Where the top running backs in the 2023 On3 Consensus are signed

National Signing Day is finally here. Hundreds of high school football players already know their college destinations.

They include the top running backs in the 2023 On3 Consensus. Many of them are ranked in the top 200 of the On3 Consensus. Additionally, one is a five-star recruit.

The On3 Consensus is a state-of-the-art resource in the recruiting industry. Unlike other consensus ratings, the On3 Consensus weight each of the four major recruiting services evenly and gradually increases the number of five-stars and four-star recruits as evaluators learn more about each recruit and obtain more data.

Here is a list of the top 10 running backs in the On3 Consensus:

1. 5-star Cedric Baxter Jr.
School: Orlando (Fla.) Edgewater
Status: Enrolled at Texas
On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 30
On3 NIL Valuation: $426K
Scouting Summary: “Big-framed runner with the ability to hit home runs. Went from a versatile athlete to a bell cow back in his junior season. Has the largest frame of top running backs in the 2023 cycle, checking in at over 6-foot-1 and around 215 pounds prior to his senior season. Has room to add more mass with his frame and could top out around 230 pounds. Gets downhill quickly. Shows the ability to make cuts at full speed in tight quarters. Efficient in his cuts with little wasted movement. Has the stride and on-field play speed to pull away once in the open field. Capable of running with power and has shown signs of a dangerous stiff arm. At his best when given a runway as an outside runner. Productive in Florida’s top classification as a junior, rushing for 1,651 yards and 22 touchdowns.”

2. 4-star Justice Haynes
School: Roswell (Ga.) Buford
Status: Enrolled at Alabama
On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 33
On3 NIL Valuation: $338K
Scouting Summary: “Well-rounded, highly productive running back with few holes in his game. Arguably the best runner on contact in the 2023 cycle. Has a filled, muscled frame at around 5-foot-10, 200 pounds. Very developed in the lower body. One of the more productive rushers in the 2023 cycle. Rushed for 7,407 yards and 91 touchdowns over his high school career. Turned in a very efficient senior season, rushing for 1,528 yards and 19 touchdowns at 12.6 yards per carry. Has a strong base. Runs with high-level contact balance, regularly running through arm tackles and bouncing off defenders at the second level. Shows good vision as a runner, making decisive reads and cuts at the line of scrimmage. Burst and top-end speed (electronically-timed 4.66 second 40-yard dash as a sophomore) are above average but not elite. Catches the ball well out of the backfield as a receiver.”

3. 4-star Rueben Owens
School: El Campo (Texas)
Status: Enrolled at Texas A&M
On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 36
On3 NIL Valuation: $232K
Scouting Summary: “The most explosive runner and best pass-catcher among top running backs in the 2023 cycle. Checked in around 5-foot-11, 195 pounds as a senior. Dominates mid-level competition, rushing for 7,089 yards and 101 touchdowns over his four-year high school career. Had a huge junior season, totaling nearly 3,000 rushing yards and 46 touchdowns. Extremely efficient, averaging nearly 12 yards per carry for his career. Pairs very good long-speed with a high-end initial burst. Has run sub-11.0 second marks in the 100 meters and carries that speed over to the field. Regularly pulls away from the competition. Bounces off tacklers at the high school level. Has also shown advanced ball skills as a pass catcher in the 7-on-7 setting.”

4. 4-star Richard Young
School: Lehigh Acres (Fla.) Lehigh Senior
Status: Signed with Alabama
On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 63
On3 NIL Valuation: $173K
Scouting Summary: “Physically-developed running back who emerged as a national name as a high school underclassman. Has a good combination of play speed and power. Has a muscular upper body with room to add mass in his lower half. Uses his leg drive to run through tackles at the second level. Shows well above average speed, which is validated by his track times (around 11.1 seconds in the 100 meters). Productive as a junior, rushing for 1,755 yards and 19 touchdowns while averaging nine yards per carry. Will need to considerably improve his ball skills as a receiver out of the backfield, as he has a tendency to fight the ball. Most of his best track times came as a high school underclassman. Older for the class, turning 18 years old in the spring of his junior year.”

5. 4-star Jeremiyah Love
School: Saint Louis (Mo.) Christian Brothers College
Status: Signed with Notre Dame
On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 77
On3 NIL Valuation: $119K
Scouting Summary: “One of the most explosive and dynamic backs in the 2023 cycle. Has a solid build for the position at 5-foot-11, 188 pounds. Ran 10.76 in the 100 meters and jumped a 22’01” long jump as a sophomore in 2021. Backed that up on the camp circuit in the spring prior to his senior year with an electronically-timed 4.48 second 40-yard dash to go with a 35-inch vertical as well as a 9’11” broad jump. The speed and athleticism transfers over to the field on Friday nights. Led his team to a state championship as a junior and senior. Can score any time he touches the ball. Has true home run speed. Can make defenders whiff in a phone booth with his ability to change direction, as well. Possesses loose hips and plays with excellent pad level when working between the tackles… Efficient and hits big plays but has not carried the load of some of his highly-rated peers.”

