New-Look Braylen Russell Shares Reasons For Slimming Down

Junior running back has lost weight, gained discipline over offseason

Arkansas Razorbacks running back Braylen Russell during spring practices. | Nilsen Roman-allHOGS Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas will be a new-look football team across the board this season, but one of the most noticeable changes in appearance will be that of junior running back Braylen Russell.

The Benton, Ark., native has slimmed down from 249 pounds to 228 ahead of his third campaign at UA, though the bruising tailback is still expected to play a physical brand of football.

"It was necessary because I felt like if it didn't happen, I feel like I would be just the same person for three years here," Russell explained to Fox16's Courtney Mims. "For me to stay, I feel like I had to change something about me. I feel like the weight had to go and I had to get faster, not for everyone else, just for me to be more explosive and for my team as well."

"I'll say one of my goals. Protect the quarterback by any means necessary." 😤

Arkansas RB Braylen Russell is ready for the 2026 season, he joined us in studio to talk about that and his upcoming "Dream Big" camp! #WPS

Full interview linked below ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/u5x0u3cwSm

— Courtney Mims (@MimsCourtney) July 2, 2026

Russell's tenure at Arkansas has been a tumultuous one at times. He initially threw his hat into the transfer portal ring after the 2024 season, withdrew it, entered the portal again and then withdrew for a second and final time. He announced only 12 days after Ryan Silverfield was hired that he would return to Fayetteville for his junior season.

Russell has totaled 640 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 122 carries during his two seasons at Arkansas. His most notable moment so far in the cardinal and white came against No. 4 Tennessee in 2024, when he ran for 35 of Arkansas' 59 yards on an eventual game-winning drive in the game's waning moments.

One of his new teammates, linebacker Ja'Quavion Smith said he's met Russell one-on-one in the hole and doesn't believe there'll be a major difference in the junior's physicality as a runner.

“Last year y’all say he was heavy, and he’s cut down weight,” Smith said in April. “He looks good. He’s still running with power. He’s done got faster, as I could see. We’ve met in the hole. It’s been good every time, for real, good [competition] is all I can say.”

During the early portions of spring practice, Silverfield praised Russell's work in the weight room and on his diet to potentially "maximize" his work on the field.

"I challenged Braylen Russell," Silverfield said. "I want to see you maximize what you're doing every single day on the practice field. I have to give credit where credit is due, Braylen Russell's lost some weight. He is a healthier 230-pound running back right now."

Veteran running back coach David Johnson has been pleased with Russell's work this offseason as a player possibly turning the corner for Arkansas.

"It's not just the weight. I think [Russell] is changing his body," Johnson said. "He made a conscious effort to do that. He's been working extremely hard on that. There hasn't been a problem since I've been here. He's looking good, looking strong, looking a lot faster. He's buying in, he's doing a good job of kind of being one of the leaders in that room."

Arkansas Razorbacks running back Mike Washington Jr (4) celebrates with offensive lineman Fernando Carmona (55) and running back Braylen Russell (0) after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Razorback Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Arkansas' backfield is likely to resemble a committee more than a strict depth chart, with Memphis transfer Sutton Smith and Michigan transfer Jasper Parker expected to share touches with Russell under Silverfield and offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey.

"Sutton Smith, Cam Settles, we talk a lot," Russell said. "We got a lot of boys in the room that help, not just with football, they're there to keep you right off the field, too. It's just not me. If it was just me, I wouldn't be looking like this. The discipline of them, strength staff as well, all my coaches. I had to have people in my corner to keep me on task. It was really easy to gel with them."

Backfield by committee may not be the worst thing for Arkansas, which has struggled to have a consistent rushing attack in recent years. Mike Washington Jr., who ran for 1,070 yards a season ago, is UA's only 1,000-yard rusher over the last three seasons, with Raheim Sanders in 2022 being the only other Razorback this decade to go over the 1,000-yard mark.

While either Arkansas starting QB in KJ Jackson or AJ Hill are both mobile, they likely won't be as involved in the ground game as their predecessors, KJ Jefferson and Taylen Green. Jefferson led Arkansas in rushing in 2021 and 2023 and was second behind Sanders in 2022, while Green was Arkansas' second-leading rusher in both 2024 and 2025.

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