California has a deep crop of running backs this season who will be making frequent trips to the endzone.
Over the past several years in California, every high-level State championship winner had a dominant running game. Even with the rise of year-round 7-on-7 tournaments and a higher emphasis on passing, the great teams still manage to run the ball well.
Breaking Down the Top 10 Running Backs in California
POSITION PREVIEWS: OL | DL | DBs | WRs | 2028 QBs
Here are the top 10 running backs in California to watch in the 2026 season.
Honor Fa’alave-Johnson
High School: Cathedral Catholic
Commitment: USC
Breakdown: Honor Faalave-Johnson ran for 1,265 yards with 21 touchdowns and had 564 yards receiving with 7 touchdowns for a Cathedral Catholic team that won the Open Division title in San Diego. He is committed to USC as a safety and is an elite prospect at the position, but he could have been a top prospect at running back as well. Faalave-Johnson is the first guy you notice on the field when you watch Cathedral Catholic and is a threat to score on every play.
Malaki Davis
High School: Centennial
Top Offers: Michigan, Ole Miss, Oregon, USC
Breakdown: Malaki Davis ran for 907 yards with 19 touchdowns for Centennial last season which was tied for the most rushing touchdowns in Southern California. He is a downhill runner who can make quick cuts and get to his top speed quickly. Davis had a standout performance at the Under Armour Next Camp and will be tough to bring down when the pads come on.
Jaxsen Stokes
High School: Sierra Canyon
Commitment: Cal
Breakdown: Jaxsen Stokes had 722 yards on 109 carries with 12 touchdowns and had 2 receiving touchdowns for Sierra Canyon last season. He committed to Oklahoma last November but flipped to Cal in April. Stokes has a knack for finding the end zone and can make big plays any time he touches the ball.
Duece Jones-Drew
High School: De La Salle
Commitment: UCLA
Breakdown: Duece Jones-Drew ran for 463 yards on just 83 carries with 7 touchdowns for De La Salle last season in nine games. He’s a bruiser who runs with a forward lean and can maintain balance through contact. Jones-Drew is the son of former UCLA running back and NFL alumn Maurice Jones-Drew.
Maliq Allen
High School: St. John Bosco
Top Offers: Missouri, Texas A&M, Southern Miss
Breakdown: Maliq Allen ran for 530 yards on just 64 catches with 5 touchdowns and had three receiving touchdowns for St. John Bosco last season. He transferred to Inglewood this offseason but landed back at St. John Bosco where he will be the primary running back. Allen ran a 4.49 in the 40-yard dash at The Opening camp in LA which was the best time at the event.
Malachi McFarland
High School: Damien
Commitment: Boise State
Breakdown: Malachi McFarland led Damien in rushing last season with 894 yards on 108 carries with 11 touchdowns. He is a master at exploiting cutback lanes in zone blocking schemes and has high-level speed when he gets into the open field. McFarland ran a 10.37 in the 100 meters this spring and is gone when he gets past the second level.
Kamden Tillis
High School: Los Alamitos
Commitment: San Diego State
Breakdown: Kamden Tillis ran for 1,543 yards with 19 touchdowns for a Los Alamitos team that won the CIF-SS Division 2 championship. He has the speed of a receiver with the field vision and patience of a running back. Tillis can line up in the slot as well and he has the potential to get 30 touches per game in Los Alamitos’ offense this year.
AJ McBean
High School: Serra (Gardena)
Commitment: Stanford
Breakdown: AJ McBean ran for 685 yards with 8 touchdowns and had a touchdown reception for Mira Costa last season and started there since his freshman year. He has since transferred to Serra of Gardena where he will be a major part of the team’s offense. McBean is a downhill runner who has quick feet and can make quick cuts to avoid defenders when needed.
Eli Dukes
High School: Palma (Salinas)
Commitment: UC Davis
Breakdown: Eli Dukes led all juniors in the state in rushing last season and was seventh overall in the state with 2,420 yards on 221 carries with 34 touchdowns. He is going to be a four-year starter for Palma and has good burst when he gets into the open field.
Trevor Schneider
High School: Norco
Top Offers: Air Force, Sacramento State
Breakdown: Trevor Schneider rushed for 1,354 yards with 9 touchdowns for Chaparral last season and has since returned to Norco where he spent the beginning of his high school career. He has a lot of wiggle with quick feet and has added some serious muscle over the past two offseasons. Schneider has been a mainstay on the camp circuit in his career and has been a top performer at the National Preps Showcase and multiple Prep Redzone showcases.
