Vote: Who is the top returning running back in Texas high school football in 2025?

Read through the candidates and cast your vote!

Odessa Permian's Gavin Black (18) runs with the ball against San Angelo Central at San Angelo Stadium on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. / Paul Witwer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texas high school football is full of top talent, and few positions are as important as running back. High School on SI has listed some of the top running backs returning for the 2025 season.

Fans will get an opportunity to vote on who they think is the best. Read through the nominees and cast your vote. There are many outstanding players in Texas, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive.

Voting will close on May 30 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

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.

Who is the top returning running back in Texas high school football in 2025?

John Hebert, Sr., Strake Jesuit

Herbert was a first team all-district running back and district MVP. He had 3,532 rushing yards and 40 total touchdowns. 

Gavin Black, Sr., Odessa Permian

Black ran for 2,332 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns in 2024. 

Ernie Powers, Sr., El Paso Franklin

Powers had a junior season with 289 carries and 2,224 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns. 

Cam Newton, Sr., Prosper Walnut Grove

Newton ran for 2,013 yards and 31 touchdowns in a successful junior season. 

Javian Osborne, Sr., Forney 

Osborne had 1,227 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns. He is committed to Notre Dame. 

Demarcus Belton, Sr., Alvarado

Belton had 1,821 rushing yards and 572 receiving yards for 26 total touchdowns. 

JT Harris, Sr., Euless Trinity

Harris ran 113 times for 1,428 yards and 17 touchdowns. He also had three kick returns for touchdowns. 

Damian Figueroa, Sr., Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway

Figueroa had just over 2,000 rushing yards as a junior. 

Ethan Guerra, Sr., PSJA North

Guerra had 1,870 rushing yards with 13 touchdowns as well as 264 receiving yards.

Nicholas Luera Jr., Jr., San Diego

Luera Jr. had 1,623 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2024. 

Derrick Reagie, Jr., Corrigan-Camden

Reagie was a District 12 2A Division 1 all district running back in 2024. 

Damarius Montgomery, Jr., Kingsville King

Montgomery was included in High School On SI’s 2024 All-South Texas honorable mention list. 

Daniel Martinez, Jr., Santa Maria

Martinez had 1,508 rushing yards at 8.9 yards per carry. He averaged 150.8 yards per game. 

KJ Edwards, Sr., Carthage

Edwards had 1,789 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns on 12.6 yards per carry. He helped Carthage to the Class 4A Division 2 state championship. 

Tradarian Ball, Sr., Texas High 

Ball is a 4-star recruit committed to Oregon. He was a unanimous selection to the Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association’s Class 5A all-state team. 

Jonathan Hatton Jr., Sr., Steele

Hatton had 1,229 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns on 9.17 yards per carry. He is committed to Texas A&M. 

Christian Rhodes, Sr., Lake Highlands

Rhodes ran for 1,271 yards and 14 touchdowns on 8.64 yards per carry. He is committed to SMU. 

Amante Martin, Sr., Memorial

Martin is a 3-star prospect with offers from Houston, Kansas and Kentucky, among others. 

Ryan Estrada, Sr., El Dorado

Estrada had a junior season with over 2,400 yards and 32 touchdowns. 

Izayah Lee, Sr., Lancaster

Lee ran for 1,294 yards in 2024 to 5.7 yards per carry. He has offers from SMU and TCU. 

Keilan Chavies, Sr., Hutto

Chavies is a 3-star prospect with offers from Arizona State, Arizona, and Boston College, among others, according to 247sports.com. 

G’Ivori Graham, Sr., Harlan

He had 1,007 total yards in 2024. He had just under 700 rushing yards on 8.5 yards per carry. 

Ashton Rowden, Sr., New Boston

Rowden had 1,337 rushing yards for 14 rushing touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns. 

Ryelan Morris, Sr., Honey Grove

Morris can play both running back and wide receiver. He is committed to Baylor.

Landen Williams-Callis, Jr., Randle

Williams-Callis ran for 2,103 yards and 43 touchdowns in 2024. He had 9.14 yards per carry, and he helped Randle to the Class 5A Division II state title. 

Jakoby Dixon, Jr., Brenham

Dixon has recently picked up offers from Michigan, Florida and OKlahoma State.

Victor Scott, Jr., Lancaster

Scott has recent offers from Florida State, Oregon State and SMU, among others. 

CaDarius McMiller, Jr., Tyler High

McMiller is a 4-star prospect who recently picked up offers from Missouri, Kansas State and Arizona State. 

Davis Penn, Sr., Southlake Carroll

Penn had 1,040 all purpose yards and 20 touchdowns in 2024. 

Wayne Shanks Jr., The Kincade School

Shanks Jr., had 1,579 rushing yards and 27 total touchdowns during his sophomore season. 

Micah Rhodes, So., Klein Oak

Rhodes won the District 15 Class 6A Newcomer of the Year award last season. He received an offer from Notre Dame on May 1. 

Sean Simon, So., La Porte

Texas District 11 Class 5A Division I Offensive Newcomer of the Year in 2024.

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