James Peoples is a name that Ohio State fans are excited about. This astounding running back hails from San Antonio, Texas, and he promises to offer the Buckeyes a powerful boost. Peoples of Veterans Memorial High School talent has not been in doubt with his unique ability to be a running and passing quarterback.

James was one of those students who acted actively during his time at the Veterans Memorial. In his junior year, he conducted 208 attempts for 2,044 yards and made 31 touchdowns. He equally proved useful as a recipient in the team with 294 yards and 3 touchdowns from 16 catches. James had a few challenges that prevented him from playing fully during his senior year, still, he was able to gain 898 yards and score 10 touchdowns. The sources again point to the versatility that James has as this stems from his experience having been a receiver at one time. During his interview, he stated, “My best attribute is my vision. From my agility and quick feet to the way I move… But, overall, my vision and ability to hit the hole quickly is probably it.”

Meet the man behind the helmet

His performance in skills such as reading his opponents and making quick decisions has placed him among the best running back prospects in the country. This April, the young football talent James Peoples pledged his athleticism to Ohio State, opting for the Buckeyes over other powerhouses like Alabama, Oklahoma, or Texas. Also, he cited his parentage as supporting his decision; his both parents were born in Ohio. 

This quote from the Buckeye commit emphasizes that for him it is one of the most important aspects to be able to run behind a crew like that and play with the best in the nation. Tony Alford, who presently is the running back coach at Ohio State University, was the member who helped James in getting recruited at the Ohio State University. Another factor that swung it for him was his tenacity and the fact that the program was bearing fruits in developing the position of the running back. James has a good deal of things to say regarding his new coach Alford, whom he described in the following manner: “Coach Alford and I have a great relationship. He never stopped recruiting me, even when things got tough,” James said.

Expectations at Ohio State

Now that James enters Ohio State, he is expected to give equally good performances as a runner and passer from the backfield. As transfers and NFL declarations leave the Buckeyes with a bare cupboard for running back, there is an actual shot for Peoples to take the field right away. The Buckeyes are also not shy about using several freshman players if they are capable of performing on high stakes. Some of the previous instances of the occurrence are J. K. Dobbins in the year 2017 and TreVeyon Henderson in 2021. James measures 5-10 and has a bulky muscular build that can deter opponents while at the same time, he is quite mobile at 195 pounds. His catching skills as well as his performance in blocking that is needed in pass protection is an added advantage to him to secure an early position in playing as a tight end.

Therefore, it can be concluded that James Peoples is all set to play a critical role in determining Ohio State’s attacking prowess. He is undoubtedly one of the outstanding central players of the next generations who will perform increasingly better in numerous matches during the subsequent seasons because of his vision, agility, and versatility. While getting stronger under the tutelage of Ohio State coaches, who are now in their fourth year, Buckeye fans have all the reason to look forward to this young running back.