TJ Harden

Harden has some big shoes to fill in Dallas, as SMU needs to replace its star halfback Brashard Smith. Harden is plenty experienced, having racked up 1,658 rushing yards on 5.1 yards per carry over three seasons at UCLA. He could be in for the biggest workload of his career this fall, but Derek McFall (106 yards, two touchdowns last season for the Mustangs) is also in the picture, as is Miami (FL) transfer Chris Johnson and true freshman Dramekco Green. Harden's experience should help him earn a sizable role in the backfield, however, along with another unique trait he brings to the table: receiving chops. Last fall for the Bruins, Harden caught 40 passes for 368 yards. With defenses also needing to worry about the legs of star dual-threat quarterback Kevin Jennings, SMU should once again boast a strong running game, which would obviously be fruitful for Harden in 2025. Read Past Outlooks