Texas Longhorns running back transfers Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers give Texas two experienced options in a position room where carry distribution, pass-game value, and weekly durability matter. Both arrive with Power Four backgrounds, recent production, and receiving work that can help an offense stay flexible without forcing a single back into every situation.
Brown’s move became public on January 8, 2026, when he transferred from Arizona State to Texas, according to SI’s transfer report. Smothers transferred from NC State to Texas in spring 2026, giving the Longhorns another back with starting experience and a productive 2025 season on his résumé.
For Texas fans, the point is not just that the Longhorns added two names. The backfield now includes two players who have already handled real volume against major-conference defenses. That changes the way spring work, fall camp, and game-week roles can be evaluated.
Transfer Profile For Texas’ Backfield
Why Brown’s 2025 Production Travels
Raleek Brown’s 2025 season at Arizona State gives Texas a clear statistical starting point. As a redshirt junior, he played in 12 games and rushed for 1,141 yards on 186 carries, good for 6.1 yards per carry. He scored four rushing touchdowns and added 34 receptions for 239 yards and two receiving touchdowns, according to his Texas athletics roster bio.
That receiving production is central to his fit. A back who can stay on the field for checkdowns, screens, motion looks, and quick-game answers can help a play caller keep tempo without tipping personnel. Texas does not have to treat Brown only as a traditional early-down runner based on the 2025 profile provided in the research.
Brown also brings a notable peak performance from last season. He set an Arizona State program record for rushing yards in a road game with 255 yards on 22 carries against Colorado on November 22, 2025. One game does not define a full evaluation, but it does show that he has produced explosive volume away from home in a conference setting.
What Smothers Adds From NC State
Hollywood Smothers arrives with a different path and a similar production profile. As a sophomore at NC State in 2025, he started all 11 games, rushing for 939 yards on 160 carries. That works out to 5.9 yards per carry. He scored six rushing touchdowns and caught 37 passes for 189 yards and one touchdown.
The receiving total stands out because it mirrors part of Brown’s value. Texas did not just add ball carriers. It added backs who have shown they can be involved beyond handoffs. That matters in SEC play, where pass protection, hot reads, and outlet throws can decide whether a drive stays on schedule.
Smothers was named First-Team All-ACC in 2025 and has six career 100-yard rushing performances, based on the provided research. Before NC State, he played at Oklahoma in 2023 and appeared in four games. That gives him experience in more than one major college environment before arriving in Austin.
Production Snapshot And Skill Fit
Backfield Usage Value
The numbers show why these additions are more than emergency depth. Brown handled 220 combined rushing attempts and receptions in 2025. Smothers handled 197. Both had enough workload to prove they could be part of a weekly offensive plan, not just a late-game or change-of-pace package.
That matters for Texas because running back value is rarely limited to rushing totals. Coaches need backs who can understand protections, finish runs, catch cleanly, and avoid negative plays. The research does not provide pass-protection grades or film-specific coaching notes, so no claim should go beyond the box-score evidence. What is supported is that both players were trusted with touches in the run game and passing game during the 2025 season.
Ball-Carrying Efficiency
Brown’s 6.1 yards per carry and Smothers’ 5.9 yards per carry suggest strong efficiency in their previous stops. Those numbers are not direct predictions for Texas. Scheme, offensive line fit, opponent quality, health, and game flow all affect running back output. Still, proven production makes evaluation cleaner than a projection built only on high school reputation or limited college snaps.
| Player | Previous School | 2025 Rushing | 2025 Receiving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleek Brown | Arizona State | 1,141 yards, 4 TD | 34 catches, 239 yards, 2 TD |
| Hollywood Smothers | NC State | 939 yards, 6 TD | 37 catches, 189 yards, 1 TD |
The table also shows a practical roster point. The two backs do not need identical roles to help Texas. Brown’s explosive road-game ceiling and receiving usage give the staff one type of tool. Smothers’ starting experience, All-ACC recognition, and six career 100-yard games give Texas another proven option. Texas Longhorns running back transfers give the offense a broader set of answers if the room stays competitive.
How The Additions Affect Roster Depth
Two Transfers, Different Paths
Brown’s college path began at USC, where he played two seasons and appeared in 16 games before his Arizona State stop. Smothers played at Oklahoma in 2023 before moving to NC State. Those paths matter because transfer evaluation is not only about the most recent stat line. Coaches are also weighing adjustment history, meeting-room fit, practice habits, and how quickly a player can learn another system.
The available research does not provide Texas’ planned depth chart, spring practice order, or role promises. It would be a mistake to assign carries before the staff does. The safer read is that Texas added experienced competition to the room. That can raise practice standards and give the offense more ways to manage a long schedule.
In a Texas football context, that depth also matters for families and fans who follow player development closely. Running backs often rotate based on down, distance, pass protection, hot hand, and game situation. A strong room can keep players fresher and reduce the pressure on one runner to handle every high-contact snap.
What Coaches Can Learn In Camp
Training camp should clarify how Brown and Smothers fit with the offensive line and quarterback operation. The key questions are straightforward: who finishes runs through contact, who protects the passer, who catches cleanly in traffic, and who avoids assignment mistakes when tempo increases?
There is also a special value in backs who can stay involved when defenses load the box. Brown and Smothers both caught more than 30 passes in 2025. That does not guarantee a receiving-heavy role at Texas, but it gives the staff evidence that both players have handled pass-game touches before. For a program trying to stay balanced against SEC fronts, that is useful information.
Why Texas Longhorns Running Back Transfers Matter
The clearest takeaway is that Texas improved its backfield options with players who have already produced in college games. Brown brings a 1,000-yard rushing season, a school-record road performance at Arizona State, USC experience, and receiving value. Smothers brings an All-ACC season, 11 starts in 2025, six career 100-yard games, Oklahoma experience, and his own receiving production.
For recruiting and transfer-portal readers in Texas, this is a case study in how roster building now works at a position with high weekly contact. High school recruiting remains essential, but the portal can supply older backs who have already handled carries, blitz looks, travel weeks, and film-room demands at the college level.
The fair expectation is competition, not a guaranteed pecking order. Brown and Smothers give Texas more credible choices. The rest will be decided through practice, health, scheme fit, and performance once the season arrives. That is why the backfield will be one of the more practical position groups for Texas fans to track through camp and early kickoff windows.
