VYPE Hot 20 RBs: No. 6 Stephen Hopkins, FM Marcus

Editor's Note: VYPE columnist Todd Wills prepared a list of the top 20 running backs in the Dallas-Ft. Worth prior to the 2008 season opener. VYPE.com is counting down the VYPE Hot 20 running backs list from 20-1: Today's pick is: No. 6. Stephen Hopkins, Flower Mound Marcus Hopkins is one of the area's leading rushers and one of the top junior recruits. He had a breakout sophomore season, rushing for 1,700 yards and 16 touchdowns. At 6-0, 210-pounds, the Marcus is already drawing attention from Texas and Alabama. He is another back who has good hands. Is there a theme here? Previous picks were: 20. D.J. Cohen, Plano West Wolves coach Mike Hughes has been looking for consistency at the running back position and he thinks he's finally found it with Cohen. "He's finally bought into our system here," Hughes said. Cohen will get a chance to run behind a huge offensive line, and it's really up to him to be a patient runner. He also has to hit holes and take yards in small chunks if necessary. 19. Kendial Lawrence, Rockwall-Heath Lawrence had 1,720 yards and 20 touchdowns. His numbers should only go up in new coach Mickey Moss's offense. Lawrence is another speed burner who is a threat to break the big one at any time. 18. Charley Waldrep, Celina Just because he plays for a 3A school shouldn't be a strike against this yard producer. Waldrep, who is 5-11 and 190, had 1,779 yards last season and scored a Burkhead-like 35 touchdowns. Waldrep has exceptional speed and like just about every other player to come out of Celina, he's a winner. 17. Josh Matthews, McKinney North He had an eye-popping 247 yards in the opener against Boyd. He broke a school record with a 97-yard touchdown run -- remember McKinney North produced Texas Tech starter Shannon Woods. Matthews is a 5-11, 205-pound back who would just as soon run over defenders as run around them. "If I can make a guy miss, then I will," Matthews said. "If I have to run over someone, then I will." 16. Peter Smith, Forney Smith is a true sleeper. At 5-9, 175-pounds, he's not the biggest kid, but the senior has good speed to the outside and impresses with his toughness. Smith had a huge first game, rushing for 239 yards and breaking off touchdown runs of 33 and 17 yards. 15. Tony Peoples, The Colony Peoples had a standout junior season with 1,812 yards and 14 touchdowns as the entire Cougars' program has found new life in 4A. He has good quickness, sees the field well and has 36-inch vertical leap. Peoples, who had committed to Tulsa, has good hands and may play slot receiver in college. 14. Jeremiah Williams, Allen Williams is coming off of an injury-riddled junior season, but he's still a very talented back who had over 800 yards as a sophomore. He had 844 yards last season, and if he stays healthy, he should go over 1,000 yards even though he shares time with another talented back, Bradlee Waddell. 13. Tony Drake, Skyline The Raiders are in a situation where they are producing multiple Division I recruits each season, and Drake will be another. He only rushed for 300 yards last season, but remember again like White, he had limited opportunities because Skyline has so many talented skill players. Drake is another back with 4.4 speed. 12. Dexter Imade, Rowlett If Imade was running beneath anyone's radar, he couldn't hide after rushing for 271 yards in last year's first-round upset of Allen. The junior finished with 1,351 yards and 10 touchdowns. Rowlett expects to ride him farther in this year's playoffs and off-season shoulder surgery has not slowed him down. 11. James Sims, Irving MacArthur Sims showed versatility with limited opportunities last year, but expect his chances to pick up this year. Sims was held in check by Plano in the opener as he had 58 yards on 13 carries. But expect those numbers to pick up for the 5-11, 195-pound junior with 4.4 speed. 10. Ben Malena, Cedar Hill Malena is one of the top junior running backs in the state, even at 169 pounds. Malena had a great start to the season in the Kirk Herbstreit Varsity Football Series, rushing for 183 yards and two touchdowns on national television. He is already being recruited by most of the top college programs in the nation. 9. Evans Okotcha, Coppell Okotcha rushed for 709 yards and 14 touchdowns last year. He should build on those numbers now that coach Bob Shipley's system that helped make Stephen McGee and Jordan Shipley standouts at Burnet is in at Coppell. 8. Jamal Nero, Arlington Nero is another back playing in an offense composed of several talented players, so he has to do the most with his touches. He had 1,127 yards and seven touchdowns. Nero is a shifty back who runs well between the tackles. He also has speed to the outside. 7. James White, Skyline The Raiders had so many options on offense last year, so White wasn't able to put up huge numbers. He still had 715 yards and 12 touchdowns. White is exceptionally fast -- he runs a 4.4 40-yard dash. He is, you guessed, yet another versatile back with good hands. White has helped coach Reginald Samples build Skyline into an area powerhouse.