Kentucky continues to reshape its roster under head coach Will Stein, and the Wildcats have now landed a notable addition from the SEC. Looking to inject experience and upside into the backfield, Kentucky has turned to the transfer portal to secure a former blue-chip prospect whose career has already featured both early production and difficult setbacks.
Former Texas running back has reportedly committed to Kentucky, giving the Wildcats another high-profile offensive addition ahead of the 2026 season. On3 reported Sunday that Baxter, who spent the past three seasons in Austin, will arrive in Lexington with two years of eligibility remaining as part of Stein’s first major roster rebuild.
CJ Baxter Jr. entered college football as one of the most highly regarded recruits in the country. The Orlando native and former five-star prospect made an immediate impact for Texas in 2023, emerging as a key contributor in the Longhorns’ backfield. That season, he rushed for 659 yards on 138 carries and scored five touchdowns, earning honorable mention All Big 12 recognition while flashing the explosiveness and vision that made him such a coveted recruit.
Injuries, however, derailed much of Baxter’s momentum over the next two years. He missed the entire 2024 season after suffering a severe knee injury during an August practice, tearing both the lateral collateral ligament and posterior cruciate ligament in his right leg. The injury required surgery and sidelined him for the year. His return in 2025 was again interrupted early, as a hamstring injury forced him off the field on the first play of the season opener against UTEP. The issue lingered throughout the season, limiting Baxter to just 54 carries for 196 yards across eight games.
Baxter now departs Texas as one of 23 outgoing transfers from the program and becomes one of 21 incoming players for Kentucky in the 2026 cycle. He joins former Oklahoma running back Jovantae Barnes as part of a revamped Wildcats backfield. Texas finished 10 and 3 in 2025, capped by a Citrus Bowl win over Michigan, while Kentucky went 5 and 7 and turned the page by hiring Stein to replace longtime head coach Mark Stoops.