The Tigers secured a commitment from Xai’Shaun Edwards of Houston Christian
Missouri added some much-needed depth at the running back position Tuesday, bringing in Xai’Shaun Edwards from FCS Houston Christian.
Edwards visited Mizzou the day before committing to the Tigers. He also had visits planned to Cal, UConn and UTSA.
The 5-foot-9, 175 pound running back ran for 1,019 yards and 12 touchdowns with 5.3 yards per carry in 2025, earning him First Team Freshman All-American honors from Phil Steele. He also added 18 receptions for 106 yards and averaged 28.9 yards on 10 kick returns.
Edwards will have three years of eligibility remaining after playing as a redshirt freshman this season. The League City, Texas, native was a three-star recruit out of high school and held an offer from MU alongside Oregon, Houston and Texas Tech, among others.
He had success in his one game against an FBS opponent in 2025, rushing for 82 yards on 13 carries against Nebraska in Lincoln. Edwards scored the team’s only touchdown in that game on a 45-yard run.
Mizzou returns its star duo at running back, Ahmad Hardy and Jamal Roberts. But the Tigers lost a trio of players at the position — Marquise Davis, Brendon Haygood and Tavorous Jones — to the transfer portal, leaving them short on depth.
Edwards will give MU more experienced depth to pair with its returning starters and incoming freshman Maxwell Warner, a three-star signee from Whitney Young High School (alma mater of Dennis Gates) in Chicago.
Mizzou has found success bringing in non-FBS running backs before — specifically, former Truman State Bulldog Cody Schrader. While the Tigers aren’t likely to expect the same record-breaking level of production from Edwards, Hardy’s anticipated departure after next season as a top draft prospect could open up a more significant role for the Houston Christian transfer in the future.
Category: General Sports
