Razorback junior running back Rakeem Boyd (#5) from Houston, TX runs a sweep to the right side against Texas A&M in September at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX.

Nate Allen

FAYETTEVILLE - For the second consecutive year Arkansas Razorbacks  senior running back Rakeem Boyd adorns the Doak Walker Award Watch List.

Named for the late SMU running back great Doak Walker, the Doak Walker Award in December annually honors the nation’s top running back.

Former Razorbacks College Football  Hall of Famer Darren McFadden was the Doak Walker Award winner in 2006 and 2007.

Originally a Texas A&M Aggie redshirting as a 2016 freshman and transferring in 2017 to Independence (Kan.) Junior College, Walker transferred to Arkansas as a sophomore in 2018.

Despite playing for two abysmal Razorbacks teams going 2-10, 2-10 overall and 0-8, 0-8 in the SEC, Boyd netted a team-leading 729 yards on 118 carries and two touchdowns in 2018 while catching 23 passes for 165 yards.

In 2019, Walker eclipsed 1,000 yards, 1,133 yards and eight touchdowns on 184 carries and caught 19 passes for 160 yards.  Boyd five time surpassed 100 yards rushing in a game in 2019 including a SEC season high 134 yards on 23 carries against Kentucky and an overall season high of 185 yards on only eight carries, two were 76 and 86-yard touchdowns, against Western Kentucky.

The Doak Walker Award Watch List will pare to 10 semifinalists in November then reduced to three finalists before the  winner is announced in December on the Home Depot Awards Show.