Two major college football programs miss on All-American RB in transfer portal

A pair of Power Four college football programs missed on an intriguing running back prospect in 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

The NCAA transfer portal opened on Friday for all players seeking new schools to play for in the 2026 season. The portal is open for a two-week period, closing on Jan. 16.

Thousands of players across college football made their decisions to enter the transfer portal in the weeks after the regular season. Now that the portal has been open for some time, players are beginning to announce their commitments to new programs.

One player that has made a decision on his next move is former North Texas running back Caleb Hawkins, who committed to Oklahoma State on Sunday. He will have three seasons of eligibility with the Cowboys.

BREAKING: North Texas star transfer RB Caleb Hawkins has Committed to Oklahoma State, @On3Sports has learned

He totaled 1,804 yards and 29 TDs this season

Hawkins was named the AAC Rookie of the Year, 1st Team All-AAC, and an On3 Freshman All-Americanhttps://t.co/RlUbB6Fk7q pic.twitter.com/qzqIqUoK6t

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 4, 2026

The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder amassed a prolific 2025 season with the Mean Green. Hawkins ran for 1,434 yards and 25 touchdowns while making 32 catches for 370 yards and four touchdowns.

He ran for 100 yards in six of North Texas' 14 games, including a season-high 198 yards against San Diego State in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 27, 2025.

Hawkins received a handful of honors for his outstanding 2025 season. On a conference level, he was named AAC Rookie of the Year and received All-AAC First Team distinction. Nationally, Hawkins was a Walter Camp Second Team All-American and an On3 True Freshman All-American selection.

North Texas head coach Eric Morris filled the vacancy left by Mike Gundy at Oklahoma State on Nov. 25, 2025. Hawkins is one of several key components of North Texas' 2025 team following Morris from Denton to Stillwater. Others include quarterback Drew Mestemaker, defensive back Quentin Hammonds, and wide receiver Miles Coleman.

While the linkage between Hawkins and Oklahoma State was obvious, he could have listened to other programs hoping to utilize him in their running back rooms. Two more programs were reportedly in the mix for Hawkins, but he missed out on potentially adding him.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma Sooners running back Xavier Robinson (24) carries the ball during a first-round College Football Playoff game | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Hawkins' hometown of Shawnee, Oklahoma, is less than an hour away from Norman by car. While Oklahoma was a participant in the 2025 College Football Playoff, the Sooners did not excel on the ground for much of the season.

Jaydn Ott and Jovantae Barnes were expected to carry much of the load, but it wound up being Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock who led the running back room in 2025, both rushing for fewer than 500 yards. The Sooners will either look from within for more production or adjust course in the portal.

Texas

Texas Longhorns running back Quintrevion Wisner (5) runs for yards past Texas A&M Aggies safety Dalton Brooks (25) | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Similar to Oklahoma, Texas did not produce heavily on the ground in 2025. Quintrevion Wisner led the Longhorns with 597 rushing yards, and none of their running backs rushed for more than three touchdowns.

There is more of a necessity for the Longhorns to look into the portal than the Sooners because three of their top four running backs are heading for the portal. Christian Clark and incoming freshman Derrek Cooper are the most likely to see the field, so Hawkins' not committing means the Longhorns will have to shift to new targets.