NFL Draft Summer Scouting Report: C.J. Baxter, RB, Texas
Are we going to write about quarterbacks? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Bucs, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so Bucs fans can be the most informed fans.
So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall.
Player Information
Player: CJ Baxter
School: Texas
Height/Weight: 6-1/220 lbs.
Player Background
- 5-Star Recruit
- High School All-American and All-State Honoree in Florida
- All-Big 12 Honorable Mention in 2023
- Missed 2024 with Knee Injury
Career Stats Heading into the 2025 Season
- 138 Rushing Attempts
- 659 Rushing Yards
- 4.8 Yards Per Carry
- 24 Receptions
- 156 Receiving Yards
- 6.5 Yards Per Reception
- 5 Touchdown
Notable PFF Numbers Heading into the 2025 Season
- 74.8 PFF Rushing Grade
- 2.94 Yards After Contact Per Carry
- 29 Missed Tackles Forced
- 18 Carries of 10+ Yards
- Breakaway Run Chance of 23.2%
Player Traits
- Can be a dual-threat out of the backfield
- Microwave ability to get full-speed quickly
- Good ball carrier vision and awareness
- Can be physical when he has to
- Will surprise you with his footwork in his route running
Player Summary
CJ Baxter is going to be coming off a knee injury when fans see him return, but he has a chance to be very loud when he gets to be a part of an explosive 2025 Texas offense. Baxter has a dual-threat ability out of the backfield which will be perfect for Arch Manning to exploit against opposing defenses. He has great awareness and vision as a ball carrier, and it allows for him to get the most out of every touch. He really surprised me with his footwork and route running ability, something I hope to see be even better in 2025. All in all, he will be in a loaded backfield at Texas, but his skillset is unique enough he will have every chance to shine when given the chance.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
25 minutes ago
- New York Post
Why Yankees' Max Fried pulled out of All-Star Game: ‘A lot of machinations'
Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free Max Fried may have a homecoming start in Atlanta next week, but it won't be in the All-Star Game. The Yankees left-hander pulled out of the Midsummer Classic on Friday — and was replaced by teammate Carlos Rodón — due to him starting Saturday's game against the Cubs, which would have had him pitching on two days of rest in the All-Star Game on Tuesday. 'Just a lot of machinations,' said manager Aaron Boone, whose Yankees scored a dominant 11-0 victory over the Cubs on Friday night at the Stadium. 'He's obviously pitching [Saturday], so it's a little shorter turnaround. We've worked through it a lot over these last couple days.' Fried will still attend the festivities in Atlanta, where he spent the first eight years of his big league career before signing with the Yankees. It is possible he will then start one of the games against the Braves next weekend at Truist Park against his old teammates, now that he will not be throwing on Tuesday. Boone said the decision for Fried not to pitch in the All-Star Game did not have much to do with any concern over his overall workload. He enters Saturday's start with 119 innings this season, on pace to break his career-high of 185 ¹/₃ innings. 'I hope he breaks that 185 this year and then into the playoffs,' Boone said. 'But certainly something we'll be mindful of and try to pay attention to not only Max but all of our pitchers in how they're recovering during the year.' Max Fried will not pitch in the All-Star Game, but still will attend the festivities. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Boone feigned ignorance Friday when asked who with the Yankees noticed Andrés Muñoz was tipping his pitches in the ninth inning Thursday night. 'Muñoz was?' Boone deadpanned. The Mariners realized the Yankees had a tell, with the runner at second base making a motion to the hitter when Muñoz was about to throw a slider as they rallied for two runs that sent the game to extras. 'I don't know anything about that,' Boone said with a grin. A day after Oswald Peraza popped out on a bunt attempt in the 10th inning, he was joined by Anthony Volpe, Jorbit Vivas, Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger on the field early to take bunting practice. Austin Wells, whose left wrist went numb for a few minutes Thursday after taking a bouncing ball off it behind the plate, had a planned day off Friday. He is expected to catch Fried on Saturday afternoon. Boone said he assumed Marcus Stroman's quad was OK on Friday after he tweaked it during Thursday's start, but had not yet gotten a report on it. Marcus Stroman allowed just two runs in five innings in the Yankees' comeback win over the Mariners on July 10, 2025. Jason Szenes / New York Post Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, the pitching prospect the Yankees got back from the Red Sox for Carlos Narváez last offseason, was promoted to Double-A Somerset on Friday. The 21-year-old right-hander had a 2.26 ERA with 99 strikeouts in 83 ²/₃ innings and 15 games at High-A Hudson Valley. RHP Geoff Hartlieb elected free agency Friday in lieu of accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A after being designated for assignment earlier this week.
