Rutgers Football 2026 Early Position Breakdown: Who Will Backup Antwan Raymond?

CHAMPAIGN, ILL - NOVEMBER 01: Rutgers running back Ja'shon Benjamin (20) runs the ball during a Big Ten Conference football game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on November 01, 2025, at Gies Memorial Stadium, in Champaign, IL. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Despite entering last season competing for touches with CJ Campbell, running back Antwan Raymond set himself apart as one of the premier running backs not just in the Big Ten but in the country as a whole. Part of that was due to Campbell’s season-ending injury, which allowed Raymond to be the top guy and have a breakout season where he recorded 244 carries for 1,241 yards and 13 touchdowns.

With that in mind, it only makes sense that Raymond is going to get a majority of the touches this season. However, that begs the question: since CJ Campbell has moved on via the transfer portal, who will be the backup running back behind Antwan Raymond? The two names that come to mind are Ja’Shon Benjamin and Clay Thevenin.

Both running backs are pretty comparable in terms of average rushing production when adjusted to the same number of carries. Benjamin last season carried the ball 68 times for 328 yards and 2 touchdowns, averaging 4. 8 yards per carry.

Thevenin, on the other hand, carried the ball 131 times for 634 yards and 8 touchdowns while averaging 4. 8 yards per carry, the same average as Benjamin. Both running backs have comparable rushing stats for the number of times they carried the ball last season; however, one area where Thevenin has an advantage over Benjamin is in the passing game.