Unexpected Power Move: Louisiana Tech’s Clay Thevenin Shocks Fans with Rutgers Commitment

Adding new blood to the Rutgers backfield, Louisiana Tech’s Clay Thevenin is making the move to Piscataway, stepping in to fill the gaps left by CJ Campbell and Samuel Brown V. It’s a shrewd pickup, no doubt—especially given the running back depth took a hit with those departures. What intrigues me most? Thevenin’s eligibility situation .Since he spent two years at Navarro College, a junior college hotbed, he probably has just a single season to make an impact. At 5-foot-10 and 202 pounds, he’s not just a sideline presence—last year, he grounded out over 600 yards with eight touchdowns, plus added some reliable hands as a receiver. Navarro wasn’t a slouch, either—over 1,000 yards and 10 scores in two seasons there. Still, there’s the rub: JUCO experience sometimes stirs up eligibility debates, with some players pushing for extra time on the clock, arguing JUCO doesn’t count against NCAA limits. Meanwhile, Rutgers’ lead back Antwan Raymond ran hard for 1,200 yards last season, but beyond him, things got a bit thin. Thevenin could be the steady hand they need off the bench—or even more than that. With this being Rutgers’ fourth offensive portal addition for 2026, it’s clear the coaching staff is building competition and resilience all across the board. The season’s shaping up to be one to watch… LEARN MORE

Rutgers football has added some depth to its running back room as Louisiana Tech running back Clay Thevenin has decided to transfer to the Scarlet Knights. With the losses of CJ Campbell and Samuel Brown V to the portal, the addition of Thevenin provides depth to a room that was depleted through the transfer portal. According to 247sports, since he played two years in junior college, he likely comes to Rutgers with one year of eligibility remaining.

In 2025 for Louisiana Tech, the 5-foot-10, 202-pound runner recorded 131 carries for 634 yards and eight touchdowns. He also caught 33 passes for 269 yards.

During his two years at the JUCO level playing for Navarro College, he carried the ball 240 times for 1066 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also caught 21 passes for 201 yards during his time in junior college.

His eligibility could be up for dispute because several players who came from the JUCO level sued for extra years of eligibility, arguing that their time in JUCO doesn’t count towards their four years of NCAA eligibility.

Rutgers runningback Antwan Raymond cemented the starting role last season by rushing for over 1,200 yards. However, there was a deep drop off between his production and the production of the running backs behind him. With the addition of Thevenin to the room, the Knights’ coaching staff is likely looking to find a serviceable running back to use in reserve.

Thevenin is the fourth addition Rutgers has made to their offense in the 2026 transfer portal. Many of the additions they have made to that side of the ball will likely be depth pieces or players brought in to spark competition in certain position groups.