A 3-star running back prospect from Kimball High School in Dallas, Texas is set to commit on May 1 as Brandon Epton Jr. has the California Golden Bears in his final five schools of consideration.
Epton Jr. announced that he’ll be making his college choice on May 1 and deciding between SMU, Arizona State, Cal, Purdue and Texas Tech. He currently ranks as the 34th-best running back in the country and the 83rd-best prospect in Texas, according to 247Sports.
He had at least 20 offers but narrowed it down to his final five earlier this week.
Epton’s projection pens him as a Power-5 starting running back and compares him to Deion Smith of the Colorado Buffaloes. Midlands Regional Recruiting Analyst Gabe Brooks evaluated Epton last November.
Adequate frame relative to position. Requisite height with lean, athletic build that should hold some more weight in college. Shows encouraging initial burst. Accelerates quickly to reach top speed. Good cutback runner. Displays enough wiggle to make a defender miss at the second level, but at his best hitting holes downhill and slashing cutback lanes. Shows necessary play speed to hit big runs. Should have a lot of tread on the tires after averaging 8.2 carries per game as a junior. Can improve top-end speed as evidenced by track times. Occasionally bounces runs unnecessarily. Limited pass-catching exposure. Power Five-caliber running back prospect who should bring a relatively fresh engine to the next level. Could become reliable multi-year starter in college.
Epton Jr is also a two-sport athlete who runs the short sprints and relays on his track and field team. He was named the Texas District 6-5A D-II Newcomer of the Year a season ago.
He scored 15 touchdowns on the ground and another two through the air during his junior season. We’ll follow along with his commitment journey and be sure to talk to him if he becomes a Bear, but until then, just enjoy his highlights above.