Who will lead Kentucky football running backs in 2026? Meet the field

LEXINGTON — Under former Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops, it was common for the team to primarily lean on one running back. A bellwether. That's not expected to be the case under new coach Will Stein.

During the program's media day Monday, Aug. 3, Stein pointed to last season, when he was Oregon's offensive coordinator. The Ducks had five tailbacks log at least 42 rushing attempts in 2025.

Could the Wildcats post similar numbers this fall?

Given the numerous options in Kentucky's backfield, don't bet against it.

Here's an analysis of those vying for carries, listed in alphabetical order:

Delvecchio Alston II

Class: Freshman

College stats: N/A. Alston has yet to appear in a college game.

What they're saying: "'Deuce' (Alston's nickname) has been playing better. He was a little out of control when he first got here and was trying to learn how to catch a football. But now? It's like, 'OK, he's gotten better.'" — Stein

What to know:Delvecchio Alston II is the youngest member of the running back room. A signee in Stein's first recruiting class, Alston originally committed to UK while Stoops was coach. Considered a three-star prospect by the three major recruiting services (Rivals/On3, 247Sports and ESPN), Alston accounted for more than 2,000 all-purpose yards during his career at Hewitt-Trussville High in Trussville, Alabama. He enrolled early and went through spring practice with the Cats. The talent certainly is there. But given all the experience in front of him, it's hard to foresee a large role for Alston in 2026.

Jovantae Barnes

Class: Fifth-year senior

College stats (four seasons at Oklahoma): 31 games (10 starts); 294 carries for 1,281 yards and 12 touchdowns; 28 receptions for 188 yards and 1 TD

What they're saying: "We've got (him) on a plan where we're going to progress him back (for) the season." — Running backs coach Kolby Smith

What to know:Jovantae Barnes was brought in to compete for the starting job. Yet injuries have slowed him to this point — not just since arriving in Lexington, but throughout his college career. After playing in 11 games during his freshman season at Oklahoma in 2022, Barnes never appeared in more than nine games in a single campaign the last three years. UK held him out of contact drills during the spring for precautionary reasons. Being a veteran of the college game gives Barnes a leg up on some of his counterparts, but if he can't shake off the injury concerns, he won't figure as prominently as he'd like during his final college season.

CJ Baxter

Class: Senior

College stats (three seasons at Texas): 22 games (eight starts); 192 carries for 855 yards and 5 TDs; 36 receptions for 197 yards and 1 TD

What they're saying: "My main thing for me is playing out every single game. … I want to be available every game. Not only a play, but be an impact every single game." — CJ Baxter

What to know: Baxter is the odds-on favorite to be RB1 by the time Kentucky concludes preseason camp. Much like Barnes, however, Baxter seeks to put his injury-riddled past behind him. He tore his ACL prior to his sophomore season at Texas. Then he was limited to only eight games last year while battling a nagging hamstring injury. The ability is undeniable: Both On3 and 247Sports tabbed him the top running back prospect in the 2023 cycle. Provided he can stay healthy? The Wildcats will give him every opportunity to showcase his gifts.

Martels Carter Jr.

Class: Sophomore

College stats (one season at Kentucky): Carter did not play offense as a freshman last season.

What they're saying: "He was asking all the right questions (about) proper footwork, how to read blocks and stuff like that. I think that's why he was able to succeed during the spring, and he's still doing the same thing (in preseason camp)." — Baxter

What to know: Two things can be true at once about Martels Carter Jr. One is that he transitioned from defensive back to running back merely because the latter spot lacked bodies in the spring. The other is that he's simply so electric with the ball in his hands that keeping him on defense would have wasted some of his game-breaking potential. Carter has wowed teammates — his new ones on offense, his former compatriots defensively — for months. Coaches have praised what he might be able to contribute offensively. Now, it's a matter of Carter displaying it on gamedays. While it seems unlikely he'll be the starter, expect Carter to get plenty of run this fall, especially as a change-of-pace option.

Jordan Colbert

Class: Junior

College stats (two seasons at Fresno City College): 22 games; 131 carries for 912 yards and 10 TDs; 12 receptions for 146 yards and 1 TD

What they're saying: "He's a little bit away, but (he's) a big back. Does a really good job out of the backfield." — Stein

What to know:Jordan Colbert was an all-conference performer at his last stop, Fresno City College, a junior college located in Fresno, California. Stein admitted Colbert still needs to get in better shape. Like other tailbacks on the roster, he arrives with some seasoning. Despite averaging more than seven yards per carry last season, don't expect explosive plays to necessarily be his calling card. At 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, he's one of the biggest tailbacks the Wildcats have. Expect Colbert to make hay in short-yardage situations.

Tovani Mizell

Class: Junior

College stats (two seasons at Kentucky): Four games; 4 carries for 10 yards

What they're saying: "He's a thick, good-looking cat now. He can move laterally. He's got good twitch. He just hasn't been healthy. So that's the thing: He hasn't gotten to play that much football in the last couple years, right? Just going out and playing football, that's what I want to see (from) him." — Sloan

What to know: There aren't many athletes as talented as Tovani Mizell, who also was a superstar in track and field during his high school career. He just hasn't had much of a chance to live up to that billing the past two seasons. A severe knee injury ended his high school senior season before it even began. That injury lingered into his first two years at UK. Finally close to optimum health, Mizell is fighting to establish himself as an integral piece of the Wildcats' backfield. There's a reason he once was committed to football colossus Georgia; Mizell is that good. If he avoids injury this fall, the Cats might have one of the sport's best-kept secrets on their hands.

Jason Patterson

Class: Junior

College stats (two seasons at Kentucky): 16 games; 77 carries for 336 yards and 1 TD; 18 receptions for 100 yards and 1 TD

What they're saying: "Dominate competition and consistent production. That's what I'm focused on doing: dominate the competition that's in front of me and having consistent production each and every day." — Jason Patterson

What to know: With all the new additions around him, Jason Patterson might be the forgotten man among UK's running backs in 2026. But Patterson appears to have found new life with the new coaching staff. Stein and Smith were highly complimentary of the Florida native during the early portion of preseason camp. After two seasons as a reserve, Patterson wants to be more than that. With the injury issues that have plagued the other players vying to be RB1, Patterson might be primed for a sizable number of carries this season.

Ahmir Smith

Class: Junior

College stats (one season at Northern Illinois, one season at Garden City Community College): 77 carries for 326 yards and 5 TDs; 14 receptions for 183 yards and 3 TDs

What they're saying: "Ahmir's got some real juice. He's really tough. It took him about three days to learn what to do. Some guys, it takes three months. So that was really impressive. Means his football I.Q. is up there." — Stein

What to know: A South Carolina native,Ahmir Smith is no stranger to the FBS level. He spent the 2024 campaign at Northern Illinois before transferring and playing at JUCO power Garden City Community College in Kansas. Smith is playing catchup to the other tailbacks who went through the spring. But Stein's comments made it clear: Smith is a quick learner. Don't be surprised if he works his way into the RB rotation by the opener.

Kentucky football: 1,000-yard rushers in the past decade (since 2016)

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Who will lead Kentucky football running backs in 2026? Meet the field