antonio Express-News. “He’s just not a running back that can run downhill, but he can run it outside. He’s a great pass catcher. He’s got unbelievable hands. He has receiver’s hands, so he makes our offense very versatile because we can throw to him coming out of the backfield or we can line him up in the slot.” As a sophomore, Peoples finished with 1,056 yards and 13 scores on the ground. “I like that bouncy feeling you get when you are in the hole,” Peoples told the Express-News. “I don’t know, there’s an art to it. It feels like you are doing art. You are going through the trenches and seeing and reading blocks and making people miss.”