Texas Football: Projected 2-deep depth chart for 2017

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AUSTIN, TX – SEPTEMBER 10: Chris Warren III #25 of the Texas Longhorns breaks free against the UTEP Miners during the first half on September 10, 2016 at Royal Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) /

Running Back

Starting running back: Chris Warren III
Backup: Kyle Porter

Losing D’Onta Foreman is going to be tough for the Longhorns to swallow in 2017. He rushed for 2,028 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 6.3 yards per carry. Unfortunately, he’s in the NFL now and the Longhorns will be forced to look for a new lead rusher.

Junior Chris Warren III will be the starting back when the season kicks off and that’s because, well, he was the second-leading rusher last season in limited time. In fact, he finished with 366 yards and three touchdowns, putting up 5.9 yards per touch. He was solid in the run game and made the most of his limited carries.

If you can believe it, Warren III is even bigger than his predecessor, Foreman. He stands 6-foot-2 and weighs in at about 252 pounds. That’s a few pounds heavier and an inch taller than the monster that was Foreman. Could he have the same success?

Kyle Porter is expected to be the backup as a change-of-pace back. The 5-foot-9 sophomore had a decent freshman campaign, putting up 205 yards on 4.5 per touch, but didn’t reach the end zone. Expect him to at least double that production and maybe even take over if Warren III isn’t getting the job done.

Not listed is true freshman Toneil Carter, a former four-star. Don’t sleep on him this fall.

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