Who Are The Top Iowa High School Football Running Backs In 2026?

While many teams in Iowa high school football have moved to a more pass-happy offensive attack, there are still those that prefer to move the ball on the ground with a workhorse running back.

And the results speak for themselves.

Many of the players listed below played key roles in deep postseason runs for their respective teams, including one who led them all the way to a championship.

High School On SI Iowa has released an early preseason Top 25 for the state, and team outlooks on some of the top-ranked teams. Here is a look at some of the top running backs for 2026.

Top Iowa High School Football Running Backs

Laken Caves, Alburnett, Senior

Caves is the leading returning rusher among non-quarterbacks, having run for 1,880 yards nd 22 touchdowns on 235 carries. He posted eight yards per attempt, adding 31 receptions for 390 yards and three more scores in the passing game.

Jarin Hoffman, Kuemper Catholic, Senior

Hoffman and the Knights went unbeaten in 2025, winning an Iowa high school football state championship. He will be the focal point of the offense again in 2026 after rushing 260 times for 1,671 yards with 23 touchdowns. Hfman also had 20 receptions for 162 yards and three TDs.

Braydan Doss, Lewis Central, Junior

Just an 11th-grader this fall, Doss is coming off a sophomore campaign in which he carried the ball 172 times for 1,518 yards, scoring 18 touchdowns. He averaged just a shade under nine yards per carry.

Savion Miller, Iowa, high school football, high school, football — Regina's running back/defensive back Savion Miller (2) huddles up over Grundy Center's wide receiver/defensive back Brayden Davie (3) as running with the ball for a first down during the fourth quarter in the 1A High School state semi-final on Nov. 14, 2025, at UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Savion Miller, Iowa City High, Senior

Miller will test himself at the Class 5A level after rushing for 1,068 yards and 16 touchdowns with Iowa City Regina Catholic last year. One of the top college prospects in the state, he also had 16 receptions for 338 yards and nine more touchdowns.

Adam Malik, Carroll, Senior

The town of Carroll is loaded at the running back position, as Malik leads the Tigers after racking up 1,514 yards and 18 touchdowns on 207 carries.

Beckett Verros, Sergeant Bluff-Luton, Senior

The leading rusher on one of the most prolific ground attacks in the state, Verros returns after averaging 10 yards per attempt last year. He finished with 1,450 yards and 16 touchdowns on just 144 carries.

Wyatt Gelder, South Hamilton, Junior

Opposing teams knew the ball was going to Gelder, and they still couldn’t contain him. He had 1,423 yards and 16 touchdowns as just a sophomore, averaging over seven yards per carry.

Isaiah Hansen, Iowa, high school football, high school, football — Newton's Isaiah Hansen (2) runs for a touchdown around Gilbert's safety Alden Short (5) during first quarter at Tigers Stadium on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Gilbert, Iowa | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Isaiah Hansen, Newton, Senior

The Iowa State commit looks to build off his 165-carry, 1,337-yard, 18-touchdown performance as a junior last fall. Newton’s offense will lean heavily on Hansen in 2026.

Braylon Lopez, West Sioux, Senior

In the past, the pass attack was No. 1 at West Sioux, but with Lopez, they feature a strong ground unit. He had 1,336 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, averaging almost nine per carry.

Ethan McNeal, Atlantic, Senior

McNeal put in a full season last fall, rushing 202 times for 1,331 yards with 14 touchdowns. He also averaged 28 yards per kickoff return with one taken back for a score.

Stanley Cooper, Iowa, high school football, high school, football — Southeast Polk's Stanley Cooper reacts after scoring a touchdown during a 5A playoff football game at Ankeny Stadium on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, in Ankeny. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Stanley Cooper, Southeast Polk, Senior

Cooper and the Rams will try to get back to being Class 5A champions as he rushed for 1,311 yards and 17 touchdowns last year, averaging 8.5 yards per carry competing against some of the toughest defenses in the state.

Abe McGill, Woodbury Central, Junior

McGill stepped up and carried the load for Woodbury Central last year, rushing for 1,300 yards and 17 touchdowns on 257 carries.

Keaton Gates, West Branch, Senior

Gates will try to finish off his career with a bang, building off a junior season in which he ran the football 172 times for 1,289 yards, scoring 13 touchdowns.

Kameron Adams, South Hardin, Junior

Not many sophomores were thrust into the role of RB1, but Adams not only handled that, he also dominated in the position, rushing for 1,283 yards with 14 touchdowns on 203 carries.

Treyvon Herron, Gladbrook-Reinbeck, Senior

Herron found the end zone 26 times last year among his 100 carries, averaging nearly 13 yards per rush. He finished with 1,278 yards rushing and had 19 receptions for 264 yards with five more scores.

Jayden Nanthan, West Burlington Notre Dame, Junior

Another junior this fall who was the top running back on his team is Nanthan, as he averaged over seven yards per rush, finishing with 1,276 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Coy Moline, Manson Northwest Webster, Senior

The offense for the Cougars will run through Moline once again this coming fall, as he ran for 1,268 yards and 15 touchdowns on 180 attempts a year ago.

Drew Bergfeld, Western Dubuque, Senior

Another future Iowa State Cyclone, Bergfeld nearly hit the 1,300-yard mark on the ground, finishing with 1,256 yards and 18 touchdowns with an average of eight yards per carry.

Blake Dorenkamp, West Des Moines Valley, Senior

Dorenkamp will be the featured back for a state contender, as the Tiger ran 191 times for 997 yards last year, scoring 12 touchdowns. He averaged just over five yards per carry, adding 22 receptions for 206 yards.

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