#VK17FB Gamebreakers: The Top 10 running backs for 2017
Other Top 10 lists: QB
1. Brody Kooser, Derby senior
- 5-foot-10, 190 pounds
- All-6A selection in 2016
Derby demolished nearly every defense it came up against and did so with Kooser as its No. 1 weapon. Kooser rushed for 1,664 yards and 31 touchdowns and added some punch in the receiving game, averaging 23 yards per reception and scoring twice in just nine catches to finish with nearly 1,900 yards of total offense. With a new quarterback in the fold, Derby might lean on Kooser even more this season.
2. Dalton Brown, Buhler senior
- 6-foot-0, 185 pounds
- All-4A I selection in 2016
Brown became Buhler’s workhorse last season, as he helped lead the Crusaders to the 4A I championship game. Brown came close to a 2,000-yard season in 13 games last season, rushing for more than 1,900 yards and 26 touchdowns. Buhler has nearly every weapon coming back from last season, so expect another monster season from Brown and the Crusaders.
3. Travis Theis, Pratt junior
- 5-foot-9, 175 pounds
- All-4A II selection in 2016
Pratt stunned the state with its surprise run to the 4A II championship and Theis was the breakout player, coming 25 yards away from 2,000 yards rushing last season and scoring 24 touchdowns. Pratt loses a lot of the offensive production outside of Theis, so expect Theis to possibly receive an even larger workload this season for the Greenbacks as they attempt to defend their title.
4. Dalyn Johnson, Maize senior
- 5-foot-7, 195 pounds
- All-5A selection in 2016
Johnson will be a rare four-year starter at running back, coming off of his best season to date after leading Maize to a bounceback 7-3 year. Despite being the defense’s focus, Johnson still rushed for 1,539 yards and 27 touchdowns and added 220 receiving yards and three more touchdowns coming out of the backfield. Johnson has the speed and the size to be a bowling ball, as he has the ability to run through and around defenders.
5. Brody Smith, Hutchinson senior
- 5-foot-10, 175 pounds
- 6A honorable mention pick in 2016
Smith has pieced together back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons as the top option in Hutchinson’s backfield. He underwent surgery a month ago following a scary accident and it’s unclear if he will miss the start of this season. But when Smith is healthy, there’s no doubt he is one of the top running backs in 6A as the go-to back in Hutchinson’s attack after putting together more than 2,000 yards and 25 touchdowns in his career.
6. Parker Roth, Hesston junior
- 5-foot-11, 200 pounds
- 3A honorable mention pick in 2016
When Hesston was rolling, so was Roth last season. After a slow start, the Swathers caught fire and made it all the way to the 3A championship game — with Roth producing at a high level as a sophomore in the backfield. Roth finished the season with 1,290 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. Another year of experience and time in the weight room should make Roth one of the top running backs in 3A this season.
7. Kyle Anderson, Smoky Valley senior
- 6-foot-1, 175 pounds
- 4A II honorable mention pick in 2016
Smoky Valley flew under the radar last season, but it compiled an 8-3 record and made it to the quarterfinals for the 4A II playoffs. Anderson was a big reason why, as he tallied 1,436 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns for the Vikings. A little bit bigger and a little bit stronger for his senior year, Anderson should once again be a big play waiting to happen this season for Smoky Valley.
8. Parker Wenzel, Eisenhower sophomore
- 5-foot-7, 180 pounds
- 5A honorable mention pick in 2016
It’s rare for a freshman to see varsity action at running back, let alone start and carry the load. But Wenzel is a special talent and coach Marc Marinelli believes he is in store for an even bigger season after rushing for more than 1,000 yards in his debut year. Wenzel has bulked up to 180 pounds in the offseason and is expected to take on an even larger workload this season as a sophomore in Eisenhower’s flexbone offense.
9. Dejuan Scott, Heights junior
- 5-foot-11, 195 pounds
- 5A honorable mention pick in 2016
Heights coach Terry Harrison admits he didn’t use Scott as much as he could have last season when Scott rushed for more than 900 yards in the Heights’ flexbone attack. But the Falcons had so many weapons, Harrison was tempted to spread it around. This season Scott should be in store for more of a featured role, as he is the perfect compliment with his strength and size to quarterback K’Vonte Baker’s lightning-quick speed on option plays.
10. Nick Channel, Kapaun senior
- 6-foot-1, 195 pounds
- 5A honorable mention pick in 2016
It will be intresting to see how coach Dan Adelhardt utilizes Channel for his senior season. He has started for the Crusaders since he was a freshman and has been used as anything from a tailback to a fullback to a slot back. He rushed for 358 yards and had 175 receiving yards, but Channel is expected to be the focus of a much-improved Kapaun offense this season.
Next five: Breece Hall, Northwest junior; Trenton Jones, Conway Springs senior; Caleb Rains, Valley Center senior; Darius Russell, Goddard senior; Colton Smith, Sedgwick junior.
This story was originally published August 25, 2017 at 3:11 PM with the headline "#VK17FB Gamebreakers: The Top 10 running backs for 2017."