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Success Of Ryan Poles, Ben Johnson Is Tied To Caleb Williams
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles, right, speaks as head coach Ben Johnson, left, listens ... More before introducing new players Drew Dalman and Dayo Odeyingbo at Halas Hall on March 13, 2025, in Lake Forest, Illinois. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) Patience has indeed proven to be a virtue with Ryan Poles, the Chicago Bears' fourth-year general manager. He was hired for a four-year term in 2022 and is being rewarded with a contract extension that runs through 2029. This gives Poles an eight-year commitment from Bears ownership and president Kevin Warren despite his having produced a 15-36 record in his first two seasons. His predecessor, Ryan Pace, had a 48-65 record over seven seasons, including a 22-27 mark in his final three. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Friday Poles is receiving an extension that gives him the same timing on his deal as head coach Ben Johnson, who Poles hired in January after making Matt Eberflus the Bears' first-ever coach fired in midseason. Poles had hired Eberflus on his third day on the job after inheriting a coaching search that had been run at the same time Chairman George McCaskey was searching for a new GM to replace Pace. It was a dubious process that did little other than to allow the Bears to assemble talent through the draft in the Eberflus years, biding their time in hope of becoming relevant again. That time arrives in 2025, with the Bears hoping for at least a winning season in the deep NFC North. The success of quarterback Caleb Williams, who was taken with the first overall pick in the '24 draft, is critical for both Poles and Johnson, who chose to sign with Chicago after earning respect while building an explosive offense behind Jared Goff in Detroit. Poles has proven to be a skilled negotiator in seemingly upgrading the roster. He rebuilt the offensive line after Williams was sacked 68 times in his rookie season, adding Chiefs All-Pro guard Joe Thuney at the cost of only a fourth-round pick while also signing free agent center Drew Dalman and trading for guard Jonah Jackson. His signature move was the trading of the first overall pick to Carolina in '23, which at the time committed a third season to struggling quarterback Justin Fields, whom Poles had inherited from Pace. Rather than draft Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud, he took wide receiver D.J. Moore and a package of draft pick to allow the Panthers to move from ninth to first overall. Poles turned those picks into Williams, tackle Darnell Wright, cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, punter Tory Taylor and wide receiver Luther Burden III. "Yeah, I feel pretty good," Poles said after selecting Burden in the second round last April. 'I think it's worked out for us.' The moves have certainly worked well for Poles, who had worked in the Chiefs' front office before being hired by McCaskey. The hope is they also work out for the franchise and its fans. Leila Rahimi, the insightful talk show host for WSCR, summed up the feeling in Chicago nicely. 'You just got paid for winning an offseason, not a season,' Rahimi said. 'I want to see a season.'
NBC Sports
an hour ago
- NBC Sports
Deion Sanders: NCAA should adopt NFL rules like two feet in bounds, pass interference
Deion Sanders wants to see standardized rules across both college and pro football. Sanders said at the Big 12 media days that the NCAA should adopt the NFL's rules to better prepare college players for the pros. Sanders cited the NFL's rule requiring receivers to get two feet in bounds on a catch and placing the ball at the spot of the foul on pass interference as rules he'd like to see applied to college football. 'I'd like the professional rules to be implemented in college,' Sanders said. 'They're getting ready to be pros. So let's go two feet in on the catches. Let's mark the foul with pass interference. Let's do the same thing the pro game is, let's do it in college.' Current NCAA rules require only one foot down on a catch, and cap pass interference penalties at 15 yards. Sanders didn't specify whether he wants the NCAA and NFL rulebooks to be identical, but other significant changes between the college and pro game include overtime rules, certain timing rules, the placement of the hashmarks on the field, and whether a ball carrier needs to be touched by a defender to be ruled down by contact. Standardizing the rules might help to prepare college players for the pros, but many fans enjoy some of the differences between the two sports, and the NCAA has never viewed itself as just a minor league for the NFL. It's unlikely that Sanders' proposal would get much traction.