6. 4-star Jeremiah Cobb
School: Montgomery (Ala.) Montgomery Catholic Preparatory
Status: Signed with Auburn
On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 128
On3 NIL Valuation: $80K
Scouting Summary: “Dynamic back who can get from 0 to 100 in a flash. Shows the ability to accelerate and reach full speed in a hurry. Plays with low pad level and displays tremendous contact balance. Compact build standing at 5-foot-10.5, 185 pounds. Carries his weight well and has good weight distribution throughout his frame. Leg drive allows him to pull through arm tackles and fight for crucial extra yards. Showed off his long speed in track, running a 10.88 second mark in the 100 meters as a sophomore. Shows off his receiving ability by working in the slot often. Has some hip stiffness and makes defenders miss with his footwork more than his fluidity. His ability to hit the hole at full speed and blow through tackles is his greatest asset on first and second down.”

7. 4-star Kedrick Reescano
School: New Caney (Texas)
Status: Signed with Ole Miss
On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 129
On3 NIL Valuation: $84K
Scouting Summary: “Compact, strong runner with lateral agility and developing athleticism that points to a translatable skill set. Owns a stout, muscular build at around 5-foot-11, 190 pounds. Made a jump in on-field explosion from his junior to senior years. That progress may have been indicated by his junior track season, as his finished second in the state with a triple jump over 48 feet. Runs with burst and pace once at the second level. Shows outstanding lateral agility with the ability to make defenders miss with quick jabs and jump cuts. Runs with a strong base. Bounces off defenders at the second level. Has the leg drive to run through arm tackles. Flashes an effective stiff arm. Adds versatility as a pass catcher out of the backfield. Productive over the course of his high school career, averaging over 7.0 yards per carry and 129 yards per game. Off to a torrid start to his senior season.

8. 4-star Dante Dowdell
School: Picayune (Miss.) Picayune Memorial
Status: Enrolled at Oregon
On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 139
On3 NIL Valuation: $93K
Scouting Summary: “Big downhill runner who is one of the more powerful running backs in the 2023 cycle. Measured at over 6-foot-1, 208 pounds prior to his senior season. Tests as a good athlete, running an electronically-timed 4.65 second 40-yard dash in addition to a 34 inch vertical. Very productive while carrying a big workload as a junior. Rushed for 2,406 yards (7.9 yards per carry) and 26 touchdowns. Bursts through the line and gets downhill quickly. Shows high-end power and ability to break tackles. Runs through arm tackles and shrugs off attempts. Has a nice stiff arm. Shows the speed to finish runs at his size. Runs with some violence. Can improve his ball skills as a pass catcher out of the backfield.”

9. 4-star Mark Fletcher
School: Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) American Heritage
Status: Signed with Miami
On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 150
On3 NIL Valuation: $97K
Scouting Summary: “Big back who projects as a between the tackles power runner at the college level. Has a taller build and should top out north of 230 pounds after spending time in a college strength program. Plays for one of the top talent-producing programs in the state of Florida. Shows good feet with the ability to make defenders miss with lateral agility. Has some natural power and contact balance. Squares his shoulders and has the leg drive to run through arm tackles. Catches the ball well out of the backfield. Should be dangerous on the goal line. Will need to continue improving his top-end speed in order to rip off long runs once in the open field. Solid production, but lacks the high-end production profile of most top running back prospects heading into his senior season.”

10. 4-star Roderick Robinson II
School: San Diego (Calif.) Lincoln
Status: Enrolled at Georgia
On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 151
On3 NIL Valuation: $45K
Scouting Summary: “Smooth striding back who makes defenses pay between the tackles with his leg drive and vision. One of the more savvy runners in the 2023 cycle. Runs with little to no wasted movements, very decisive runner. Excellent build and girth in his lower half, strong build for a running back coming straight out of high school. Stands in at 6-foot-1, 235 pounds and tested well during the spring camp circuit prior to his senior season. He ran a 4.71 40-yard dash, jumped 9-foot-8 in the broad jump and jumped a 31-inch vertical. Ran 11.35 in the 100m and jumped 19-foot in the long jump during his senior track and field campaign. Solid top-end speed to pull away from some second level defenders. Lacks ideal wiggle and twitch, more of a straight line, punishing runner. High floor prospect who can contribute early in goal line situations. Has the chance to become a feature back for most power five teams.”