Closer Look: James Peoples Ready For Significant Role This Year?

The Buckeyes signed running back James Peoples out of Veteran’s Memorial High School in San Antonio, Texas. Peoples had an injury-shortened senior year but as a junior he rushed for 1,904 yards and 28 touchdowns. He averaged over 10 yards per carry in each of the past two seasons.

Peoples (5-10 203) was ranked the No. 8 running back in the nation per the 247Sports Composite and the No. 115 player in the class overall. He signed with the Buckeyes over offers from Alabama, Texas, Oregon, Oklahoma, Penn State, USC, and many others.

What To Like

James Peoples is a compact runner with the kind of balance that allows him to adjust in any direction to avoid a tackler. He is as comfortable between the tackles as he is outside of them. He is a patient runner who can run behind a zone scheme and wait for the hole to develop. Being physical is also not a problem as he fights for every yard on each carry.

Peoples is a natural pass catcher who can line up in the slot and get open against linebackers or defensive backs. He can be an every-down back or work his way into an offense as a pass catcher. Whatever an offense needs, Peoples has the skill set to make it happen.

James Peoples is also a natural pass catcher. pic.twitter.com/STVU9TgZuT
— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) July 22, 2024

The Potential

The Buckeyes expect James Peoples to eventually be their starting running back. That doesn’t need to happen this year but it may need to happen next year. The preparation is also already underway. Being from Texas, there are comparisons to former Buckeye JK Dobbins, who was also from Texas. That’s not a fair comparison to put on anybody, let alone a true freshman.

Peoples has tremendous vision and will finish with power. He seems to know the lifespan of each of his runs and looks to finish with a flourish rather than a whimper. He is a very efficient runner who gets what he can and sometimes gets whatever he wants. All of the characteristics you look for in a starting running back at a major program you will find here.

James Peoples has the speed to get outside the tackles. pic.twitter.com/rNUu0NpcpN
— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) July 22, 2024

The Expectations

James Peoples enrolled early and have a very good spring for a true freshman. His importance has grown with the recent injury to walk-on running back TC Caffey. The Buckeyes are expecting to be involved in a number of blowouts this season and they’re not going to want to have veterans TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins running the ball in the fourth quarter of those games. As such, that duty now falls on Peoples and fellow true freshman Sam Williams-Dixon.

There will be no redshirt year for Peoples, which is fine with him. He will be involved in the Ohio State offense this year, and not just in blowouts. The more work he gets, the better equipped he will be to compete for a starting spot in 2025 when Henderson and Judkins are likely off to the NFL. The better Peoples performs will also inform OSU how they need to handle the transfer portal in the offseason as well.

Expectations are very high down the road for James Peoples, and they’re not exactly low for him this season either.

James Peoples is comfortable running between the tackles. pic.twitter.com/gfhm08cd6p
— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) July 22, 2024

The Bottom Line

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day wants five scholarship running backs on the roster every year. The Buckeyes only have four this year, and half of them are true freshmen. James Peoples is a very talented running back and the Ohio State offense is going to need him this year. Ideally, he can be used to finish out the games that are no longer a threat. More realistically, he could be called upon as a starter or backup with an injury or two.

Over the past couple of seasons, the Buckeyes have had to turn to a linebacker and a wide receiver to run the ball, so the idea that they won’t need Peoples at critical times is wishful thinking. The good news for Ohio State is that everything Peoples has done to this point is only creating more confidence in his ability to answer the call should they make it.

James Peoples finished a strong spring with 36 yards rushing and three receptions in the Ohio State spring game. pic.twitter.com/63NFdy807t
— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) July 22, 2024

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