Dynamite Dozen: Well-rounded game makes Hall a problem for defenses

North Cobb running back Ben Hall is an old-school style of football player.

At 5-foot-10, 225 pounds he has the frame of a power back who can run through contact.

“Ben’s a little bit of a throwback player where you know he’s a 220-pound tailback, but he can also take it to the house running football,” North Cobb coach Shane Queen said. “He catches the ball out of the backfield really well. And then, when (quarterback) Malachi (Singleton) runs the football, (Hall is) somebody that you know can block at 220 pounds.”

Hall rushed 95 times for 543 yards and seven touchdowns last season, adding 12 receptions for 110 yards and two touchdowns as a receiver out of the backfield. Hall said his versatility helps him stand out from other high school backs.

“Being able to do a little bit of everything, and doing all of it well, really is able to set me apart from everyone else,” Hall said.

Queen said Hall’s drive to work hard and improve his game is impressive.

“He can do a lot of great things, and his work ethic — every time you walk out, he’s probably the hardest worker we’ve got on our football team,” Queen said. “Every morning when you get here, 6:30 in the morning, he’s out there working.”

Singleton and Hall both lining up in the North Cobb backfield creates a dilemma for defenses, as both are major threats with the ball in their hands.

“Having both of us together, I feel like it makes each other’s jobs easier,” Hall said. “Everyone is going to gravitate to one of us, so it’s just a matter of being able to do the most you can when you get the ball.”

Hall committed to Michigan in March, choosing the Wolverines over other programs including Georgia Tech, Boston College, Cincinnati and South Carolina. He said it was an easy decision once he saw the campus in Ann Arbor.

“They have the facilities, the buildings, the credibility, but really just the environment, the people,” Hall said. “They really just grew on me.”

Hall and his North Cobb teammates have one goal in mind for the 2022 season — winning a state title.

“We all want to get that ring. So that’s really the main goal of the team,” Hall said. “But personally, I just want to continue to find my game and be ready for that next level.”