Next Man Up For Texas: RB Jaydon Blue

Kevin Coleman does a full player profile on Texas running back Jaydon Blue.

As the Texas Longhorns gear up for their inaugural season in the Southeastern Conference, the team's depth at running back has taken a significant hit. No. 4 Texas has lost two key running backs to season-ending injuries, thrusting Jaydon Blue into the spotlight as the lone scholarship player with substantial experience at the position.

The latest blow came this week when the school announced that freshman Christian Clark had torn his Achilles tendon during practice, necessitating surgery and ending his season before it could begin. This follows the recent injury to 2023 part-time starter CJ Baxter, who sustained a knee injury in practice just last week. With these setbacks, the focus now shifts to Jaydon Blue, who will be pivotal in Texas's offensive scheme.

In this deep dive, we’ll explore Jaydon Blue's background, his strengths and weaknesses on the field, and how he’s poised to navigate this challenging season.

High School Background

Jaydon Blue's journey to Texas began with a headline-grabbing decision in high school. As a senior, he made the unconventional choice to sit out his final football season, a strategic move to focus on preparing for his collegiate career. This decision came on the heels of an impressive junior season at Klein Cain, where he dazzled with 2,155 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns, boasting an eye-popping 9.5 yards per carry.

With a slew of scholarship offers already in hand and a firm commitment to Texas, Blue saw this period as an opportunity to refine his skills and physically prepare for the next level. His remarkable talent and potential made him one of the most coveted recruits in the 2022 class and despite interest from a who’s who of elite programs—including Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Penn State—he chose to don the Longhorns’ burnt orange. His high school tape shows how electric he was and why he was a top-10 running back in his class.

College Scouting Report

Blue arrived at Texas with much fanfare, but his journey so far has been a mix of highs and lows. Limited opportunities marked his freshman year, and he spent most of it developing behind Bijan Robinson and Jonathan Brooks.

In his sophomore season, he saw more opportunities after Jonathan Brooks went down with an injury; he stepped up and made an impact. Seizing the chance to showcase his abilities, Blue emerged as one of the Longhorns' most dynamic players alongside true freshman CJ Baxter.

In that pivotal stretch, Blue showcased his versatility and explosive potential. He carried the ball 35 times for 231 yards and two touchdowns while also making his mark in the passing game with 13 receptions for 128 yards and an additional touchdown. His performance reached a crescendo in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Washington, where he totaled 104 yards from scrimmage and scored a crucial touchdown, cementing his role as a critical playmaker for Texas, which he’ll need to be even more now that the running back room is depleted due to injuries.

A combination of game-changing potential, electrifying speed, and impressive agility defines Jaydon Blue's running style. His top-end speed allows him to break away from defenders, turning routine plays into explosive, long-distance gains. Blue’s agility further amplifies his impact on the field as he navigates through tight spaces and easily evades tacklers. This dynamic blend of speed and nimbleness makes him a constant threat to opposing defenses, capable of changing the course of a game with just a single play. His vision is also another strength of his running style. He does a great job of anticipating holes, and his one-cut ability allows him to break off significant gains when the offensive line opens up holes. Whether it's bursting through the line for a quick gain or sidestepping defenders to create big yardage, Blue's running strengths showcase his ability to make big plays in high-stakes moments.

Despite his impressive speed and agility, Blue does need to improve in other areas as a runner. One notable weakness is his inside rush ability. Blue can struggle to gain consistent yardage between the tackles when there is not a big hole created for him by his offensive line. His size could become a concern at the next level, and it could be a concern if the Longhorns rely solely on him throughout the season. If he can withstand the volume this season, then he can prove to NFL teams that he can be a complete back in the league. Something that will undoubtedly help his draft stock.

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PFF Numbers

2024 Outlook + Devy/CFF/C2C Outlook

With both Baxter and Clark out for the 2024 season, Blue will be the feature back. The two other healthy scholarship backs are four-star freshman Jerrick Gibson and sophomore Tre Wisner. Besides those two backs, Texas has four walk-ons: three true freshmen and junior Colin Page, who has had zero career carries. Wisner will undoubtedly get carries, and Gibson will be in the rotation, but there could be a learning curve for Gibson early, especially against SEC defenses. That means Blue will be 1A and 1B, which means a ton of volume, production, and fantasy points. Running backs coach Tashard Choice compared him to Jahmyr Gibbs this off-season, and we could see even more targets in the passing game, which will only help his draft stock and fantasy stock.

In our consensus devy/dynasty rankings, here’s where we rank him overall, along with potential trade options: