Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 10-51@ LSU | 7 | 20 | 2.9 | 0 | 8 | |
| Wk 2 | W 22-7vs Georgia Southern | 14 | 62 | 4.4 | 0 | 21 | Season-high 62 yds |
| Total | 21 | 82 | 3.7 | 0 | 21 |
#8
Gideon Davidson
Sophomore running back for Clemson. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 200 lb · Lynchburg, VA · Liberty Christian Academy
CFB Index 35 · #279 of 326 RBsHigh confidenceReturning to Clemson 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
82
rushing yards · 2026
3.9 per carry
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 62 rush yds, vs Georgia Southern
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 running back for Clemson. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Clemson in 2025.
Buzz vs Tape
Every angle we can check here reads about where you'd expect this season.
27.1own fans
16.7national conversation
Gideon Davidson
Does a little of everything without one standout trait. This is his second year in the same backfield at Clemson. The receipt: 62 rush yds against Georgia Southern — Week 2, 2026.
82 RUSH YDS · 0 RUSH TD · 21 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
202511 games
- Signed with Clemson4-star out of Liberty Christian Academy
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Clemson
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Dabo Swinney — 8-7 over that span.
2025Clemson7-6HC: Dabo Swinney · Balanced
2026Clemson1-1HC: Dabo Swinney · Balanced, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 41.0 YDS/g, 3.7 YPC, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Dabo Swinney
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-ACC
Based on 2025: #35 of 38 ACC RBs
How the All-ACC estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. 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.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 22–7
62 rush yds (14 car)
With J. Smith — 39 AVG · 5 IN 20 · 46 LONG · T. Reynolds — 178 yds · 0 TD · 0 INT · QBR 11.3 · 38 rush yds (14 car)
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 2 · Georgia Southern · 2&9 · Q4 · EPA +2.07(09:01) No Huddle-Shotgun #8 G.Davidson rush middle for 12 yards gain to the CLEM48 (#14 R.Myles Jr.), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · LSU · 3&2 · Q1 · EPA -1.28(08:42) No Huddle-Shotgun #8 G.Davidson rush middle for 1 yard loss to the CLEM49 (#7 W.Weeks; #97 D.Carpenter)
- Week 2 · Georgia Southern · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA +1.17(08:20) No Huddle-Shotgun #8 G.Davidson rush middle for 21 yards gain to the GS31 (#6 J.Jones), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · LSU · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.93(09:37) No Huddle-Shotgun #8 G.Davidson rush left for 1 yard gain to the CLEM43 (#2 T.Benefield)
- Week 1 · LSU · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +0.91(08:20) No Huddle-Shotgun #8 G.Davidson rush left for 8 yards gain to the CLEM33 (#10 D.Spears), out of bounds
- Week 2 · Georgia Southern · 2&10 · Q1 · EPA +0.87(12:55) No Huddle-Shotgun #8 G.Davidson rush right for 11 yards gain to the GS06 (#2 A.Sears), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Georgia Southern · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.86(14:08) No Huddle-Shotgun #8 G.Davidson rush middle for 0 yards to the CLEM30 (#14 R.Myles Jr.)
- Week 2 · Georgia Southern · 2&5 · Q4 · EPA -0.76(07:28) No Huddle-Shotgun #8 G.Davidson rush middle for 1 yard loss to the GS27 (#94 E.Fears)
- Week 2 · Georgia Southern · 2&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.70(12:48) No Huddle-Shotgun #8 G.Davidson rush middle for 1 yard gain to the CLEM44 (#14 R.Myles Jr.)
- Week 2 · Georgia Southern · 1&5 · Q1 · EPA -0.64(02:00) No Huddle-Shotgun #8 G.Davidson rush middle for 1 yard loss to the GS06 (#90 O.Brown)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Clemson
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · Clemson
Returning around him
- 41% of 2024 offensive production back (Moderate turnover)
- 9 Clemson players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -4 net (11 in / 15 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Clemson · Last season: 7-6 (AP #12) · Talent rank #16 · 2026 recruiting class #20
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Back
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jaiden Credle’s 2022 season.
77%match
Matches Jaiden on
Yards / carry
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Weight
Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Gerrid Doaks’s path through Cincinnati.
95%match
All-AACNFL Rd 7
Matches Gerrid on
Yards per carry
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Kendrick Raphael's freshman season at NC State (2023).
72%match
Matches Kendrick on
Receiving share
Height
Rush TD rate
Differs from Kendrick on
Class year (lower)
Recruiting rating (higher)
The backfield · Clemson
- #16Chris Johnson Jr.479 rushing yards · 2025
- #8Gideon Davidson260 rushing yards · 2025
- #24David Eziomume71 rushing yards · 2025
- #21Jarvis Green2 games · 2026
- #26Jay Haynesno box-score line yet
2 more on the roster · Clemson team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology