Spring football is peaking from around the corner as February dissolves into March. The state of Texas is primed for a memorable year of football at the FBS level with Baylor and UTSA coming off conference championships, Houston returning most of its key players from a 12-2 squad, and Texas A&M loading up on five-star recruits. 

Dave Campbell’s Texas Football will look at the 10 best players at each position on the football field continuing with running back. We began the series by examing the top 10 quarterbacks in the FBS ranks on Monday. 

Previous positions: QB | 

1. Bijan Robinson, Texas

2021 review: 1,127 yards, 11 TDs, 5.7 YPC; 26 catches, 295 yards, 4 TDs

2022 outlook: Robinson accounted for nearly 1,500 yards and scored 15 total touchdowns despite missing the last few games due to injury and the Longhorns not reaching a bowl game. The former five-star prospect from Arizona is the focal point of the Texas offense and a potential Heisman Trophy finalist if he can stay healthy in 2022. Robinson is only a junior, but this will be his last season on a college campus as a sure-fire early round draft pick in 2023. His balance is absurd. 

2. Devon Achane, Texas A&M

2021 review: 910 yards, 9 TDs, 7 YPC; 24 catches, 261 yards, 1 TD; 1 KR TD

2022 outlook: Achane is a big-play threat who should receive more touches out of the backfield with Isaiah Spiller off to the NFL Draft. Achane led the SEC with a seven-yard per carry average. He’s also a receiving threat out of the backfield and a dangerous weapon as a kick returner. A healthy 2022 should elevate Achane over the 1,000-yard rushing mark.

3. Alton McCaskill, Houston 

2021 review: 961 yards, 16 TDs, 5.1 YPC; 21 catches, 113 yards, 2 TDs

2022 outlook: McCaskill became a household name as a true freshman by breaking Houston’s record for touchdowns scored by a freshman with 18. He averaged 5.1 yards per carry and added two scores as a receiver. The Conroe Oak Ridge product should see his workload increased as a sophomore. McCaskill provides balance to a Houston offense led by quarterback Clayton Tune and wide receiver Tank Dell. Expectations are for McCaskill to top 1,000 yards rushing and approach 20 touchdowns in 2022. 

4. Ulysses Bentley IV, SMU

2021 review: 610 yards, 4 TDs, 6.35 YPC; 19 catches, 90 yards, 1 TD

2022 outlook: Injuries kept Bentley from topping 1,000 yards rushing in 2021. He was on pace to do just that halfway through the season as SMU went undefeated through the first seven games of the season. Bentley is capable of scoring from anywhere on the field, and he’s a weapon as a receiver. He does his best work in space and should see his role remain the same with Rhett Lashlee back at SMU to call plays as the head coach. 

5. Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech 

2021 review: 568 yards, 7 TDs, 6.52 YPC; 6 catches, 58 yards

2022 outlook: Brooks is another running back on the list who missed time in 2021 due to injury, which goes to show the fragility of the running back position. Brooks might not be tall, but he’s a powerful runner in a compact body. He led the Big 12 in yards per carry during the first half of the season and led Texas Tech in rushing for the first time in his career. Brooks and SaRodorick Thompson form a solid one-two punch in the Red Raider backfield. 

6. Kendre Miller, TCU

2021 review: 645 yards, 7 TDs, 7.5 YPC; 12 catches, 117 yards, 1 TD

2022 outlook: TCU lost star running back Zach Evans to the transfer portal after the season with the five-star prospect winding up at Ole Miss. The Horned Frogs usher in a new era with Sonny Dykes taking over for long-time head coach Gary Patterson. The TCU offense should be more explosive with Dykes at the helm, but the running game won’t be forgotten. Miller averaged more yards per carry than any other player on this list. He’s plenty capable of topping 1,000 yards and scoring 10 to 15 touchdowns in 2022. TCU also added a pair of running backs to the roster through the transfer market. 

7. Ikaika Ragsdale, North Texas 

2021 review: 534 yards, 5 TDs, 5.34 YPC; 4 catches, 23 yards

2022 outlook: North Texas led Conference USA in rushing and it wasn’t just because of the departed DeAndre Torrey. Ragsdale came on strong late in the season, including a tremendous effort in the regular season finale against UTSA. He also earned a start in the bowl game with Torrey opting out. Ragsdale topped 100 yards rushing in three of the final four regular season games for the Mean Green and should be a focal point of the offense in 2022. 

8. Ronald Awatt, UTEP

2021 review: 844 yards, 6 TDs, 5.3 YPC; 11 catches, 159 yards

2022 outlook: Awatt and Deion Hankins are the one-two combination for the Miners’ rushing attack. With Hankins out of the first few games of the 2021 season, Awatt took early control of the running attack. The Lubbock native ran for more than 100 yards in three games and was on pace to break the 1,000-yard mark if not for a few nagging injuries that limited his production in multiple games. He only ran the ball 14 times in UTEP’s last two regular season games. 

9. Roschon Johnson, Texas

2021 review: 577 yards, 5 TDs, 5.9 YPC; 11 catches, 83 yards

2022 outlook: The former quarterback at Port Neches-Groves switched positions to running back as a true freshman and never looked back. If not for Robinson, Johnson would be amongst the top five running backs in the state. He simply doesn’t get enough touches to put up the numbers required, however, because Robinson is a generational talent. Johnson is a leader and a player destined to carve out a niche in Texas’ 2022 offense. Johnson ran for 179 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries in the season finale against Kansas State. 

10. Calvin Hill, Texas State

2021 review: 714 yards, 3 TDs, 5.6 YPC; 18 catches, 78 yards

2022 outlook: Hill became a focal point of the offense late in the season, ending the year with two 100-yard performances against Coastal Carolina and Arkansas State. Hill’s numbers should improve in 2022 with more touches. He only ran the ball more than 15 times once all season. Despite that, Hill led Texas State in rushing and averaged 5.6 yards a carry. He’s 18 catches out of the backfield prove he can be a weapon in the passing game.