Projected Ohio State starting running back compares himself to former Buckeyes star J.K. Dobbins
The Ohio State Buckeyes are entering a difficult spring practice period where plenty of starting jobs are up for grabs. The running back room is crowded with young talent and one veteran who has already changed his body, but that doesn't mean there's not an expectation as to who could emerge as the program's next […]
The Ohio State Buckeyes are entering a difficult spring practice period where plenty of starting jobs are up for grabs. The running back room is crowded with young talent and one veteran who has already changed his body, but that doesn't mean there's not an expectation as to who could emerge as the program's next star.
On the heels of producing surefire NFL starters TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, James Peoples is making sure his name is not forgotten for 2025. The team's third-leading running back had only 49 carries for 197 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman.
However, that didn't stop fans from noticing Peoples' play style resembling the predecessor to Henderson at running back. While J.K. Dobbins is still looking for an NFL job as a free-agent, there were certainly shades of the Buckeyes legend in Peoples.
Not only did Henderson bring up the comparison of Peoples to Dobbins, but the second-year tailback agrees.
"I do. I grew up watching J.K. I grew up an Ohio State fan," Peoples said. "There are similarities in our games, but of course, I am my own back."
Of course, Peoples would need to be a generational player to outproduce Dobbins. Dobbins totaled 2,003 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2019 alone and finished his three-year career with 4,459 yards and 38 scores. The days of a workhorse solo backfield seem gone, but Peoples is hoping to be the 1A in a crowded group.
Fighting off senior transfer CJ Donaldson and true freshman Bo Jackson won't be easy. However, the comparisons to Dobbins have some validity, even if Peoples doesn't quite have the high-end juice in his legs Dobbins did.
He's still similar stylistically as a slasher who can weave through traffic and use that smoothness to cause havoc on tackling angles.
We'll see whether his burst and overall speed end up improving now that he's been on campus a year longer.
