1,000-yard RB named ‘best fit’ for new transfer portal college football team

Arizona State enjoyed an unprecedented breakout in 2024, finishing 11–3, winning the program’s first Big 12 championship, and earning its first College Football Playoff berth, a rapid turnaround under head coach Kenny Dillingham.

In 2025, however, ASU regressed to 8–5 (6–3 Big 12), missed a return trip to the conference title game and CFP, and closed the season with a 42–39 loss to Duke in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, marking a clear step back from the prior year’s peak.

Quarterback Sam Leavitt, the primary catalyst behind ASU’s rise, entered the transfer portal shortly after the regular season and officially signed with Lane Kiffin’s LSU Tigers on January 12, one of several high-profile departures for Dillingham’s roster.

Another major loss was junior running back Raleek Brown, who transferred from USC before the 2024 season and emerged as Arizona State’s unquestioned lead back.

In 2025, Brown earned first-team All-Big 12 honors after rushing for 1,141 yards on 186 carries (6.1 YPC) with four touchdowns, while adding 239 receiving yards and two scores as a pass catcher.

Brown also entered the portal following the season, committing to the Texas Longhorns on January 8 with one year of eligibility remaining.

While several other top running backs moved across the transfer market to Power Four programs, including Boston College’s Turbo Richard (to Indiana), SMU’s Chris Johnson Jr. (to Clemson), and North Texas’ Caleb Hawkins (to Oklahoma State), Brown stands out as one of the most intriguing portal moves at the position.

On Wednesday, January 14, ESPN senior recruiting analyst Tom Luginbill reinforced that view by evaluating transfer-team fits and naming Brown the “best fit” among running backs at Texas, citing his explosiveness, pass-catching ability, and seamless fit in Steve Sarkisian’s outside-zone run scheme.

"Brown is a tremendous fit in Texas' revamped running backs room because he's versatile as a pass catcher and playmaker, with a game reminiscent of former Longhorns running back Jaydon Blue," Luginbill wrote. "Brown is an explosive runner who ripped off runs of 20 or more yards in 8 of 12 games in 2025."

"He can make defenders miss and salvage positive runs even when his blocking breaks down, which will happen in the SEC. His darting, shifty running style blends well with Steve Sarkisian's outside zone run scheme. Alongside fellow transfer Hollywood Smothers, the Longhorns added a pair of backs who can hit a home run at any moment."

Arizona State Sun Devils running back Raleek Brown. — Boulder, Colorado, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils running back Raleek Brown (3) before the game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Texas finished the 2025 season 10–3 and capped the year with a 41-27 Citrus Bowl victory over Michigan under Sarkisian, but the Longhorns faced notable turnover in the running backs room during the offseason.

In response, Texas pursued multiple portal options and landed several high-profile offensive additions, including NC State running back Hollywood (Daylan) Smothers and Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman, while also adding Brown to provide Arch Manning with more multi-dimensional weapons.

Brown is expected to operate as part of a committee alongside Smothers and returning backs, boosting the Longhorns’ explosiveness and third-down pass-catching out of the backfield.

With Manning returning and additional help at wide receiver, Texas enters 2026 with reinforced offensive depth, positioning Brown as a versatile, big-play option who can ease pressure on the passing game as the staff evaluates how the new pieces fit within Sarkisian’s scheme.

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