Iowa's top high school football players: Meet the state's best running backs

Some of the top running backs in Iowa prep football

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a position-by-position look at some of the top players in Iowa high school football. This list focuses on the running backs. 

There are hundreds of standout football players in Iowa and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive. Use the comments section to discuss the other running backs worthy of fans’ attention in 2022. 

Abu Sama, 5-10, 180, Sr., Southeast Polk

An Iowa State University commit, Sama is expected to play cornerback for the Cyclones. The versatile athlete, though, rushed for 931 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Class 5A state champions last season and had 20 tackles. In April, Sama broke the state’s long jump record in track, leaping 24-10 to break a record held by Davenport Central’s Chris Walker since 1984.

Carter Henderson, 6-foot, 190, Sr., Linn-Mar

Named to the second team Class 5A all-state team as a junior, Henderson rushed for 1,180 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also had 11 receptions for 64 yards, an average of 5.8 per catch.

Jazan Williams, 5-11, 180, Sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy

The workhorse carried 258 times for the Cougars as a junior last fall, rushing for 1,239 yards and 12 touchdowns. A third-team Class 5A all-state pick, Williams’ mother, Jenny Williams, was a star semi-pro football player for the Des Moines Crush eight years ago.

Caden McDermott, 5-9, 185, Sr., Pleasant Valley

Last season, McDermott did a little bit of everything for the Spartans. He was the team’s leading rusher with 957 yards and 13 touchdowns and the second leading passer. On defense, McDermott had 21 tackles for a team that reached the Class 5A quarterfinals.

Jon Humpal, 5-10, 165, Sr., Lewis Central

Humpal led the Titans to the Class 4A state championship last season, scoring 27 touchdowns. He rushed for 1,432 yards and 24 touchdowns and had three more receiving touchdowns among his 33 catches and 424 yards. Humpal also averaged 29 yards per kickoff return.

Titus Cram, 5-11, 190, Jr., Bondurant-Farrar

With two seasons of high school football still in front of him, Cram has offers from both Iowa and Iowa State, as well as Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas and Kansas State. He rushed for 1,461 yards and 26 touchdowns as a sophomore for the Bluejays last season, earning second-team Class 4A all-state honors.

Jaxon Cherry, 6-0, 190, Jr., Webster City

As a sophomore, Cherry had 936 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns and averaged 22 yards per kickoff return. Cherry was named to the Class 4A third team all-state squad by the Iowa Prep Sportswriters Association.

Sean Stahle, 5-10, 160, Sr., Solon

Stahle, a second-team Class 3A all-state selection as a junior, rushed for 1,138 yards (180 carries) and 17 touchdowns. He also had 305 receiving yards and three touchdowns for a team that reached the 3A state semifinals.

Brevin Doll, 6-0, 185, Jr., ADM

Another talented young athlete, Doll excels in both football and track and field. He made the Class 3A second-team all-state football squad as a sophomore last season. Doll had 1,051 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on 124 carries, caught 13 passes for 268 yards and two scores and was the state runner-up in the 100-meter dash.

Brady Miller, 5-9, 165, Sr., North Polk

A dual threat, Miller rushed for 1,055 yards and 14 touchdowns and had 25 receptions for 195 yards and three scores. Miller was honored as a third team all-state selection as a junior.

Griffin Diersen, 6-1, 220, Sr., OABCIG

The sturdy senior, a first team all-state selection as a junior, is a standout on both sides of the ball for the Falcons. During a 9-2 campaign last fall, Diersen rushed for a team-high 964 yards and scored eight touchdowns. He recorded a team-high 88 tackles at linebacker, including four for loss and two sacks.

Tadyn Brown, 5-10, 175, Sr., Clarinda

Brown rushed for 1,093 yards on 135 carries last season, scoring 16 touchdowns and averaging 8.1 yards per carry.

Braden McShane, 6-2, 200, Jr., New Hampton

McShane is looking to improve on a banner sophomore season in which he carried the football 213 times for 1,248 yards and 13 touchdowns. The 2A second-team all-state pick also had nine receptions for 156 yards and recorded a team-high 57 tackles at linebacker.

Brayden Onken, 5-7, 155, Sr., Osage

The speedy Onken can do damage both on the ground and as a receiver. A third team Class 2A all-state pick last season, Onken had 926 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns and 23 receptions for two more scores.

