Texas eyes elite running back Hollywood Smothers, a top portal prospect, as a surprise visit sparks a potential flip from Alabama.
After securing the commitment of Arizona State running back Raleek Brown, Texas is looking for another standout ball carrier to create an elite one-two punch.
No. 1 on the list is North Carolina State RB Hollywood Smothers. Earlier this week, Smothers committed to Alabama, but on Friday night, his sweepstakes took an unexpected turn.
Eric Nahlin of Inside Texas reported that Smothers was expected to be in Austin for a visit on Saturday. Sure enough, that's exactly where he is, which is music to the ears of Longhorn Nation.
Smothers, according to On3, is the No. 3 RB in the Transfer Portal, just ahead of Brown in fourth. The 5-11 back from Charlotte, North Carolina, had a breakout 2025 season, taking 160 carries for 939 yards and six touchdowns.
Smothers averaged 5.9 yards per carry, 1.7 more than the Longhorns team average of 4.2. His standout year helped him secure a spot on the All-Atlantic Coast Conference first team.
The assumption from many was that Texas business in the RB room was finished after Brown's pledge, so Smothers' visit comes as a complete surprise, especially after already committing to an elite program like Alabama
Obviously, nothing can be guaranteed by Smothers' visit. It could be a tactic to get a better deal from the Crimson Tide, or it could be he has a legit interest in coming to Texas. If it's the latter, the question is why?
In Alabama, Smothers was expected to be the clear-cut No. 1 RB for the Crimson Tide. With Brown, the Longhorns already have a RB with starting experience for a power-conference program.
The logical answer to the question is money, but Smothers is also a legit NFL prospect who can rocket up draft boards with another strong campaign.
However, maybe he believes Texas is a place where he can equally showcase his talent. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian has shown the ability to platform two RBs as recently as 2024. In that season, former Longhorn Tre Wisner took the bulk of the carries, with now Dallas Cowboys RB Jaydon Blue offering an electric change of pace.
There's no reason why Sarkisian can't similarly platform Smothers and Brown, with Smothers in the Wisner role, and Brown in the Blue role.
With that being said, the Longhorns have to secure his commitment before fantasizing about how good a duo the two can be.
After a slow start to the portal window, Texas is starting to pick up steam, and Smothers' commitment would only keep the train chugging in the right direction.