Two seasons ago, former Missouri running back Cody Schrader finished third in the FBS with 1,627 rushing yards. Through the first month of the 2025 season, Missouri’s Ahmad Hardy — who transferred this past offseason from UL-Monroe — is at the top of the leaderboard in rushing yards (730) and tied for the lead in rushing touchdowns with nine.
Hardy is on track to finish as college football’s leading rusher. He has 106 more yards than UTSA’s Robert Henry Jr., who ranks second in FBS rushing yards.
Three of the current top seven rushers are transfers. Michigan’s Justice Haynes has racked up 537 yards (8.1 yards per carry) and six touchdowns on the ground in his team’s first four games. The Alabama transfer has nearly doubled his career rushing mark of 616 yards with the Crimson Tide.
Not all transfers hit the ground running. Former Cal running back Jaydn Ott entered the portal unexpectedly this spring and enrolled at Oklahoma, initially seen as a perfect fit for a team in need of playmakers. Through the first month, however, his impact has been limited: Ott has just 17 rushing yards on nine attempts.
With that in mind, here are three transfer running backs who have found immediate success at their new schools, and three others who will need to improve as the season progresses. Rankings via 247Sports.
Transfer RB hits
Ahmad Hardy, Missouri
Transfer ranking from 247Sports: 116
Hardy has been a superstar for Missouri this season. He leads the FBS in rushing through the first month and anchors a Tigers rushing attack that ranks third in the country at 286.2 yards per game.
What’s most impressive about Hardy’s hot start is the yardage he’s gaining after contact. Of his 730 total rushing yards, 544 have come after initial contact. Even if you stripped away the yards gained before contact, Hardy would still rank as the fifth-leading rusher in the FBS.
Justice Haynes, Michigan
Transfer ranking from 247Sports: 42
247Sports’ top-ranked transfer running back has lived up to the hype. Justice Haynes has already set a new career high in rushing yards just four games into the 2025 season.
Haynes has topped 100 yards in each of Michigan’s games this season. In his debut, he ran for 159 yards and three touchdowns against New Mexico. In his most recent outing at Nebraska, he added 149 yards and a touchdown.
Fluff Bothwell, Mississippi State
Transfer ranking from 247Sports: 112
Mississippi State is off to a surprising 4-1 start, despite a preseason win total of 3.5. Part of that hot start can be credited to transfer running back Bothwell, who arrived from South Alabama this past offseason.
After rushing for under 50 yards in each of his team’s first two games, Bothwell has come alive with back-to-back 100-yard outings. He ran for 134 yards and two touchdowns during a 41-34 overtime loss to Tennessee last weekend.
Disappointments
Jaydn Ott, Oklahoma
Transfer ranking from 247Sports: 50
After a breakout 2023 season, Ott was limited last year due to injury. On paper, Oklahoma’s offense seemed like a perfect fit for him.
Through the first four games, Ott hasn’t seen much action. He ranks sixth on the team in rushing yards (17) and has been limited to just nine carries. OU coach Brent Venables told reporters earlier this month that Ott was banged up in fall camp but could play a “real factor” going forward. So far, he hasn’t lived up to the hype at his new stop, but there’s plenty of time to change the narrative. He may see an expanded role with quarterback John Mateer set to miss time after undergoing surgery to fix a broken thumb.
Makhi Hughes, Oregon
Transfer ranking from 247Sports: 117
Oregon has seen its top running back leave for the NFL in each of the past two seasons. In 2023, Bucky Irving departed for the draft and is now considered one of the brightest stars at the position. Last season, Jordan James was the lead back and was selected in the fifth round this past spring by the San Francisco 49ers.
The Ducks needed a replacement — again. They landed Hughes, who starred at Tulane the past two seasons, rushing for nearly 1,400 yards each year and scoring 15 touchdowns during the 2024 campaign. On paper, the fit seemed natural, but the early returns haven’t matched expectations. Hughes has just 70 yards on 17 carries and ranks sixth among Oregon rushers. Dierre Hill Jr., Jayden Limar, Noah Whittington, and Jordon Davison have all received more reps through the first five games.
Jaivian Thomas, UCLA
Transfer ranking from 247Sports: 231
Days after Ott entered the transfer portal, Thomas followed suit. He was Cal’s leading rusher last season and stepped into a larger role after Ott’s injury, finishing 2024 with 626 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.
In total, the Golden Bears lost their top five rushers from last year.
On paper, the fit seemed promising — especially with UCLA’s offense generating buzz after landing star quarterback Nico Iamaleava in the portal. Through the first month, Thomas has 22 carries for 105 yards (both third on the team), while the Bruins are off to an 0-4 start and Cal sits at 4-1.
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