Vote: Who is Missouri high school football's top returning running back for the 2025 season?

Check out the list of candidates from High School on SI and vote for the best in the poll at the bottom of the page!

Levi Payton | Jun 19, 2025

A dynamic running back, Lutheran North’s Martez Stephenson was a Class 4 first team all-state selection after averaging 11.1 yards per carry and scoring 21 total touchdowns in 2024. He rushed for 1,363 yards and had 263 receiving as Lutheran North won the Class 4 state championship. / David Smith

As we continue our previews of the state’s top returning talent at every position, we now turn our attention to the state’s top returning backs.

After highlighting the quarterbacks last time, we’re now diving into the backfield to spotlight more than 40 of the state’s top returning rushers. From bruising fullbacks in Class 1 to elite playmakers in Class 6, Missouri is stacked with returning talent. Some of these backs have already earned all-state honors. Others are expected to step into main roles for the first time. Several have put together massive careers already and are primed for even bigger numbers this fall.

Names like Jayden McCaster (De Smet), Keyshawn Boyd (Cape Central), Draivyn Colvin (Staley), and Martez Stephenson (Lutheran North) are just a few to keep an eye on in 2025. Others like DeZephen Walker (Ray-Pec) and Jordan Taylor (SLUH) are some of the state’s top recruits who have already garnered national attention for their play.

But this isn’t about offers or rankings. This is about production. This is about who you think is the best returning running back in the state entering the 2025 season.

Be sure to vote now in the poll at the bottom of the page and let us know who you believe is the top returning high school running back in Missouri for 2025.

Voting ends on Monday, June 30 at 11:59 p.m. CT. You may vote as many times as you’d like and we encourage you to share this page on all socials and let others know to go vote.

Be sure to follow Missouri’s High School on SI page all season for the latest stories, scores, matchups, highlights and more throughout the entirety of the 2025-2026 season. Please note this is not an overall ranking of the top players in Missouri, as players are listed alphabetically.

Editor’s Note: High School on SI voting polls are intended to be a fun way to create fan engagement and express support for your favorite high school athletes and teams. Unless expressly noted, there are no awards for winning the voting. Our primary focus is to highlight the abilities and accomplishments of all the athletes and teams included in our poll.

Missouri’s top returning 2025 high school running backs

Trevyn Adams, sr., Midway

Also a star on the baseball diamond at Midway, Adams enters his senior campaign hoping to build off a successful junior campaign that saw him rush for 1,337 yards and 17 touchdowns in 10 games. He averaged 5.8 yards per attempt.

Dylan Armstrong, sr., North Platte

A second team all-state selection, Armstrong (6-foot, 220) averaged 102.3 yards per game – rushing for 1,227 yards on 257 carries. He also had 7 catches for 101 yards and a touchdown. Armstrong is a Class 1 second team all-state selection.

Keyshawn Boyd, sr., Cape Girardeau Central

Now the lead back after splitting time with standout senior Zai’Aire Thomas a year ago, Boyd is primed for a huge year at Central. After rushing for 2,063 yards on 222 carries as a sophomore, Boyd saw his carries dip to 154 (Central also played 10 games versus 13 in 2023) but still produced at an impressive clip – racking up 1,180 yards (including a 94-yard scamper) with 16 touchdowns.

Sammy Bryant, sr., Caruthersville

His explosiveness in the backfield helped guide the Tigers to an 11-2 record and the third round of the Class 2 playoffs as a junior. The Class 2 second team all-state selection averaged a staggering 9.5 yards per carry – rushing 186 times for 1,776 yards and 30 touchdowns.

Zemar Cheatam, sr., Liberty North

His 122 carries were nearly identical to senior River Therrian’s 120, but Cheatam (5-10, 190) still led the Eagles with 843 yards and 12 touchdowns in 10 games. He should be primed for a big year in 2025.

Trevor Codak, sr., Eureka

An all-district performer and Class 5 second team all-state running back, Codak had a year worthy of first-team honors as he helped the Wildcats to a 9-1 finish with a monster season. He did a little bit of everything for the Wildcats: rushing for 1,489 yards and 18 touchdowns, catching a pair of touchdown passes and even threw for 56 yards and a TD. Codak’s role will be just as big on offense in 2025.

