Another Elite RB Just Became Available for Texas in the Transfer Portal

One of the country's leading rushers becomes another potential target for the Texas Longhorns.

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian waits to lead his team onto the field prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

With the exits of Quintrevion Wisner, CJ Baxter and Jerrick Gibson into the portal, the Texas Longhorns will certainly bring in one or multiple transfers to boost their running back room heading into 2026.

As a matter of fact, the Longhorns may look to bring in a workhorse-style rusher to pair alongside quarterback Arch Manning in the Texas backfield.

A new entrant into the transfer portal could be a potential target for Longhorns running back coach Jabbar Juluke in his new-look RB room, which will gain more clarity as the portal period opens on Jan. 2.

North Texas' star RB enters the portal

Sep 20, 2025; West Point, New York, USA; North Texas Mean Green running back Caleb Hawkins (24) runs for a touchdown against the Army Black Knights during the second half at Michie Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images | Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Following the North Texas Mean Green's win over the San Diego State Aztecs in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl on Saturday night, On3's Hayes Fawcett reported that UNT star freshman RB Caleb Hawkins plans to enter the portal.

Hawkins' entrance to the portal comes after he rushed for 1,434 yards (fourth in the country) and 25 touchdowns (first in the country) in 14 games for the Mean Green this season. Against SDSU, Hawkins accumulated 198 rushing yards across his 30 carries and three total touchdowns. He received 20 or more carries in five of the last six games and averaged 6.2 yards per attempt across the season.

Hawkins was a massive part of UNT's push for a College Football Playoff spot out of the American Conference. The Mean Green, who finished 12-2, fell to the Tulane Green Wave in the conference championship game, in which Hawkins struggled, totaling just 20 rushing yards on seven attempts and losing a fumble.

But UNT's offense has had unmatched and recognizable explosiveness. It tops the nation in both yards per game (512.4) and points per game (45.1). Now, an exodus of its talent is expected to be seen.

Head coach Eric Morris has already made his move to Oklahoma State. Freshman quarterback Drew Mestemaker is anticipated to be a highly sought-after player in the portal, assuming he enters. And both Hawkins, the American Conference Rookie of the Year, and sophomore wide receiver Wyatt Young, who tallied 1,264 receiving yards in a first-team all-conference campaign, intend to transfer.

The Longhorns look for their new signature RB

Nov 28, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Quintrevion Wisner (5) runs down the sideline during the first half against the Texas A&M Aggies at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Hawkins, who was a three-star out of North Rock Creek High School in Shawnee, Oklahoma, is now in a position to transfer to a high-caliber Power Four program after the year he put together in Denton.

While he will definitely have a plethora of suitors, the Longhorns -- considering the state of the current RB room -- have a case to make to efficient and effective running backs like him, Florida's Jadan Baugh and Jacksonville State's Cam Cook.

As Texas enters a new era of its run game, Hawkins could be an especially desirable target due to his current standing as a true freshman. With three years of eligibility remaining, and two before he could even enter the NFL Draft, Juluke and company may view the UNT transfer as someone ideal to take on a heavy usage role for multiple years in Austin.