Ja'Quez Cross
Ja'Quez Cross
Wins in space out of the backfield. Across five seasons and two programs, two head coaches: Jeff Brohm and Butch Jones. Two straight seasons of it now: All-Sun Belt again in 2025. The receipt on tape: 36 rush yds, 33 rec yds against Southeast Missouri State, Week 1, 2025.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- recognition record
- game log
Career Arc
Trophy Case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
ALL-CONFERENCE · 1ST TEAM
All-Conf 1st team (2025)
All-Sun Belt
Coaching Lineage · 2021–2025
1 coachPlayed his entire career under Butch Jones.
2025 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
Splits & context
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Butch Jones
Awards
Player Standing · 17 rungs
Tier 3 · RecognizedR09 · All-Conference HM / 2nd team
All-Conference HM / 2nd team. Conference recognition has started.
Trophy Case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
ALL-CONFERENCE · 1ST TEAM
All-Conf 1st team (2025)
All-Sun Belt
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Arkansas State | 8 | 36 | 4.5 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | Arkansas State | 115 | 638 | 5.5 | 2 | -- |
| 2023 | Arkansas State | 128 | 716 | 5.6 | 7 | -- |
| 2022 | Arkansas State | 24 | 92 | 3.8 | 0 | -- |
| 2021 | Purdue | 13 | 27 | 2.1 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 288 | 1,509 | 5.2 | 10 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Arkansas State | 5 | 33 | 6.6 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | Arkansas State | 35 | 228 | 6.5 | 1 | -- |
| 2023 | Arkansas State | 24 | 161 | 6.7 | 0 | -- |
| 2022 | Arkansas State | 10 | 56 | 5.6 | 0 | -- |
| 2021 | Purdue | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 75 | 484 | 6.5 | 2 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2025
W 42–24
vs Southeast Missouri State
36 rush yds (8 car) · 1 TD
How he plays
Play style
Deployed as a receiver as much as a runner. Value is in space, not between the tackles.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Arkansas State
2026 Depth chart
Returning starter
Running back · Arkansas State
Returning around him
- 59% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
- Transfer portal: -13 net (24 in / 37 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Arkansas State · Last season: 7-6 · Talent rank #88 · 2026 recruiting class #85
DNA match
Player DNA
Satellite Back
Deployed as a receiver as much as a runner. Value is in space, not between the tackles.
His 2024 production profile sits closest to Zahir Abdus-Salaam’s 2024 season.
Matches Zahir on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Zahir Abdus-Salaam's senior season at Western Michigan (2024).
Matches Zahir on
Development
Development Trajectory · rushing yards
2021–2025+33%
Up 33% from first season to most-recent.