Crae Coffey, sr., South Harrison

A two-time all-conference and all-district selection, Coffey (6-2, 215) is a bruising fullback who racked up 1,396 yards while also splitting time as a standout linebacker on defense.

Draivyn Colvin, sr., Staley

Still growing and now at an imposing 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, Colvin racked up 834 yards on 139 carries as a 6-2, 200-pound junior. He had 9 touchdowns total (7 rushing, 2 receiving) and added 8 catches for 192 yards. Colvin currently holds 12 collegiate offers.

Carter Dowell, sr., Troy-Buchanan

A big back at 6-foot, 195, Dowell had a big year for the Trojans with 1,762 yards rushing. When the ball is in his hands, he has a propensity to find the end zone as Dowell scored 29 touchdowns (27 rushing, 2 receiving) and also had 155 yards receiving.

Manny Ellis, sr., Cardinal Ritter Prep

So, his 756 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns in 2024 don’t stack up with many of the other candidates but consider this: Ellis spent his junior year vying for carries with seniors Carson Boyd and Jamarion Parker sharing the brunt of the load ahead of him. He still made the most of his opportunities when they came – averaging 9.9 yards on 75 carries. Now the veteran in an offense that will have new faces in key positions, Ellis is primed for a breakout season.

Eli Ferrell, sr., Sherwood

With his blend of size and athleticism, Ferrell could line up just about anywhere on the football field and succeed. But at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds – and a wrestler at Sherwood – it’s easy to understand why he’s playing fullback for the Marksmen. Defenders don’t like tackling him, and he rushed for 1,005 yards with 21 touchdowns – including five 100-yard games – as a junior.

Jaiden Galbreath, jr., North Callaway (Kingdom City)

Rushed for 1,367 yards and 15 touchdowns as a sophomore. He broke the century mark in rushing in six of 10 games and averaged 5.9 yards per carry on 231 attempts.

Adam Gisler, sr., Platte County

Gisler put an exclamation point on his junior season when he rushed for 107 yards on 7 carries – including an 80-yard run – and a touchdown in the Pirates’ Class 5 state championship victory over Helias Catholic. He rushed for 776 yards on 74 carries with 15 touchdowns and earned third-team all-state honors.

Josh Harvath, sr., Warsaw

Sharing carries with seniors Garrett Ferguson and Jayce Depriest, Harvath (5-11, 190) led the Wildcats with 959 yards rushing and scored 13 touchdowns. A wrestler at Warsaw who doesn’t shy away from the physicality of the game, Harvath gritted his way to 9 yards per carry on 106 rushes.

Preston Hatfield, sr., Lee’s Summit

A weapon who plays both ways at Lee’s Summit, Hatfield rushed for at least 100 yards in seven of 10 games and had a season-long tote of 76 yards. In 11 games he amassed 1,281 yards on 174 carries with 12 touchdowns and hauled in 27 passes for 358 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Khasye Highley, sr., Springfield Parkview

At 6-foot, 195 pounds, Highley is a load to bring down and the Vikings’ workhorse in the backfield. A two-way star, he carried the ball 235 times as a junior, rushing for 1,420 yards and 16 touchdowns – an average of 6 yards per carry.

Devin Hollins, sr., Marquette

When the lights come on, Hollins stays busy. An absolute workhorse for Marquette, he carried the ball 284 times for 1,446 yards in 2024 to go along with 175 yards receiving. Hollins finished with 1,621 all-purpose yards and 14 total touchdowns.

TaMarkus Holmes, sr., Forsyth

Holmes had a monster season for Forsyth. He carried the ball 170 times for 1,339 yards and 19 touchdowns and earned Class 3 third team all-state honors.

Izaiah Hull, sr., Republic

He will share carries with quarterback Preston McCracken (1,262 yards in 2024) again, but Hull was second on the Tigers with 892 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns in 2024.

