The morning after Christmas, Maxwell Warner's phone kept ringing.

Warner and his family were awaken by a call from Missouri running backs coach Curtis Luper. The Tigers never had prior contact with Warner, but the first conversation was all Luper needed to offer the three-star running back from Chicago (Ill.) Whitney Young.

"I didn't really know much about Missouri football, until the day I got the offer," Warner said. "He just wanted to see how I felt about playing running back in the SEC, and I said that I would be ecstatic about it. ... He said he thinks that I'm ready for that, too."

"I thought, 'Wow, what a Christmas gift,'" Maxwell's mother, Val Warner, said. "Because it came out of nowhere."

Maxwell grew up playing soccer for Chicago KICS, and it wasn't until the sixth grade that his coach told him to try out track and field, given his speed advantage over his peers. Competing for the Windy City Hammers into high school, Maxwell earned All-American honors in the triple jump and 4x100-meter relay at the Junior Olympics.

"That speed and athleticism has really translated into his game with football," Val said. "As a new football mom, obviously, I'm learning the game, and Maxwell is doing a great job, keeping me excited and informed as to what's going on."

By eighth grade, Maxwell was breaking records for his age group, and as he embarked on high school, another sport was recommended to him: football.

Arriving to practice the first day of freshman year, Maxwell was behind the curve compared to the other underclassmen, who trained in the weeks leading up to the start of school. He was knew to the equipment and knew to the game, but it was evident he had an edge in athleticism.

Maxwell picked up football fairly quickly, and by Week 4 or 5 of his freshman season, he started at cornerback. His dynamic athleticism translated from the track to the secondary, and by his sophomore year, he moved to the backfield.

"He didn't see the game quite the way he did this junior year," Whitney Young coach Dan Finger said. "This was a big 'seeing it all click for him,' understanding the spacing, understanding what he can do in terms of bouncing runs and take on where they're not necessarily designed to go."

Maxwell saw a lot of growth in the weight room, adding 20-25 pounds this past offseason. He also learned how opponents weren't always going to be able to tackle him for four quarters, which paid dividends in his ability to break off longer runs late into games.

"I'm our DB coach," Finger said. "I'm always partial to him as a DB. He's a shutdown corner for us, but I definitely think he's a running back at the next level. He's become that home-run hitter and the guy who can run behind his pads this past fall."

Maxwell's offer from Missouri marked the first from an SEC program to a Whitney Young recruit since Finger took over as head coach in May 2019. The success of the program has been held up by the performances and production of its players, including Maxwell's quick growth.

"I think he's brought that mentality track is such a solo sport where if you don't take care of yourself, you're going to get exposed on race day or on jump day," Finger said.

"He's brought that mentality to football, where he's never, ever going to be the weak link. He's never, ever going to be the guy doesn't take care of finishing all his reps, of making sure he's going all out in practice."

Finger's program has preached leading by example then allowing a player's voice to be heard, and for Maxwell, he's risen to a leadership role through his junior season, wearing a smile on his face at all times and being a personable teammate.

"If your actions aren't there, your voice is pretty meaningless," Finger said. "Max has been an action guy from day one, and it's been cool to see his voice develop as he's become an upperclassman as well."

Maxwell has prioritized improvement in his vision and hands. Finger plans to incorporate Maxwell more as a slot receiver next season after catching three passes through five games this past year, according to MaxPreps.

"He's going to hit the JUGS Machine," Finger said. "It's going to be one of his best friends to continue working with building his solid hand-eye coordination and becoming even more versatile for us."

Maxwell impressed Luper with his breakaway speed, shiftiness, aggressiveness and ability to keep his feet moving after contact. The Tigers are bullish of Maxwell, who has received only one other offer from Marshall in late October.

"That was really what sparked everything," Maxwell said about his offer from the Thundering Herd. "It was super special for me that day. ... It was one of the best days of my life. Mizzou offering, that was another one of my best days of my life."

The level of physicality Maxwell plays with stems from the film he watches with his stepfather, Elijah Maxey Jr. The two bonded over old-school runners Barry Sanders, Tony Dorsett and Walter Payton, who played for their hometown Chicago Bears.

Football is new for Maxwell and his mother. While Maxey pulls out the history books to show his stepson the running backs of his childhood, Maxwell has taken his own steps in development.

He studies his own film and the next opponent's film every Friday night and Saturday morning, teaching his mother the ins and outs of football at the same time.

"I had to learn what SEC was," Val laughed.

Luper discussed with Maxwell about visiting Missouri this spring, which would mark the running back's first unofficial visit in his recruitment.

"We're looking forward to going out there," Val said. "We've obviously heard a lot about Mizzou, considering its proximity to Chicago, and it's got a big Chicago base there."

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