2023 ESPN 300: Top 5 FB Prospects

[BabaYaga]

The final ESPN 300 list has been leaked and we are now taking a look at the Top 10 players by position in the 2023 recruiting class. Currently, there is very little information on the top prospects and how to differentiate them - however, we provide a little glimpse into which prospects might stand out above their peers in the future. Following the running backs, we take a look at the Top 5 fullbacks by positional ranking and national ranking.

 

#1 FB - #54 ESPN 300

Marlon Fields - 6’0 221 - C overall - A- potential - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Fields is a menace on the football field and will always let you know that he is one of the best fullbacks in the country. Hailing from Eastlake High School in California, he is a legacy fullback at the school as his father was a fullback for Eastlake back in the 1990s. Fields runs the ball well as evidenced by his 5.7 yards per carry during his junior season. He has only been playing varsity football for two years and will look to have a standout junior season. Scouts love his flexibility as some feel he can swap between both running back and fullback pretty seamlessly. Fields has no preference on where he wants to continue his football career but does have aspirations of playing in the NFL. Fields is a gym rat and every rep for him has to be perfect.

#2 FB - #82 ESPN 300

Ronald Brainard - 6’0 219 - C overall - C potential - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Brainard is a unique character who has a very interesting background and path to where he is now. Brainard’s father is a pastor and their family has moved seven times in his lifetime, including three times in the past two years. Brainard has played for four different high schools in his career and will be finishing his high school career at Courtland High School in Virginia. Brainard is a very versatile fullback who can run the ball well but can also block with the best of them. Brainard holds his academics in high regard and will want to find a school to be at all four years. Brainard is looking to become a pastor so a religious school will be his first choice but he also wants to attend a school that has large crowds.

#3 FB - #138 ESPN 300

Luis Medina - 6’0 228 - C overall - C potential - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Medina is a surprise addition to the ESPN 300 as he was a linebacker for the first two years of his high school career. After messing around and filling in for an injured fullback in practice last fall, his coaches at East Orange Campus High School decided to play him there in a game. It worked out as Medina ran for 114 yards on 15 carries. He is very raw still at the position but has shown flashes of dominance. He’s a very gritty player on the field and with continued play at the position, people think that he’ll really blossom. He wants to play for a winner at the next level and most importantly he wants to play in front of a lot of people.

 

#4 FB - #178 ESPN 300

Alfred Schneider - C overall - C+ potential - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Schneider is a jack of all trades as he has grown up as a fullback all through his career. As a young kid, he was always bigger than everyone else but avoided being put on the offensive line because he was so much more athletic than almost anyone on the team. Due to weight limits, he could not play running back so his youth coach put him at fullback. Schneider took up the position very well as he is a very technical and savvy player. He has the ability to block and also can run the ball a little bit as well. Schneider doesn’t have any preference on where he plays in college but just wants to go to a program where he will have a path to playing time.

#5 FB - #184 ESPN 300

Simon Ramsey - C overall - A- potential - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ramsey would have been a Top 25 prospect back in the 1980s but the game, unfortunately for him, has changed quite a bit. He is one of the best blocking fullbacks that we have seen come out of high school in some time. Ramsey has played both offensive line and fullback in his high school career at Robinson High School but he will settle in at fullback for his senior year. He is able to get out on the edge for the sweeps that his team likes to run so fullback fits him perfectly. Ramsey is not a guy who is going to complain about anything as he will just show up on the football field and go to work. Ideally, Ramsey would like to stay close to home but that won’t be a determinant of where he ends up going.

[subsequent]

Sounds like Brainard already knows he wants to go to Notre Dame.