CJ Baxter, Jaydon Blue named to the Doak Walker Award watch list

Texas running backs CJ Baxter and Jaydon Blue were added to the Doak Walker Award watch list, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced Tuesday. The Doak Walker is issued to the nation’s most outstanding college running back.

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The Longhorns have won five Doak Walker Awards and the list of winners include a who’s who of Texas ball-carriers. Ricky Williams took home the honor in 1997 and 1998, Cedric Benson earned the distinction in 2004, D’Onta Foreman won it in 2016, and Bijan Robinson took home the Doak during his unanimous All-American season in 2022.

Baxter, a sophomore from Orlando (Fla.) Edgewater, played in 12 games and started six in 2023. He tallied 659 yards and five touchdowns on 138 carries during a season in which he was named an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection. He was the first true freshman running back to start his first game for the Longhorns since Williams accomplished the feat in 1995. He posted a career high 20 carries and 117 rushing yards against Iowa State in Ames last year.

Blue, a junior who also was named to the Paul Hornung Award watch list and the preseason All-SEC third team, rushed 65 times for 398 yards and three touchdowns in 2023. He also tallied 14 receptions for 135 yards and a score. He had one 100-yard game in 2023 against Texas Tech, which included a 69-yard touchdown run.

Semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award will be named in November. Finalists will also be announced in November. The Doak Walker Award will be issued at the Home Depot College Football Awards on December 12.

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2024 Doak Walker Watch List

• Kaytron Allen (Jr.), Penn State
• LeQuint Allen (Jr.), Syracuse
• Mario Anderson (Sr.), Memphis
• Kevorian Barnes (Jr.), UTSA
• CJ Baxter (So.), Texas
• Lee Beebe Jr. (So.), UAB
• Ulysses Bentley IV (Sr.), Ole Miss
• Jaydon Blue (Jr.), Texas
• Tahj Brooks (Sr.), Texas Tech
• Antario Brown (Sr.), NIU
• Jalen Buckley (So.), Western Michigan
• Ryan Butler (Jr.), Stanford
• CJ Campbell Jr. (Jr.), Florida Atlantic
• Marcus Carroll (Sr.), Missouri
• Nathan Carter (Jr.), Michigan State
• Donald Chaney (Jr.), Louisville
• Demond Claiborne (Jr.), Wake Forest
• Dean Connors (Jr.), Rice
• Quinton Cooley (Sr.), Liberty
• Marquez Cooper (Sr.), San Diego State
• Marquis Crosby (So.), Louisiana Tech
• Jacory Croskey-Merritt (Sr.), Arizona
• Ja’Quez Cross (Jr.), Arkansas State
• Sean Dollars (Sr.), Nevada
• CJ Donaldson Jr. (Jr.), West Virginia
• Donovan Edwards (Sr.), Michigan
• Trevor Etienne (Jr.), Georgia
• Rahsul Faison (Sr.), Utah State
• Kaden Feagin (So.), Illinois
• DJ Giddens (Jr.), Kansas State
• Ollie Gordon II (Jr.), Oklahoma State
• Rodney Hammond Jr. (Sr.), Pitt
• Omarion Hampton (Jr.), North Carolina
• T.J. Harden (Jr.), UCLA
• Rahjai Harris (Sr.), East Carolina
• RJ Harvey (Sr.), UCF
• Justice Haynes (So.), Alabama
• Jamal Haynes (Jr.), Georgia Tech
• Roman Hemby (Jr.), Maryland
• TreVeyon Henderson (Sr.), Ohio State
• Daniel Hishaw Jr. (Jr.), Kansas
• Jarquez Hunter (Sr.), Auburn
• Jordan James (Jr.), Oregon
• Ashton Jeanty (Jr.), Boise State
• Montrell Johnson Jr. (Sr.), Florida
• Quinshon Judkins (Jr.), Ohio State
• Jaylan Knighton (Grad.), SMU
• Jeremiyah Love (So.), Notre Dame
• Marion Lukes (Sr.), Central Michigan
• Phil Mafah (Sr.), Clemson
• Woody Marks (Sr.), USC
• LJ Martin (So.), BYU
• Damien Martinez (Jr.), Miami
• Josh McCray (Jr.), Illinois
• Chez Mellusi (Grad.), Wisconsin
• Jam Miller (Jr.), Alabama
• Devin Mockobee (Jr.), Purdue
• Kyle Monangai (Sr.), Rutgers
• Jaquez Moore (Sr.), Duke
• Devin Neal (Sr.), Kansas
• Nate Noel (Sr.), Missouri
• Jaydn Ott (Jr.), Cal
• Cam Porter (Grad.), Northwestern
• Jadarian Price (So.), Notre Dame
• Kanye Roberts (So.), App State
• Kye Robichaux (Sr.), Boston College
• Abu Sama III (So.), Iowa State
• Dylan Sampson (Jr.), Tennessee
• Raheim Sanders (Sr.), South Carolina
• Gavin Sawchuk (So.), Oklahoma
• Malik Sherrod (Sr.), Fresno State
• Nicholas Singleton (Jr.), Penn State
• Cam Skattebo (Sr.), Arizona State
• Terion Stewart (Jr.), Bowling Green
• Darius Taylor (So.), Minnesota
• Alex Tecza (Jr.), Navy
• Jai’Den Thomas (So.), UNLV
• DeaMonte Trayanum (Sr.), Kentucky
• Bhayshul Tuten (Sr.), Virginia Tech
• Kayne Udoh (So.), Army
• Dre’lyn Washington (Jr.), Louisiana
• Jordan Waters (Grad.), N.C. State
• Harrison Waylee (Sr.), Wyoming
• Jahiem White (So.), West Virginia
• Noah Whittington (Sr.), Oregon
• Leshon Williams (Sr.), Iowa
• Nay’Quan Wright (Grad.), South Florida
• Elijah Young (Sr.), WKU