Fresh Faces on the Forty: Raleek Brown can transform Texas run game
As we continue to barrel towards spring football , it’s time to break down one of the most electric playmakers in the country. Raleek Brown comes in from Arizona State , where he spent two seasons after beginning his career at USC. It was understood heading into the offseason the RB room needed to be rebuilt and Brown was the first piece of the rebuild in the portal.
2025 Stats:186 carries, 1,141 yards(6.1 yards/carry), 4 TDs
As I’ve begun watching more of Brown’s games, the more he reminds me of Jaydon Blue . The remarkable straight line speed, elite pass catching ability and top end shiftiness in open space. The major difference between the two is Brown thrives more in between the tackles than Blue does. That can be a difference maker for this Texas offense, given the lack of a true “power” back on the roster.
That is one of the major concerns for Longhorn fans. What happens in short yardage situations without a classic bruiser on the team? Firstly, you’ll find if the blocks are executed correctly by the offensive line, the overall size of a RB is rather unimportant. On top of that, despite being just 5’9”, 195lbs, Brown runs more tougher and bigger than he is.
As the Longhorns head into the 2026 season, the run game is the #1 thing that needs to be fixed. The majority of that responsibility falls on the shoulders of the OL but the Longhorns lacked a true game changer at the RB position this season. Tre Wisner has some great games, but the explosive play potential with Brown in the backfield compared to Wisner goes way up.
Raleek Brown is one of the most important players for the 2026 Texas Longhorns . He will have a running mate, Hollywood Smothers (who we will cover tomorrow), but he will have to carry a significant load at times. Steve Sarkisian will consistently be calling his number and he can do what many Longhorn RBs have done before and make himself quite a bit of NFL money this season.
As the portal class began to take shape, there were three players that stood out. Three players that can score anytime they touch the ball. Cam Coleman , Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers are all guys that can change a game at any second. Of those three, I’m most excited about Brown because of his remarkable versatility and confidence in the pass game. The Longhorns lacked explosive plays from the RB position in 2025. I can almost promise that will not be an issue with #3 in the backfield.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Texas Football transfer profile: Get to know ASU RB Raleek Brown
