8-Man II Top 8: Jayvon Pruitt

In mid-December Kansas Pregame contacted 8-Man football coaches in an effort to name a first ever Top 8 team of seniors for both divisions of 8-Man football in Kansas. After an overwhelming response from coaches, and once all the votes were tallied, 16 players were selected.

This is the first of 16 individual player profiles highlighting the Top 8 selections in each division and released in no particular order. Look for more in the coming days.

Jayvon Pruitt, FB/RB/LB, 5-7, 190, Victoria, Sr.

It’s rare to find the unsung hero that lines up between the quarterback and tailback on any type of all-star list. The lack of attention given to fullbacks in football's modern era is a direct result of the rise of the one-back, or no-back Spread offense, but occasionally fans of football days-gone-by get a nod by seeing one of the bruisers featured as a prominent part of an offense.

This season, Victoria’s Jayvon Pruitt was used largely as a fullback, and the undersized, but powerful senior thrived in that role, rushing for 967 yards on 126 carries resulting in 19 touchdowns. He added 222 receiving yards on 15 receptions for three more scores.

His blocking efforts helped junior quarterback Grant Schoenrock in gaining over 1,000 yards and earning first team All-League honors, along with sophomore tailback Carson Werth picking up second team honors for his contributions in the run game.

Pruitt can also thank all-league offensive linemen Trenton Engel and Nate Windholz and all-league tight end Drayden Karlin for paving the way for almost 1,200 yards of offense.

“I loved getting to play running back whenever I could,” Pruitt said when asked about his preferred position on offense. “However, this year I think I accepted that I was really going to help the team more at fullback. Because of that, my team and I had a wonderful year.”

With the switch to fullback, there is a reality of not having a lead blocker to take you through the hole, making each run much more likely to result in a direct, physical impact with the defense. Pruitt seemed to enjoy this possibility. 

“When I run the ball I would say it is more instinct (than anything else). It is planned which hole I run through, but then, after that, at fullback, without a lead blocker, it’s just me and the defenders. I have to find a way to make a play though!”

Pruitt’s instincts served him well, allowing him to average just under eight yards per carry on the ground. In addition to receiving postseason honors from the Wichita Eagle and Topeka-Capital Journal, opposing coaches took notice of Pruitt’s performance and honored him with a spot on Kansas Pregame’s first ever Top 8 for 8-Man, Division II. He also was voted Central Prairie All-League first team and was featured as an Impact Player in Kansas Pregame’s annual football preview.

Pruitt’s impressive offensive output was nothing new during his senior year, over his career he totaled 3,134 yards total offense and 56 touchdowns. According to Victoria head coach Doug Oberle, Pruitt put forth considerable effort to grow as a player throughout his time on the high school gridiron. The defensive side of the ball is where Pruitt dug in this offseason. 

“Jayvon certainly is a very talented young man athletically,” Oberle said. “In the last four years with us he has worked really hard to improve his speed and strength. He just has a passion for playing the game. I think the biggest thing with him his senior year, he made a really good conscientious effort to improve on the defensive side of the ball. Which was a huge help for us team-wise.”

During the 2020 season, Pruitt amassed 65 total tackles, recorded a sack, and intercepted two passes, one a pick-six. He was also named to the Central Prairie All-League first team at linebacker for his efforts to go along with his honors on offense.

Victoria went into the season with high hopes, and although they fell short of adding to the rich state championship tradition, they had an exceptional year that saw them start off with 11 straight wins before falling short in the state semifinals to St. Francis, 44-22.

“This year was an amazing experience for sure” Pruitt reflected on the season. “The ultimate goal was, of course, a state championship. After it all though, if I could go back and change something, I wouldn’t. This was easily my favorite year of high school football.”

Pruitt is still deciding on his post-graduation plans but has a number of offers to play college football from several NAIA and junior college programs.

Check out a few of Pruitt's highlights below and find the complete list of Top 8 selections further down the page.