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Texas Football: Longhorns All-Time Leading Rushers

By Rob Wolkenbrod

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Who makes up the best statistical leaders among running backs in Texas football’s history?

Texas football has a heavy history of running backs coming through the program, especially over the past two decades. Plenty of these players have gone onto success in the NFL too, making the school look even better in that regard.

The 2016 season saw D’Onta Foreman emerge for Texas with over 2,000 rushing yards, ranking himself up there with some of the best in program history. Who did he join after his spectacular year, though?

Below is a list of the top 25 running backs in Texas football history, ranked by all-time rushing total:

  1. Ricky Williams – 6,279 yards, 72 touchdowns
  2. Cedric Benson – 5,540 yards, 64 touchdowns
  3. Earl Campbell – 4,443 yards, 40 touchdowns
  4. Jamaal Charles – 3,328 yards, 36 touchdowns
  5. Chris Gilbert – 3,231 yards, 28 touchdowns
  6. Vince Young – 3,127 yards, 37 touchdowns
  7. Roosevelt Leaks – 2,923 yards, 26 touchdowns
  8. A.J. Jones – 2,874 yards, 27 touchdowns
  9. D’Onta Foreman – 2,782 yards, 20 touchdowns
  10. Malcolm Brown – 2,678 yards, 24 touchdowns
  11. Eric Metcalf – 2,661 yards, 23 touchdowns
  12. Jonathan Gray – 2,607 yards, 17 touchdowns
  13. Hodges Mitchell – 2,572 yards, 19 touchdowns
  14. Adrian Walker – 2,473 yards, 17 touchdowns
  15. Phil Brown – 2,102 yards, 16 touchdowns
  16. Darron Norris – 2,079 yards, 12 touchdowns
  17. Marty Akins – 1,963 yards, 26 touchdowns
  18. Jim Bertelsen – 1,770 yards, 20 touchdowns
  19. Shon Mitchell – 1,725 yards, 14 touchdowns
  20. Selvin Young – 1,713 yards, 25 touchdowns
  21. John Walker – 1,641 yards, 17 touchdowns
  22. Darryl Clark – 1,604 yards, 3 touchdowns
  23. Colt McCoy – 1,571 yards, 20 touchdowns
  24. Cody Johnson – 1,455 yards, 36 touchdowns
  25. Donnie Little – 1,306 yards, 11 touchdowns

By far, the highest total is Ricky Williams at 6,279 career yards during his four seasons in Austin. He went on to be a top pick for the New Orleans Saints in the 1995 NFL Draft, and lasted about 10 years in the league. Williams would have five 1,000-yard seasons and last played in 2011 with the Baltimore Ravens.

Cedric Benson is the only other Texas running back to have topped 5,000 rushing yards for his career. He then went on to the NFL and got drafted by the Chicago Bears in 2004, but never broke out the way he did in school. The Midland native last played in 2012 with the Green Bay Packers.

Related Story: Football Wishlist for 2017

Who was your favorite running back from these top rushers?

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