The newly transferred running back has hit the ground running at camp for Rhett Lashlee's team.
When you transfer to a new program, you want to immediately show your worth to your new team, and for Kendrick Raphael, SMU has gotten a nice look at what to expect from him in 2026.
After playing for California in 2025, where Raphael rushed for 943 yards and 13 TDs, not to mention his ability as a receiver (34 rec, 245 yards, 1 TD), everyone was eager to see what Raphael would look like in SMU's offense.
Well, early indications are that the running back has been a star of camp.
Dean Ralsky of One3.com posted on X that Kendrick has made a number of good plays to begin camp, with one seeing him race through the first level of the defense and make it to the second before he was even touched.
Of course, it is camp, so we don't exactly sell the farm when we see plays like this, but it bodes well for what we can expect out of the run game in 2026 for SMU.
Given how the run game looked last season, if we take Raphael's stats and measure them up against SMU's backs, he would have easily been the leading rusher.
So, it is a big upgrade for Lashlee as he looks to get his team once again back into the conversation for the College Football Playoffs in 2026.
Derrick McFall and Dramekco Green will be others who will pinch-hit at running back, but our guess is this is Raphael's room to run, and based on what we saw in camp, the rushing attack could be a strength for Lashlee.
Now, we know that the Mustangs can't just rely on running the football, and with Kevin Jennings at quarterback, along with receivers Jalen Cooper and Yannick Smith, the passing game also has some weapons.
But again, this is where Raphael can come in and be productive.
His 245 receiving yards as a running back last year for California would also lead SMU's backs from 2025 in that stat.
So, the Mustangs are getting a serious upgrade. Not only at running back, but also at receiver, with Raphael's dual-threat ability likely to be utilized often by Lashlee.
Raphael might only be new to the Mustangs, but he's already making waves at camp.