Will Jackson, jr., Nevada

He made a big splash for the Tigers as a sophomore when he rushed 200 times for 1,437 yards and 12 touchdowns. At 5-foot-10, 155 pounds, Jackson averaged 7.2 yards per carry.

Mark Jennings, sr., Sullivan

A Class 4 third team all-state selection, Jennings averaged 10 yards per carry – rushing for 1,512 yards on 151 carries with 14 touchdowns.

Hayden Lackman, sr., Blair Oaks

A Class 3 third team all-state selection, Lackman’s season was cut short due to an injury in a 42-0 win over Southern Boone, but the bruising 6-foot-2 back still rushed for 496 yards and 16 touchdowns on the season. If he can return to form in 2025, it will be another feather in the cap for the defending state champion Falcons.

Paco Leos, sr., Cuba

The Wildcats will likely lean heavily on Leos in 2025. He got the bulk of the team’s carries last season (144) despite sharing 73 carries with senior quarterback Jesse Elrod. Now that Elrod has moved on, Leos will likely see an uptick in totes and an increase over the 884 yards and 5 touchdowns he scored in 2024.

Marcus Lopez-Durman, sr., Carl Junction

In 11 games as a junior, Lopez-Durman averaged 5.4 yards per carry while guiding the Bulldogs’ rushing attack with 1,318 yards on 224 attempts and 13 touchdowns. Injuries are the biggest concern for Lopez-Durman entering 2025, as his body took a real beating in the 2024 campaign. So far, all indications are that he intends to play in 2025 and that's bad news for Southwest Missouri defenses. Whenever he’s on the field, expect exciting things.

Jaylen Mack, sr., Liberty (Lake St. Louis)

Mack (5-9, 195) helped lead the Eagles to a 7-4 record as a junior. He ran for 1,433 yards and 26 touchdowns and added 394 yards and 3 touchdowns receiving. He had 1,827 all-purpose yards in 11 games.

Quincy Mayfield, sr., Monroe City

A two-time all-conference and all-district selection and a 2024 Class 2 third team all-state pick, Mayfield rushed for 1,143 yards and 16 touchdowns on 131 carries as a junior. A threat in the passing game as well, the 5-foot-9, 175-pound back hauled in 13 catches for 270 yards and three TDs.

Jayden McCaster, sr., De Smet Jesuit

A first team all-conference, all-district and second team all-state selection in 2024, McCaster (5-8, 185) rushed for 1,521 yards on 197 carries with 16 touchdowns. He also had 33 catches for 451 yards and 6 touchdowns. He averaged 7.7 yards per rush and 13.7 per catch for the Class 6 champions.

Roman Miller, sr., Seneca

Miller helped guide the Indians to the Class 3 state finals. Despite sharing 173 carries with quarterback Kaden Clouse, Miller rushed for 1,710 yards on 192 carries and scored 27 touchdowns on the ground.

Darius Morgan, sr., Blue Springs South

The Jaguars have a chance to make a lot of noise in Class 6 this season, and Morgan will be one of the key figures on offense. Splitting carries a year ago with senior running back Kendrick Hawkins Jr. (1,031 yards) and junior quarterback Ayden Wilhelm (900 yards), Morgan (5-9, 190) led the squad in carries (155) and finished second with 1,002 yards and a team-high 16 rushing touchdowns.

Caleb Nichols, sr., Harrisburg

Averaging 6.3 yards per carry is always a good thing, and Nichols did just that as the workhorse back for the Class 1 Bulldogs. He toted the rock 207 times last year for 1,313 yards and will look to build off that with his encore in 2025.

Cash Pomeroy, sr., Marionville

A Class 1 first team all-state selection, Pomeroy (6-2, 250) is hulking figure and a bruising back who averaged 7.9 yards per carry – rushing for 1,311 yards and 18 touchdowns in 12 games as the Comets went 11-1 and reached the quarterfinals of the Class 1 playoffs. He also did well in limited opportunities catching the football – hauling in 6 grabs for 123 yards and a touchdown.

