Arkansas back Sutton Smith lands spot on Doak Walker watch list

Information from Arkansas Communications is inclulded in this story.

Arkansas running back Sutton Smith picked up a preseason honor this week.

The PwC SMU Athletic Forum placed him on the 2026 Doak Walker Award watch list Tuesday.

The Doak Walker Award goes to the nation’s top college running back. It’s named for Doak Walker a three-time All-America running back at SMU.

The honor has been handed out every year since 1990.

Fans will get regular updates too. Each Tuesday this season the PwC SMU Athletic Forum plans to name a Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week.

Smith is new to Fayetteville but not new to his coach. He spent the last four years at Memphis where he played for Ryan Silverfield who now leads the Hogs as Arkansas’ head coach.

His 2025 season backed up the hype. Smith played in 12 games and rushed for 669 yards with seven touchdowns on 102 carries.

He wasn’t just a runner either. Smith caught 20 passes for 109 yards added 155 yards on five kick returns and 125 yards on 15 punt returns giving him 1,058 total all-purpose yards.

Smith’s standout performances

Smith topped 100 rushing yards three separate times last year.

His career best came against Arkansas on Sept. 20 when he ran 12 times for 147 yards and a touchdown.

That game turned on one play. Smith broke off a 64-yard touchdown run with 4:51 left to seal the win.

He kept it rolling against Troy on Sept. 13 with 113 yards and two scores on 18 carries. Then on Nov. 15 he piled up 109 yards and two more touchdowns on just seven carries versus East Carolina.

Special teams brought highlights as well. The Powder Springs Georgia native returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown on Oct. 18 at UAB.

His numbers stacked up nationally too.

Smith tied for ninth in the country in rushing plays of 60 or more yards and stood as one of only 14 FBS running backs returning with an 80-yard rush from last season.

What happens next for the award

The process moves fast from here.

The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name 10 semifinalists in November before trimming the field to three finalists.

A national selection committee decides it from there. That group includes past winners former NFL All-Pro backs college All-Americans media members and other selected representatives who will cast a final vote in December.

This wasn’t Smith’s first watch list nod of the summer either. He was already named to the 2026 Paul Hornung Award watch list back on Aug. 10.

Razorback fans won’t have to wait long to see him play. Arkansas opens its season under Silverfield at Razorback Stadium against North Alabama on Sept. 5 at 3:15 p.m. on SEC Network with season tickets starting at $45 per game.

Key takeaways

Sutton Smith made the 2026 Doak Walker Award preseason watch list after transferring to Arkansas from Memphis

He posted 1,058 all-purpose yards for Memphis in 2025 including seven rushing touchdowns and a 99-yard kickoff return score

Arkansas opens the 2026 season Sept. 5 against North Alabama under first-year head coach Ryan Silverfield