| Ohio State Buckeyes–No. 20 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Running back |
| Class | Sophomore |
| Personal information | |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight | 206 lb (93 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College |
|
| High school | Veterans Memorial (San Antonio, Texas) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
James Peoples is an American football running back for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Peoples attended Veterans Memorial High School. As a sophomore, he notched 14 touchdowns and 1,263 all-purpose yards. [1] During his junior season, Peoples rushed for 1,904 yards and 28 touchdowns. [2] Coming out of high school, he was rated as a four-star recruit, the 5th best running back, and the 69th overall player in the class of 2024, and committed to play college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes over offers from schools such as Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and USC. [2]
In the 2024 season opener, Peoples notched his first career touchdown in a win over Akron Zips. [3] He played just 94 snaps as a freshman, rushing for 197 yards and two touchdowns on 49 carries. [4] Peoples competed for the Buckeyes starting running back job ahead of the 2025 season. [5] [6]
His father, James Peoples, was a quarterback at Cleveland Heights, while his mother, Nakisha Peoples, was a Hall of Fame track athlete at Thiel College in Greenville, Pennsylvania. [7]