Aj Smith, jr., Warrensburg

A powerful runner at 5-9, 205, Smith and the Tigers reached the state’s Class 4 quarterfinals behind his 1,763 yards and 20 touchdowns. He averaged nearly 7 yards per carry on 253 attempts.

Raife Smith, sr., Mid-Buchanan

The Dragons went 12-1 last year and made it to the quarterfinals of the Class 2 state playoffs. Smith had a big hand in that – averaging 8.3 yards per carry and scoring 14 touchdowns on the ground. He had 122 carries for 1,018 yards.

Martez Stephenson, sr., Lutheran North

At 5-foot-8, 175, Stephenson plays bigger than his size and is dynamic to boot. He was a problem for opposing defenses during Lutheran North’s Class 4 championship run. He averaged 11.1 yards per carry, rushed for 1,363 yards, added 263 receiving and finished with 21 touchdowns in earning a first team Class 4 all-state selection at running back.

Jordan Taylor, sr., St. Louis University (SLUH)

A three-star recruit by 247Sports, Taylor seemed to only be scratching the surface of his potential when he rushed for 1,244 yards and 9 touchdowns in 2024. He also showed off his hands with 167 yards receiving and a touchdown for the Junior Bills. According to 247Sports, Taylor holds offers from Nebraska, Purdue, Sacramento State, Ball State, Miami (Ohio), UNLV, UCF, Toledo, Eastern Michigan, North Dakota State, South Dakota State and Lindenwood.

Luis Tellado, sr., St. Michael the Archangel (Lee’s Summit)

With great size and toughness at 6-foot, 195 pounds, Tellado rushed for 1,197 yards and 13 touchdowns last year. He averaged 6.5 yards per carry and rushed for at least 100 yards in seven of 11 Guardians games.

Jaylen Thomas, sr., Capital City (Jefferson City)

Despite seeing his touches dip significantly over his sophomore campaign, Thomas was still an absolute weapon for the Cavaliers as a junior. At 5-foot-10, 195 pounds, Thomas rushed 159 times for 1,147 yards (7.2 average) and 14 touchdowns. As a sophomore, he carried the ball 205 times for 2,086 yards and 31 TDs – averaging 10.2 yards per carry that season. In his career Thomas has rushed for 4,662 yards and 61 touchdowns and has averaged 8.9 yards on 522 carries.

Bryce Thompson, jr., Lee’s Summit North

A central figure in the offense, Thompson (5-8, 180) impressed as a sophomore and helped the Broncos go 11-1, reaching the quarterfinals of the Class 6 playoffs. He holds an offer from UCF and has received interest from Nebraska, according to On3.

Sadler Viau, sr., Maryville

Don’t be surprised if Viau (5-10, 205) has a monster season. He shared carries with senior Garrett McAtee last season and finished second on the team with 945 yards and 17 touchdowns on 158 carries in 13 games.

DeZephen Walker, sr., Raymore-Peculiar

A four-star recruit by ESPN, four-star 247Sports composite and three-star recruit by 247Sports and On3, Walker – also a high school All-American – just announced his commitment to Oklahoma on June 16. The No. 3 player in Missouri in the Class of 2026 by 247Sports, Walker returns to lead Ray-Pec’s rushing attack after amassing 957 yards and 8 touchdowns on 176 carries (5.4 average) as a junior.

Leuntae Williams, sr., Festus

Expected to share carries with junior Kamden Yates again in 2025, Williams enters his senior campaign with some added motivation after his Tigers came up short in the Class 4 state championship game in 2024. Williams will be looking to build on a year that saw him rush for 866 yards and 7 touchdowns on 138 rushing attempts and catch 10 passes for 143 yards.

Kamden Yates, jr., Festus

The thunder and lightning combo of Yates and Leuntae Williams will ride again in 2025 after the duo helped run the Tigers to the Class 4 state finals. Despite only getting a portion of the cake, Yates, an all-conference selection, still racked up 625 yards as a sophomore on 81 carries (7.7 average) with 9 touchdowns and had 7 catches for 108 yards and a TD.