Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 20-33@ Houston | 7 | 17 | 2.4 | 1 | 4 | |
| Wk 2 | L 24-35vs Texas Tech | 5 | 8 | 1.6 | 0 | 5 | |
| Wk 3 | W 52-17vs Montana | 7 | 45 | 6.4 | 0 | 21 | Season-high 45 yds |
| Total | 19 | 70 | 3.5 | 1 | 21 |
#23
AJ Newberry
Senior running back for Oregon State. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 200 lb · Grand Prairie, TX · South Grand Prairie
CFB Index 41 · #192 of 310 RBsHigh confidenceTransferred Vanderbilt → Oregon State for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
70
rushing yards · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 17 rush yds, 1 TD, 29 rec yds, at Houston
Swing playSwung Vanderbilt from 55% to 76% to win.Auburn at Vanderbilt · 45-38
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Senior running back for Oregon State. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Vanderbilt in 2023.
- Transferred from Vanderbilt to Oregon State in 2026.
AJ Newberry
Does a little of everything without one standout trait. AJ Newberry has played for two head coaches across four seasons and two programs. The receipt: 55 rec yds, 45 rush yds against Montana — Week 3, 2026.
70 RUSH YDS · 1 RUSH TD · 19 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
5 programs, one constant: he played.
20234 games
- Signed with Vanderbilt3-star out of South Grand Prairie
20263 games
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
3 coaches2023
Oregon State
2024–2025era →
Trent Bray
Oregon State
2026era →
JaMarcus Shephard
Oregon State
Played under 3 different head coaches: Jonathan Smith, Trent Bray, and JaMarcus Shephard. Multi-era developmental context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Oregon State
2025Vanderbilt
2026Oregon State
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Oregon State | 19 | 70 | 3.7 | 1 | -- |
| 2025 | Vanderbilt | 18 | 57 | 3.2 | 3 | -- |
| 2024 | Vanderbilt | 41 | 185 | 4.5 | 3 | -- |
| 2023 | Vanderbilt | 20 | 96 | 4.8 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 98 | 408 | 4.2 | 7 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Oregon State | 11 | 127 | 11.5 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Vanderbilt | 2 | 18 | 9.0 | 0 | -- |
| 2024 | Vanderbilt | 7 | 134 | 19.1 | 2 | -- |
| 2023 | Vanderbilt | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 20 | 279 | 13.9 | 2 | -- |
Game log
Game by game
AJ Newberry's 2026 production
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 3 · 2026
W 52–17
vs Montana
45 rush yds (7 car)
Dominant 35-point win at home against Montana.
With B. Atkinson — 333 yds · 5 TD · 0 INT · QBR 93.0 · 4 rush yds (2 car) · 1 TD · X. Noland — 2 rec · 7 yds
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 3 · Montana · 4&2 · Q1 · EPA +3.97(12:16) Shotgun #2 B.Atkinson pass complete short right to #23 A.Newberry caught at OSU43, for 40 yards to the MON19 (#29 T.Huff), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Texas Tech · 2&4 · Q3 · EPA +2.33Braden Atkinson 4 Yd pass from AJ Newberry ( Run for Two-Point Conversion)
- Week 1 · Houston · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +2.05(00:27) No Huddle-Shotgun #2 B.Atkinson pass complete short middle to #23 A.Newberry caught at OSU36, for 25 yards to the HOU40 (#5 W.James), out of bounds, 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Houston · 1&4 · Q4 · EPA +1.69(09:15) Shotgun #23 A.Newberry rush middle for 4 yards gain to the HOU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 09:02 #28 C.Ojeda kick attempt good (H: #38 A.Winsor, LS: #47 T.Sanford)
- Week 2 · Texas Tech · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA +1.60(00:34) Shotgun #2 B.Atkinson pass complete short middle to #23 A.Newberry caught at OSU35, for 17 yards to the OSU47 (#6 J.Curry), 1ST DOWN
- Week 3 · Montana · 3&2 · Q1 · EPA +1.54(06:49) Shotgun #2 B.Atkinson pass complete short middle to #23 A.Newberry caught at OSU44, for 5 yards to the OSU46 (#32 P.Wing), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Texas Tech · 2&10 · Q4 · EPA +1.35(00:52) Shotgun #2 B.Atkinson pass complete short middle to #23 A.Newberry caught at OSU20, for 14 yards to the OSU30 (#13 B.Roberts), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Texas Tech · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.89(14:53) #23 A.Newberry rush left for 7 yards loss to the OSU13 (#13 B.Roberts; #3 P.Morgan)
- Week 3 · Montana · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA +0.66(05:29) Shotgun #23 A.Newberry rush middle for 21 yards gain to the MON21 (#17 K.Boyd), out of bounds, 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Houston · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.63(12:54) No Huddle-Shotgun #23 A.Newberry rush middle for 2 yards gain to the OSU37 (#4 B.Mack)
2026 snapshot
Since week 2: +45 rushing yards, +4 catches.
Season context · Team result + system
2023Vanderbilt2-10HC: Clark Lea · Balanced, slow tempo
2024Vanderbilt7-6HC: Clark Lea · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2025Vanderbilt10-3HC: Clark Lea · Balanced, slow tempo
2026Oregon State1-2HC: JaMarcus Shephard · Pass-heavy, fast tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Elite: rec yards (98th percentile). Strength: receptions (94th percentile). Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (7)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home2g | 26.5 | 4.0 | 0.0 |
| Road1g | 17.0 | 2.4 | 1.0 |
First half vs Second half
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 23.3 | 3.5 | 0.3 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
JaMarcus Shephard
Pass share
70.7%
253 pass / 105 run
Plays / game
119.3
3 games
Team sack rate
3.9%
152 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Pass-heavy, fast tempo.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
How he plays
Play style
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Back
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
RB
His 2024 production profile sits closest to Alex Tecza’s 2024 season.
Matches Alex on
Yards / carry
Height
Differs from Alex on
Class year (lower)
Receiving share (higher)
Total rush EPA (college ability) (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Alex Tecza's sophomore season at Navy (2024).
65%match
All-AAC
Matches Alex on
Yards / carry
Height
Differs from Alex on
Class year (lower)
Receiving share (higher)
Total rush EPA (college ability) (lower)
Background
VANDERBILT • Saw action in 26 games over three seasons, making one start • Totaled 338 rushing yards on 79 attempts, scoring six touchdowns. Added nine receptions for 152 yards and two touchdowns • Posted a career-best 185 yard s on 41 carries in 2024. Scored three touchdowns. Tallied seven…
The backfield · Oregon State
- #3Cornell Hatcher Jr.292 rushing yards · 2025
- #23AJ Newberry57 rushing yards · 2025
- #25Kourdey Glass7 rushing yards · 2025
- #34Jake Reichle6 rushing yards · 2025
- #22Marquis Crosby4 rushing yards · 2025
3 more on the roster · Oregon State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology