Caleb Hawkins
Caleb Hawkins scored 29 touchdowns as a freshman -- an NCAA FBS record that stood since 2012. Now he's taken that production to the Big 12, following his coaches from North Texas to Oklahoma State. The test is the stage, not the talent.
Buzz vs Tape
Every angle we can check here reads about where you'd expect this season.
Also checked out fine:
The story
His freshman year at North Texas was historic: 1,434 rushing yards, 25 rushing touchdowns to lead all of FBS, 32 catches for 370 yards and four more scores -- 29 total touchdowns, breaking Kenneth Dixon's 2012 NCAA FBS freshman record. When his coaching staff moved to Oklahoma State, he followed, carrying a record-setting résumé into a power conference. The forward stakes are the level-up every G5-to-P4 star faces: the production was real, but Big 12 defenses are a different proposition. As the headliner of a remade Oklahoma State backfield, 2026 is his proof season -- the year a record-breaking freshman shows the numbers travel.
Career Arc
2025 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
Splits & context
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Neal Brown
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | North Texas | 231 | 1,424 | 6.2 | 25 | -- |
| Career | 231 | 1,424 | 6.2 | 25 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | North Texas | 32 | 370 | 11.6 | 4 | -- |
| Career | 32 | 370 | 11.6 | 4 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 18 · 2025
W 49–47
at San Diego State
198 rush yds (31 car) · 2 TD
Edged out San Diego State on the road in a shootout.
How he plays
Play style
Hawkins is a dual-threat scorer whose game is built on finishing and versatility. Our play-by-play (from his North Texas tape) is strong across the board: an 87th-percentile rushing-touchdown rate and 86th-percentile success rate from a back who found the end zone at a historic clip, plus an 86th-percentile explosive-run rate -- he finishes AND breaks them. The receiving is no afterthought: a 98th-percentile catch rate makes him a true weapon out of the backfield. The profile is a complete, every-down back who scores from anywhere -- on the ground, through the air, at the goal line. The only unknown is competition level, and that's exactly what 2026 in the Big 12 will answer.
Our classifier reads him the same way: hits the crease and outruns the angle.
2026 Outlook
North Texas
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · North Texas
Returning around him
- 56% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
- Transfer portal: +11 net (49 in / 38 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
North Texas · Last season: 12-2 (AP #23) · Talent rank #96 · 2026 recruiting class #135
Perception vs tape
His freshman year at North Texas was historic: 1,434 rushing yards, 25 rushing touchdowns to lead all of FBS, 32 catches for 370 yards and four more scores -- 29 total touchdowns, breaking Kenneth Dixon's 2012 NCAA FBS freshman record. When his coaching staff moved to Oklahoma State, he followed, carrying a record-setting résumé into a power conference.
Read the story →DNA match
Player DNA
Speed Merchant
Cuts upfield fast. Designed to find the crease, not run through the line.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Bryant Koback’s 2021 season.
Matches Bryant on
Differs from Bryant on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Colton Joseph's freshman season at Old Dominion (2024).
Matches Colton on
Differs from Colton on
Player DNA
Players who play like Caleb Hawkins
Heisman trajectory
Heisman Trajectory · 2025
Peak #196
Peaked at #196 this season.