Rising college football star ranked No. 1 RB in transfer portal

An up and coming college football star is considered the top-rated running back in the 2026 NCAA transfer portal cycle.

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

The movement in the NCAA transfer portal is coming to a halt after a busy 2026 cycle. The window for college football players began on Jan. 2 and ran until Jan. 16 at midnight.

Thousands of college football players from all different areas of the landscape took part in the 2026 NCAA transfer portal cycle. The majority had already made up their minds to enter the portal before it opened, but a sizable number decided to enter during the window as well.

With the movement subsiding, media outlets are beginning to break down the action from the NCAA transfer portal cycle. This includes ranking the classes assembled by teams in the Power Four ranks and examining the impact of individual transfers on programs.

Cooper Petagna of CBS Sports compiled a list of the top 100 transfers in the 2026 NCAA transfer portal cycle. He ranked Oklahoma State running back Caleb Hawkins as the No. 23 overall player and the No. 1 running back in the cycle.

North Texas Mean Green running back Caleb Hawkins (24) runs for a touchdown against the Army Black Knights | Danny Wild-Imagn Images

"A major contributor to North Texas' 12-win season, the true freshman standout joins Drew Mestemaker and Eric Morris in Stillwater as part of the Cowboys' full roster overhaul in year one," Petagna wrote. "A high-cut runner at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Hawkins' vision and physicality should translate seamlessly to the Power Four level."

Hawkins was recruited to North Texas by Morris as a part of the Mean Green's 2025 signing class. He did not disappoint in his only season with North Texas, rushing for 1,434 yards and 25 touchdowns to go with 32 receptions for 370 yards and four more touchdowns in the air. He ran for over 100 yards in six games, his season high coming in the New Mexico Bowl with 198.

The AAC named Hawkins to its All-Conference First Team and its Rookie of the Year. Nationally, he was named to the Walter Camp All-America Second Team and On3's True Freshman All-American team.

Morris was named the successor to Mike Gundy at Oklahoma State on Nov. 25, 2025. In addition to Mestemaker and Hawkins, running back Dennis Moody, wide receivers Miles Coleman, Terrence Lewis and Wyatt Young and offensive linemen Braydon Nelson, Desmond Magiya and Johnny Dickson III are all following Morris from Denton to Stillwater offensively.

Oklahoma State cracks the top 10 transfer portal class rankings on 247Sports, coming in at No. 7 nationally. The Cowboys sit considerably lower on On3, down at No. 27 overall.

North Texas Mean Green running back Caleb Hawkins (24) | Danny Wild-Imagn Images