Arkansas football RB preview | Who earns snaps in crowded, unproven backfield?

FAYETTEVILLE — There are 12 weeks remaining until the Ryan Silverfield era begins for Arkansas football.

With baseball season officially in the rearview mirror, all eyes are on the Razorbacks’ football season-opener on the gridiron against North Alabama. Kickoff is set for 3:15 p.m. (SEC Network) on Saturday, Sept. 5, inside Razorback Stadium.

Over the next month, the Southwest Times Record will run positional previews twice a week. These will lead into SEC Media Days, with the Razorbacks scheduled to appear on July 23 in Tampa.

The Hogs are coming off a 2-10 campaign that finished with 10 consecutive losses. Sam Pittman was relieved of his duties following a blowout loss to Notre Dame, and interim coach Bobby Petrino failed to record a victory across the final seven games.

Now, Silverfield steps in hoping to revitalize a program that is 4-20 in the SEC across the last three seasons.

We tackled the quarterbacks earlier this week. Here’s a look at the Arkansas running backs entering the fall.

Arkansas football running backs projected depth chart, analysis

• Starter: Braylen Russell (jr.)
• Backups: Sutton Smith (r-sr.), Cam Settles (so.), Jasper Parker (so.)
• The rest: TJ Hodges (fr.), Markeylin Batton (r-fr.)

Silverfield and offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey had three running backs log more than 60 carries with Memphis in 2025. By contrast, Arkansas only had one player cross that threshold, and Mike Washington Jr. is no longer with the team after getting drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders.

No matter who starts, it figures to be a committee approach for the Razorbacks in 2026. Russell is the big-bodied workhorse who should set the tone on the inside and gobble up short-yardage reps. Smith is the big-play threat who will be used in the passing game and brings familiarity to the offense.

The roles for Parker and Settles are unclear, but they both hope to blend Russell’s power with Smith’s speed to be every-down backs for Arkansas.

What we learned in the spring about Arkansas’ running backs

Cam Settles is ready to contribute.

The Little Rock native flashed across spring practices and was the most productive running back during the Red-White Game with seven carries for 57 yards and a touchdown. He is strong enough to earn yards between the tackles and can run past defenders in the secondary.

“I just feel like I’m a very balanced back,” Settles said during the spring. “I can do it all. So that’s just what I base my game off of. I want to be able to catch the ball in the backfield, be able to run through the tackles and be able to run outside the tackles as well.”

Settles only had 16 rushing yards on six carries during his freshman season in 2025, and there are ballcarriers with more experience on the roster, but the rising sophomore is primed to make an impact and could quickly ascend up the depth chart with a strong start to the season.

Biggest questions for fall camp

Is there a star in the room?

A consensus four-star prospect out of Benton High School, Russell was always projected to one day lead the Arkansas backfield. There have been bright moments across his first two years on campus, but Russell hasn’t found consistency with a role or production.

He slimmed down to 235 pounds in the most recent offseason and looks like a prototypical SEC running back.

“A guy from last year who admittedly said he might not have been in the best shape he’s ever been in last year, to what he looks like right now,” Cramsey said. “You know, he’s still a big back. At one point I told him, ‘Don’t get too skinny’. But he’s done a really good job.”

Arkansas doesn’t have a running back on the roster that looks like Russell. He’ll have a major role, but it would be a huge boom for Arkansas if Russell can become the clear No. 1 option for the in-state program.

We already made our case for Settles getting more run in 2026, but Smith is another option for stardom ascension. He needs to prove himself in the SEC after running for 669 yards and hauling in 20 catches with Memphis last fall.

It remains to be seen how many snaps will be left for the rest of the room if those two live up to expectations, but that won’t be a bad thing for Arkansas.

Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at jfuller@usatodayco.com or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.