Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 34-18vs South Dakota State | 10 | 46 | 4.6 | 1 | 11 | |
| Wk 3 | W 41-7vs Colorado | 11 | 49 | 4.5 | 0 | 11 | Season-high 49 yds |
| Total | 21 | 95 | 4.5 | 1 | 11 |
#5
Caleb Komolafe
Junior running back for Northwestern. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
5′11″ · 210 lb · Katy, TX · Tompkins
CFB Index 65 · #52 of 326 RBsHigh confidence
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
95
rushing yards · 2026 · through week 3
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 46 rush yds, 1 TD, 37 rec yds, vs South Dakota State
The play that turned itSwung Northwestern from 13% to 50% to win.Northwestern at Nebraska · 28-21
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Junior running back for Northwestern. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Northwestern in 2023.
Caleb Komolafe
Does a little of everything without one standout trait. This is his fourth year in the same backfield at Northwestern. The receipt on tape: 49 rush yds, 27 rec yds against Colorado, Week 3, 2026.
95 RUSH YDS · 1 RUSH TD · 21 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
20234 games
- Signed with Northwestern3-star out of Katy Tompkins
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Northwestern
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Northwestern
Played his entire career under David Braun.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Northwestern | 21 | 95 | 4.5 | 1 | -- |
| 2025 | Northwestern | 190 | 941 | 5.0 | 11 | -- |
| 2024 | Northwestern | 50 | 139 | 2.8 | 0 | -- |
| 2023 | Northwestern | 4 | 9 | 2.2 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 265 | 1,184 | 4.5 | 12 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Northwestern | 5 | 64 | 12.8 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Northwestern | 11 | 60 | 5.5 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | Northwestern | 2 | 8 | 4.0 | 0 | -- |
| 2023 | Northwestern | 5 | 33 | 6.6 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 23 | 165 | 7.2 | 2 | -- |
Game log
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 34–18
46 rush yds (10 car) · 1 TD
With A. Chiles — 273 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · 18 rush yds (8 car) · 1 TD · J. Himon II — 87 rush yds (4 car) · 1 TD
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 3 · Colorado · 3&6 · Q3 · EPA -3.64(11:54) Shotgun #0 A.Chiles pass complete short left to #5 C.Komolafe caught at NU50, for 11 yards to the CU34 fumbled by #5 C.Komolafe at CU42 forced by #13 J.Stokes Jr. recovered by CU #4 N.Mitchell at CU34, End Of Play
- Week 1 · South Dakota State · 3&8 · Q2 · EPA +2.91(08:56) Shotgun #0 A.Chiles pass complete short right to #5 C.Komolafe caught at NU49, for 25 yards to the SDSU23 (#21 M.Green), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · South Dakota State · 1&7 · Q3 · EPA +2.20(07:17) Shotgun #5 C.Komolafe rush middle for 7 yards gain to the SDSU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 07:13 #90 J.Kleather kick attempt good (H: #94 H.Helms, LS: #60 E.Boutorwick)
- Week 3 · Colorado · 2&4 · Q4 · EPA +1.04(14:56) Shotgun #5 C.Komolafe rush middle for 11 yards gain to the CU44 (#17 L.Lefau), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · South Dakota State · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +1.03(01:14) Shotgun #0 A.Chiles pass complete short right to #5 C.Komolafe caught at NU26, for 12 yards to the NU37 (#7 N.St-Juste; #18 J.Krcil), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · South Dakota State · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA +1.00(10:14) #5 C.Komolafe rush middle for 8 yards gain to the NU38 (#18 J.Krcil; #1 I.Current)
- Week 3 · Colorado · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.86(13:03) No Huddle-Shotgun #5 C.Komolafe rush right for 1 yard gain to the CU48 (#7 R.Fontenette)
- Week 3 · Colorado · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +0.82(01:12) #0 A.Chiles pass complete short right to #5 C.Komolafe caught at NU18, for 8 yards to the NU29 (#44 G.Lampron) PENALTY CU Offside declined
- Week 3 · Colorado · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA +0.80(08:18) Shotgun #0 A.Chiles pass complete short left to #5 C.Komolafe caught at NU17, for 8 yards to the NU28 (#44 G.Lampron)
- Week 1 · South Dakota State · 1&20 · Q1 · EPA -0.76(03:49) #5 C.Komolafe rush left for 1 yard gain to the SDSU38 (#28 C.Van Tol)
2026 snapshot
Since week 1: +49 rushing yards, +3 catches.
Season context · Team result + system
4 seasons under David Braun — 21-19 over that span.
2023Northwestern8-5HC: David Braun · Run-leaning
2024Northwestern4-8HC: David Braun · Balanced, slow tempo
2025Northwestern7-6HC: David Braun · Run-leaning
2026Northwestern2-0HC: David Braun · Run-heavy, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidenceBreakout
Elite: rec yards (85th percentile). Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (8)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 47.5 YDS/g, 4.5 YPC, 0.5 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
David Braun
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #12 of 44 Big Ten RBs
How the All-Big Ten estimate is computed
22% estimated, 95% confidence interval 19–25%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
How he plays
Play style
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
Starter
The No. 1,630 recruit in the country is carrying the ball in the Big Ten as a junior.
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Back
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Khalan Laborn’s 2022 season.
84%match
All-Sun Belt
Matches Khalan on
Yards / carry
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Rush TD rate
Differs from Khalan on
EPA / carry (adj) (higher)
Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Garrett Groshek’s path through Wisconsin.
100%match
#2
Narii Gaither
96%
Matches Garrett on
Yards per carry
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Bryson Washington's junior season at Baylor (2025).
73%match
Matches Bryson on
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Weight
Height
Differs from Bryson on
Rush TD rate (higher)
Receiving share (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Caleb Komolafe
Heisman trajectory
Heisman Trajectory · 2026
Peak #120
Peaked at #120 this season.
Background
2025 Redshirt Sophomore: Earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention, appearing in 11 games with 10 starts … Took 190 carries for 941 rushing yards (4.95 ypc) and 11 rushing touchdowns … Ranked seventh in rushing yards and eighth in rushing touchdowns among Big Ten players … Turned 11 receptions into…
The backfield · Northwestern
- #5Caleb Komolafe941 rushing yards · 2025
- #27Gavin Sawchuk486 rushing yards · 2025
- #6Joseph Himon II486 rushing yards · 2025
- #4Cam Porter137 rushing yards · 2025
- #7Mar'Kel Porter93 rushing yards · 2025
5 more on the roster · Northwestern team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology