In Missouri high school football, the offseason always brings its fair share of chatter, as players hit the weight room, coaches discuss schemes, and fans daydream about revenge games. But this summer? The usual buzz turned into a low-key wildfire. A transfer move has generated the kind of hype typically reserved for college-level headlines.

One move. One name. The result? A shocking power shift that has fans, coaches, and media watching every move. It wasn’t just who made the move; it was where he went, when he did it, and why it happened. No official kickoff yet, but this story has already lit up the scoreboard. A star running back has left a state championship-winning program not just for a fresh start but to join forces with the top offensive lineman in the country.

The moment everything shifted came quietly with just a single tweet on July 23. Springfield Sports Reporter Wyatt Wheeler didn’t need a flashy headline or dramatic buildup. “Nixa football has a new running back,” he posted on X, and that was all it took. The message spread like wildfire across Missouri football circles. He wrote, “Jayden McCaster, a 1,500-yard rusher from DeSmet a season ago and a Southern Illinois commit, will run the ball behind Jackson Cantwell and the best O-line in SWMO, according to his X bio.”

Jayden McCaster, the electrifying 1,500-yard running back who helped power De Smet Jesuit to a championship-level season last fall. Now, instead of suiting up for another title run with his former squad, McCaster is packing up and heading to Nixa High School. The transfer has set up one of the most talked-about tandems the state has seen in a while. Within half an hour of the news breaking, Jackson Cantwell took to X to welcome his new backfield teammate. Tagging McCaster in a celebratory post, he wrote, “Welcome to the squad @JaydenMcCaster3! Let’s get 3k on the ground this year.”

Cantwell’s message wasn’t just enthusiastic. He is effectively saying that this season isn’t just about wins; it’s about rewriting Missouri’s rushing records. Gateway Sports Venue, a trusted voice in high school sports, captured the full weight of the moment. They highlighted that this might be “Probably the first time in state history that a starter in a state championship game transfers to the opponent the very next season! A huge blow to the reigning state-champion DeSmet Spartans weeks before fall practice starts in an absolutely shocking turn of events.” The magnitude of McCaster’s move is still rippling through Missouri’s football circles. 

In 2024, McCaster rushed for 1,521 yards with an average of 7.7 yards per carry. When you add in his receiving and return yardage, he racked up almost 1,972 all-purpose yards, making him one of the top running backs in Missouri for 2024. The new teammate of Jackson Cantwell has serious speed—he’s clocked in-game at 21.43 mph and can run the 40-yard dash in just 4.49 seconds. For De Smet, he was basically the heart of the offense and played a huge role in their championship run.

Jayden McCaster switches sides to join Jackson Cantwell

Last season, Nixa High School’s football team had a remarkable 13–1 record, going undefeated in their conference with a 9–0 finish. They advanced to the Class 6 state quarterfinals, where they encountered their only defeat against the top-seeded Lee’s Summit North. The success was on the back of some genuine stars in the making. Dylan Rebura accumulated 2,619 rushing yards and scored 46 touchdowns, and quarterback Adam McKnight passed for 1,707 yards and threw 22 touchdown passes. And then there was Cantwell.

Standing at 6 ft 8 in and weighing 315 lbs, Jackson Cantwell is the No. 1 offensive tackle in the nation (Class of 2026), ranked No. 3 overall by ESPN. Over the last season, he delivered 158 pancake blocks, anchoring Nixa’s line that averaged an impressive 9.3 yards per play and 44.8 points per game. With offers pouring in from over 30 Division I programs, he turned down powerhouses like Georgia, Oregon, and Ohio State for the Miami Hurricanes. But even star linemen need running backs to make their blocks matter. McCaster, a dynamic rusher with elite speed, vision, and field awareness, has made the move to Nixa, instantly forming one of the most lethal backfield-line duos in the state.

Nixa really showed off its strengths in the past few seasons with a powerhouse, run-first offense, steady quarterback play, and a tough defense. The downside? They sometimes had lapses in the secondary, which cost them their championship dreams last November. As they gear up for the 2025 season, the rise of Jayden McCaster, running behind the already solid offensive line led by Jackson Cantwell, could take Nixa’s offense from strong to unstoppable.