TJ Hodges

Physical Profile

Listed 6-0, 175 at signing and already up to 189 on Arkansas's August roster — a 14-pound gain that is the single most encouraging data point in his file, because it says the frame accepts mass without an obvious redistribution problem. The build is long-levered and upright for the position rather than the compact, low-center-of-gravity body type that absorbs interior contact; at 6-0 he will always run a little tall and present a bigger strike surface to linebackers than a 5-10 back does. The speed is not projected, it is timed: a 10.73 100m and 22.28 200m as a junior put him in the legitimate breakaway tier, and the 20-9.25 long jump title speaks to single-leg explosion and the ability to plant and go without gathering. Functionally, the measurables fit a one-cut zone back or a perimeter/outside-zone runner; they do not currently fit a between-the-tackles bell cow, and 189 pounds is roughly 15-20 short of where he needs to be to hold up on third down against SEC blitz pressure.

Play Style

A perimeter-tilted explosive runner who wins with acceleration through the hole and a decisive one-cut plant rather than with contact balance or tackle-breaking. His best carries are wide zone and outside stretch, where he can read the edge defender, plant off the outside foot and hit full speed in two steps — the long jump explosion is visible in how little he decelerates through a cut. He is a true chunk-play creator: the senior profile at Bryant (108 carries, 900 yards, 8.3 per carry, but only 7 rushing touchdowns) is the signature of a back who broke long runs in a shared, blowout-heavy backfield and did not get the goal-line volume he had at Marked Tree — the touchdown drop from 22 to 7 is role and scoring-position usage, not decline. On film he is more likely to run away from an angle than run through a defender, and he does not currently show the stiff-arm or lower-body power to consistently churn extra yardage after first contact. As a receiver he is a reliable outlet with natural running-back hands but a thin route tree.

Strengths

• Verified long speed with a functional finishing gear — 10.73 100m/22.28 200m is top-percentile track speed for the position, and it shows up as the ability to convert a crease into a score rather than a 15-yard gain. His 8.3 yards per carry as a senior against Arkansas's largest classification is an explosive-play rate, not a volume-accumulation number.
• Proven translation across a four-classification jump. Going from 1A Marked Tree (1,752 yards, 22 TD as a junior) to 7A Bryant is the exact scenario that exposes small-school production, and instead of regressing per-touch he improved his efficiency — that removes the biggest single question that normally follows a small-school back into the SEC.
• Explosive lower-half and change-of-direction athleticism confirmed outside of football. A state long jump title (20-9.25) plus 200m speed indicates he can plant, redirect and accelerate out of a cut without a gather step, which is the core physical requirement of a one-cut outside-zone scheme.
• Winning-context production and durability across three full seasons — roughly 1,900, 1,750 and 900 yards on a title team, with no reported missed time, and he was efficient in a senior year where the offense did not need to feed him.

Areas to Improve

• Play weight and contact strength. At 189 he does not yet have the mass to break SEC arm tackles at the second level or to survive a full third-down pass-protection rotation against blitzing linebackers and nickels. This is the gate on early playing time — target range is 200-205 without losing the 10.7 speed, which is a realistic but multi-year strength-program outcome.
• Pass-game volume and receiving polish. Eight catches for 142 yards as a senior (and 10 as a junior) is not enough tape to project him as a route-runner out of the backfield; he has been used as a check-down and screen option, not as a detached receiving weapon. Modern SEC RB2/RB3 snaps are earned on passing downs, so route detail, hands away from the frame, and protection ID are the fastest path onto the field.
• Running with pad level and between-the-tackles patience. His 6-0 upright build plus a track background invites a bounce-first tendency; at the college level the crease closes faster and the reward for pressing the line and taking the four-yard gain goes up. He must prove he will run behind his pads on short yardage rather than searching for the edge.

College Projection

Realistic path is a redshirt or low-volume special-teams/change-of-pace role as a true freshman in 2026 while he adds the 12-15 pounds he needs, with a rotational RB2 role plausible by 2027 and a lead-back opportunity in 2028 if the weight holds. Fastest route to early snaps is not carries — it is kick return, where his straight-line speed plays immediately and the pass-protection weight requirement does not apply. Expect the coaching staff to deploy him initially in explosive-play packages (outside zone, jet/sweep motion, screens) rather than on early-down interior volume. The realistic ceiling is a 1,000-yard SEC starter in a zone-based system; the realistic floor, if the weight or the pass protection never comes, is a career complementary speed back with 90-120 touches a season.

NFL Outlook

Draftable ceiling exists but is entirely contingent on body development. Track-verified 10.7 speed at 6-0 is a legitimate NFL trait, and backs with that profile get drafted on Day 3 as gadget/return specialists even without lead-back production. To move into Day 2 consideration he needs a 200-pound-plus play weight, demonstrated pass protection, and a 30-plus catch college season proving three-down viability — the current pass-game usage is the biggest gap between him and a mid-round grade. Best-case comparison track is a Round 4-5 zone/return back; more likely he needs two productive SEC starting seasons before the NFL conversation is real. Too early and too weight-dependent to project higher with confidence.

Best Fit

An outside-zone/wide-zone rushing offense with a committee backfield and a patient developmental strength program — exactly the environment where he does not have to be the between-the-tackles hammer in year one. He is maximized by a staff that will use pre-snap motion, jet action and screens to get him the ball in space, pair him with a bigger short-yardage complement, and let him take kick returns while the weight room does its work. He is a poor fit for a downhill gap/power scheme that demands a 215-pound back to run through interior contact on 20 carries a game, and a poor fit for a program that needs immediate freshman production rather than a two-year build.