YPS Top 40: Top Returning Running Backs in the Your Prep Sports Area for 2023
Editors note: This is the second in the eight-part “YPS Top 40” series from Your Prep Sports highlighting 40 of the top returning football players for the 2023 season.
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
The YPS Top 40 is an eight-story series highlighting 40 of the top returning football players in the Your Prep Sports area by position group.
The series began on Monday with a look at the top returning quarterbacks in the Your Prep Sports area and continues today with a look at some of the best returning running backs in the area.
In the next few days six other position groups, receiver, offensive line, defensive line, linebacker, defensive back and special teams will all be featured.
Here is a look at three of the top returning running backs in the area.
Owen Drapeaux
Junior, Liberty High
A relatively overlooked piece of the historic season for Liberty High last season was play of Drapeaux who flashed star potential in his varsity debut season.
Drapeaux rushed for 337 yards and two touchdowns while sharing the running back duties with departed senior Trey Gregoire last season helping Liberty High to a 9-2 record and a spot in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs.
The best work from Drapeaux came late in the season in his first year of varsity action as he rushed for 73 yards on 10 carries in a opening-round playoff win over Webster City.
The 6-foot, 190-pound Drapeaux has the size to run between the tackles and showed good speed and elusiveness last season while averaging 5.6 yards per carry.
Drapeaux caught three passes for 17 yards and should be more involved in the passing game this season as he transitions into the role of lead back.
Cale Seydel
Senior, West Branch
There are big shoes to fill in the West Branch backfield after the departure of all-stater Andy Henson and Seydel appears poised to fill those shoes.
Seydel has waited patiently for his opportunity to be the lead back for the Bears watching Henson rack up 3,697 rushing yards and 54 touchdowns while leading West Branch in rushing each of the past three seasons.
Now in his final prep season Seydel will look to carry on the tradition of production from the running back spot at West Branch as the Bears have produced a 1,000-yard rusher in 10 of the previous 12 seasons.
The 5-foot-10, 175-pound Seydel was effective in his limited role last season running for 184 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 5.3 yards per carry.
Seydel has the benefit of operating behind an experienced offensive line that brings back four starters from last season.
Dominic Salibi
Junior, City High
Another running back ready to shoulder a much bigger load this fall, Salibi showcased his impressive potential with back-to-back 100-yard rushing efforts down the stretch last season.
Salibi spent most of last season behind now departed senior Ronnie Major and do-everything all-stater Ben Kueter.
Coming off an impressive baseball season during the summer Salibi enters fall camp the front runner to take the bulk of the carries for the Little Hawks.
Salibi showed an impressive combination of speed and balance last season while rushing for 420 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 8.2 yards per carry.
The 6-foot-2, 170-pound Salibi ran for a career-high 174 yards and a touchdown in a week-eight win over Davenport West and rushed for 155 yards and a score a week later in a win over Davenport Central.
Salibi, who also caught eight passes for 76 yards and two touchdowns, will operate behind a talented and experienced offensive line that returns four starters from last season.
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