What better way to prep for the high school football season than looking at which players are worth watching on Friday nights?
Arizona high school football will kick off August 22 (first Friday night), which is just under a month away. So, as we gear up for the bright lights, loud crowds and big-time plays, High School On SI will break down Arizona’s top players by position heading into the 2025 season.
Not only does this preseason coverage highlight the best returning players ahead of the fall, but it allows the Arizona high school football community to VOTE on which player could have the biggest 2025 season.
Could it be a rising sophomore? A highly-touted prospect? Could it be a player not listed below?
Some of the players might not be the most highly touted, recruited or covered, but their numbers indicate they are performing at their respective level — and likely impacting victory for their programs.
Below is a list of Arizona’s top running backs to watch ahead of the 2025 season based on a few factors: stats from the previous season (from MaxPreps.com), recruiting status (from 247Sports), and the discretion of the reporter (Tarek Fattal).
(Athletes listed in alphabetical order | Voting poll at bottom of page)
Barkus ran for more than 1,000 yards a sophomore, which led Division 6A. He averaged 117 yards per game and scored nine TDs in 10 games. He only fumbled once.
Brown has offers to Arizona, Arizona State and UTEP. The stout tailback ran for 980 yards and eight scores in 2024. In 161 rushing attempts, Brown didn’t commit one fumble. Mr. Reliable.
One of the top two-way players in Arizona at RB and MLB, Fo’ilefutu ran for 1,184 yards and 19 TDs as a junior at Tonopah Valley. Now at Liberty, this standout Hawaii commit is expected to have a big senior year.
Harris ran for 1,376 yards in 2024 on 191 carries. He punched in 10 touchdowns in 10 games while averaging 7.76 yards per carry and 137 yards per game.
Hill is rated the top 2026 running back in Arizona, according to 247Sports. The 3-star prospect is committed to San Jose State after running for 723 yards and six TDs in 10 games as junior.
In just eight games, this senior-to-be ran for more than 1,200 yards and scored 15 TDs on the ground. Manuelito averaged more than 150 yards per game.
Paul returns for the 2025 season as the state’s returning leader in rushing yards. He tallied 1,635 yards on the ground with 17 TDs in 10 games for Ironwood. The standout athlete averaged 163.5 yards per game.
Roberts might be the most touted prospect in Arizona, regardless of position or class. This 2027 RB is a 4-star prospect with offers to Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame and Ohio State. As a sophomore he ran for 1,067 yards and 19 TDs on 152 carries in 13 games.
Smith could be due for a breakout sophomore season after leading all freshman in Arizona with 15 rushing touchdown in 2024. He also rushed for 666 yards on 141 carries. He fumbled just one time — impressive for a freshman.
Smith ran for 1,118 yards in 10 games and scored 10 TDs. He rushed for 100+ yards in seven games as a junior for the Dragons.
The voting poll will close on Monday, July 28 at 8 p.m. (PT).
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