The Saints will graduate a key part of their 4A championship squad in RB Hoffman, but they appear to have his successor, junior Dustin Cook Dustin Cook 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB Xavier | 2027 State IA , ready to take over. As a junior, Dustin received limited touches, but he maximized his 39 carries by averaging 9.5 ypc for a total of 370 yards and two touchdowns. I only had a small sample size of film on Dustin, but I was impressed with his toughness as a runner. He has a strong, compact frame at 5’10” and 190 pounds, which helps him stay upright through contact and continue chugging along for more yards. I look forward to seeing more of Dustin in 2026.

Xavier has fielded teams with running backs like Cook throughout the years. In fact, this year’s starter, Carter Hoffmann Carter Hoffmann 6'0" | 180 lbs | ATH Xavier | 2026 State IA , is like that. Cook is similarly built with height and a solid frame, but not one that’s overly stout. He uses longer strides, helping get to the edge. He’s strong enough to power through arm tackles with a frame capable of adding good weight and strength. Cook also stresses defenses as a receiver. He’s a big-play guy. All of the skills were on display during the state semifinals at the UNI-Dome. In a win against Newton, he rushed four times for 67 yards and a touchdown. He caught three balls for 73 yards. Xavier will miss Hoffmann when he graduates after this school year, but the position is in the good hands of Cook.

A small running back with burst, Dustin Cook Dustin Cook 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB Xavier | 2027 State IA isn’t Xavier’s top option on the ground — we’ll talk about that next — but Cook is an excellent compliment to what the Saints backfield already possesses. A shifty runner that can juke defenders out of their shoes and beat them with straight-line speed, Cook may be small in stature, but he’s surprisingly physical in addition to the quickness that he brings to the field.

Cook, who took just one carry for 29 yards, but who also caught three passes for 58 yards, can play both in the slot and sneak out of the backfield on a wheel route or through the line on a go-route to beat the defense. The prior came part way through the second quarter, as Cook caught a deep ball over the middle from quarterback, Cash Parks Cash Parks 6'2" | 205 lbs | QB/DB Xavier | 2027 State IA for Xavier’s second score of the evening.