#4

CJ Baxter

RB · Kentucky · So. · #4

Transferred Texas → Kentucky for 2026
This season's coverage starts August 26 — check back once kickoff hits.

CJ Baxter

RB · Texas · So · #4

One of Usas of 2026-07-24

CJ Baxter arrives at Texas with a new fit to prove and an old chapter behind him.

5★ · NATIONAL RECRUIT

No.18

recruiting national rank

Texas fans claim him as family first and a player second.

high confidence3 sources
Read the story so far

CJ Baxter arrived as a 5-star prospect, the No.18 recruit nationally. He lines up at RB for Texas.

Texas fans claim him as family first and a player second.

The number to watch: No.18 — 5★ · national recruit.

Why nowHe changed programs heading into 2026 — a fresh fit to prove out.
  • recruiting national rank
  • compiled from tagged fan discourse

AI-generated narrative · may contain errors · not journalism · updated 2026-07-24

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
★★★★★
#18 national
CFB
College
Texas
2023–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Not drafted (yet)

Where He Ended Up · Transfer

Transferred to Kentucky

2025Texas
2026Kentucky
View Texas career stats ↓

2025 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2023Texas12-2HC: Steve Sarkisian · Balanced
2025Texas10-3HC: Steve Sarkisian · Balanced

Career stats

SeasonTeam
2025Texas541963.60--
2023Texas1386594.85--
Career1928554.55--
SeasonTeam
2025Texas12413.41--
2023Texas241566.50--
Career361975.51--

How he plays

Play style

Just keeps getting the ball, series after series.

CFB Index positional classification

DNA match

Player DNA

Workhorse

Built to take 20+ carries per game. Volume is the value.

RB

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Cameren Smith’s 2025 season.

Cameren Smith

69%match

Charlotte · 2025

#2

Micah Ford

Stanford · 2024

67%
#3

Landon Sims

Hawai'i · 2023

66%
#4

Alexander Horvath

Purdue · 2021

66%
#5

Jalen Berger

UCLA · 2024

66%

Matches Cameren on

Yards / carry
Receiving share
Total rush EPA (college ability)

Differs from Cameren on

Class year (lower)
Height (higher)
Based on 9 features · 4 seasons in pool · Opponent-adjusted weighted z-score distance

Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Andrew Body’s path through Alabama State.

Andrew Body

96%match

Alabama State · 2025

#2

Narii Gaither

Gardner-Webb · 2023

92%
#3

Chaton Mobley

Middle Tennessee · 2021

90%
#4

Garrett Groshek

Wisconsin · 2020

89%
#5

Ricky Person Jr.

NC State · 2021

87%

Matches Andrew on

Yards per carry
20232025
Career-aggregate opponent-adjusted stats · physical traits

As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Cameren Smith's sophomore season at Charlotte (2025).

Cameren Smith

71%match

Charlotte · 2025

#2

Alexander Horvath

Purdue · 2021

64%
#3

Trey Cornist

Central Michigan · 2025

62%
#4

Cyrus Habibi-Likio

Boise State · 2021

61%
#5

Dylan Downing

Purdue · 2021

60%

Matches Cameren on

Total rush EPA (college ability)
Height
Receiving share

Differs from Cameren on

Class year (lower)
Opponent-adjusted stats · sophomore cohort across all seasons

Player DNA

Players who play like CJ Baxter

#1

Chaton Mobley

Middle Tennessee · 2021

90%

Heisman trajectory

Heisman Trajectory · 2025

Peak #738

Final rank
#738
Avg #855.3
Finalist prob 0%

Peaked at #738 this season.

Development

Development Trajectory · rushing yards

2023–2025
6592023
1962025

-70%

Sharp dropoff (-70%) — career inflection point.