Texas Longhorns RB Room Ranked Among Nation's Best

The Texas Longhorns have an elite backfield to work with.

Texas Longhorns running back Quintrevion Wisner runs the ball against Clemson in the College Football Playoff. | Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Most of the attention surrounding the Texas Longhorns' offense is focused on Arch Manning and the aerial attack, and for good reason. However, their ground game should not be ignored.

The Longhorns have a host of talent in the backfield, but two running backs stand out above the rest. First is Quintrevion Wisner, who rushed for 1,064 yards and five touchdowns last season. Second is CJ Baxter, who missed all of last season due to injury, but rushed for 659 yards and five touchdowns as a freshman in 2023.

Add in a host of depth options, and the Longhorns' backfield is definitely one of the best in the nation. Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus recently ranked it as the third best in the country, trailing only Penn State in first and Notre Dame in second.

Texas Longhorns running back CJ Baxter celebrates a first down against the Washington Huskies. | Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

"While the Longhorns didn’t have a top-10 running back on my list, their backfield is still loaded," Chadwick wrote. Quintrevion Wisner is back for his junior year after placing third among SEC backs in 2024 with 1,060 rushing yards and 695 yards after contact.

"Wisner wasn’t even meant to be the starting back last year though. That job was supposed to go to CJ Baxter, who was the top running back recruit in the 2023 class and earned an impressive 74.6 PFF grade during his true freshman season. However, he missed all of 2024 after tearing his LCL and PCL before the season. Baxter looks to now bounce back in his redshirt sophomore campaign. Texas also has three former four-star recruits at running back in sophomore Jerrick Gibson, redshirt freshman Christian Clark and true freshman James Simon."

The Longhorns averaged 158.8 rushing yards per game last season, which ranked 10th in the SEC. They had great games running the football, such as when they rushed for 292 yards and four touchdowns in their first-round victory over Clemson, but their performance on the ground could've been better.

This season, they're hoping to pump those numbers up as they chase a national championship.