Jerek Hall, 5-10, 160, Sr., Dike-New Hartford

Hall had the second-most rushing yards last season among players returning for 2021. He racked up 1,658 yards on 221 carries with 20 touchdowns and also had 10 receptions and averaged 27.5 yards per kick return for a team that reached the Class 1A semifinals.

Carter Bultman, 6-0, 175, Sr., West Sioux

The Falcons made it all the way to the Class 1A state championship game last season and return not only Bultman, but all-state quarterback Dylan Wiggins. Bultman rushed for 1,287 yards and 12 touchdowns and had 39 catches for 472 yards and eight more scores. He was named to the second team 1A all-state squad.

Nolan DeLong, 6-1, 195, Sr., Durant

Entering his fourth season as a starter, DeLong has received an offer from Northern Iowa and is being courted by several other college suitors. He rushed for 1,591 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior and recorded 60 tackles. DeLong was a third team all-state pick in Class 1A.

Jack Menster, 5-10, 175, Sr., Cascade

Menster’s junior season included a seven-touchdown performance in Cascade’s 45-35 win over Anamosa. A third-team all-state pick in Class 1A, Menster finished with 1,041 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns.

Michael Turner, 6-1, 160, Sr., Tri-Center

The versatile Turner played the first half of last season at quarterback before making a switch to running back. He landed on the Class A all-state second team after rushing for 1,063 yards and 15 touchdowns. While playing QB, Turner passed for 334 yards and four touchdowns.

Bryar Prochniak, 5-11, 180, Sr., North Union

Prochniak just had a strong performance at the North Dakota State summer camp and has received a handful of Division II and NAIA offers. He is one of the state’s top sprinters in track and field and had 1,284 rushing and 318 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns last season.

Corder Noun Harder, 5-9, 155, Jr., Lynnville-Sully

Noun Harder’s sensational sophomore season produced 1,350 rushing yards, including a school-record 259 against Colfax-Mingo. The third-team Class A all-stater rushed for 15 touchdowns on 135 carries.

Simeon Reichenbach, 6-0, 185, Sr., WACO

The 8-player standout had 1,301 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns and 11 catches for 176 yards and a TD. He was named to the first team all-state team by the Iowa Prep Sportswriters Association.

Charlie Simpson, 6-0, 215, Sr., Easton Valley

Another 8-player star, Simpson had 1,310 yards on the ground and 29 touchdowns. He recorded 53 tackles on defense for a team that lost 42-40 in the state championship game. Simpson made the all-state 8-player second team.

Isaac Grundman, 6-0, 165, Sr., Lenox

Yet another 8-player star, Grundman racked up 1,556 yards and 30 touchdowns last season. He was named to the third-team all-state unit and averaged 20 yards per punt return, bringing one back for a touchdown.

Makelle Taylor, 5-11, 180, Sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie

Prairie had over 2,800 rushing yards last season, led by Taylor with 1,150 and 15 touchdowns. Taylor is also a threat as a receiver, with 18 catches for 330 yards and a touchdown, as well as a return specialist.

Jackson Dewald, 5-10, 205, Sr., Westwood

Also a state runner-up wrestler, the hard-charging fullback Dewald led all Class A rushers with 1,612 yards and 26 touchdowns, while tying for a Class A best 28 total touchdowns. The team’s leader in tackles and sacks, Dewald set the program’s single-game rushing record with 310 yards and five touchdowns against Lawton-Bronson.

Cason Stevenson, 5-11, 175, Jr., Nevada

The Cubs advanced to the Class 3A state quarterfinals before losing to eventual state champion Harlan last season. Stevenson had an outstanding sophomore campaign, rushing for 1,138 yards on 117 carries for 14 touchdowns.

Levi Daniel, 6-2, 185, Sr., Iowa City Regina

An all-purpose performer for the Regals, Daniel rushed for 1,033 yards and 14 touchowns, had 138 receiving yards and totaled 29.5 tackles.

Max McGill, 5-8, 168, Sr., Woodbury Central

McGill is the second-leading returning rusher in Class A behind Westwood’s Dewald. He gained 1,395 yards and scored 19 touchdowns and was also a standout defender with 68.5 tackles at linebacker, including 7.0 for loss.