Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 8-34@ Virginia | 7 | 20 | 2.9 | 0 | 9 | |
| Wk 2 | W 73-0vs Richmond | 9 | 128 | 14.2 | 2 | 65 | Season-high 128 yds |
| Total | 16 | 148 | 8.5 | 2 | 65 |
#1
Jayden Scott
Junior running back for NC State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
5′10″ · 225 lb · Stockbridge, GA
CFB Index 54 · #103 of 326 RBsHigh confidenceReturning to NC 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
148
rushing yards · 2026
2 TD · 9.3 per carry
2 games into 2026 so far -- Backed by 24 car · 196 yds · 1 TD -- top 1% rushing yards game. -- Best game: 128 rush yds, 2 TD, vs Richmond
Swing playSwung NC State from 44% to 72% to win.Virginia Tech at NC State · 23-21
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 running back for NC State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to NC State in 2024.
Buzz vs Tape
Fans warmer than rivals
His own fans are far more bullish than the rival fanbase.
29.7own fans
-70rival fans
Also worth knowing:
In Their Words
1,414 windows · 2026 fan posts
duke×48.5scott×30.5running×12.4smothers×40.2hollywood×36.3wolfpack×17.6rushing×12.3yards×5.3
Jayden Scott
Hits the crease and outruns the angle. This is his third year in the same backfield at NC State. 2025 brought the first one: ACC Rookie Player of the Week. The receipt: 128 rush yds, 2 rush TD against Richmond — Week 2, 2026.
148 RUSH YDS · 2 RUSH TD · 16 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- recognition record
- game log
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
The week the volume broke through — put up 196 yds vs Georgia Tech.Georgia Tech · W 48-362025
2024
- Signed with NC State3-star out of Stockbridge
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
NC State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
NC State
Played his entire career under Dave Doeren.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Dave Doeren — 15-13 over that span.
2024NC State6-7HC: Dave Doeren · Balanced, slow tempo
2025NC State8-5HC: Dave Doeren · Balanced
2026NC State1-1HC: Dave Doeren · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Elite: yards / carry (100th percentile). Strength: long run (87th percentile). 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: 74.0 YDS/g, 8.5 YPC, 1.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Dave Doeren
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: #16 of 38 ACC RBs
How the All-ACC 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.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 73–0
vs Richmond
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 2 · Richmond · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA +5.24(10:53) Shotgun #1 J.Scott rush middle for 65 yards gain to the RICH00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 10:44, 1ST DOWN #94 K.Vinesett kick attempt good (H: #96 J.Waller, LS: #92 A.Arias)
- Week 2 · Richmond · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA +2.60(12:35) No Huddle-Shotgun #1 J.Scott rush middle for 43 yards gain to the RICH22 (#4 J.Washington), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Richmond · 1&7 · Q1 · EPA +2.20(01:03) No Huddle-Shotgun #1 J.Scott rush middle for 7 yards gain to the RICH00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 01:01 #94 K.Vinesett kick attempt good (H: #96 J.Waller, LS: #92 A.Arias)
- Week 2 · Richmond · 2&10 · Q1 · EPA -1.18(06:40) No Huddle-Shotgun #1 J.Scott rush middle for 1 yard loss to the NCSU48 (#21 J.Thorne; #8 B.Lassiter)
- Week 2 · Richmond · 2&4 · Q1 · EPA -1.13(04:26) No Huddle-Shotgun #1 J.Scott rush middle for 2 yards loss to the RICH33 (#9 J.Allen; #21 J.Thorne)
- Week 1 · Virginia · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.99(14:52) Shotgun #1 J.Scott rush middle for 0 yards to the NCS34 (#11 M.Marcellus; #14 F.Camac)
- Week 1 · Virginia · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.64(01:41) Shotgun #1 J.Scott rush middle for 2 yards gain to the NCS38 (#55 A.Britton; #13 M.Brown)
- Week 1 · Virginia · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.45(13:33) Shotgun #1 J.Scott rush middle for 2 yards gain to the NCS27 (#10 J.Henderson; #16 M.Fobbs-White)
- Week 1 · Virginia · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.41(07:13) Shotgun #1 J.Scott rush middle for 2 yards loss to the UVA13 (#99 D.Baxter; #11 M.Marcellus)
- Week 2 · Richmond · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +0.35(10:09) Shotgun #1 J.Scott rush left for 6 yards gain to the RICH44 (#47 D.Sellers)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Cuts upfield fast. Designed to find the crease, not run through the line.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
NC State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · NC State
Returning around him
- 60% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
- 2 NC State players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -2 net (20 in / 22 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
NC State · Last season: 8-5 · Talent rank #32 · 2026 recruiting class #49
DNA match
Player DNA
Speed Merchant
Cuts upfield fast. Designed to find the crease, not run through the line.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Daelen Alexander’s 2025 season.
72%match
Matches Daelen on
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Yards / carry
Differs from Daelen on
Recruiting rating (higher)
Class year (lower)
EPA / carry (adj) (lower)
Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Ja'Kobi Jackson’s path through Florida.
Matches Ja'Kobi on
Weight
Yards per carry
Height
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Daelen Alexander's sophomore season at Rice (2025).
78%match
Matches Daelen on
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Yards / carry
EPA / carry (adj)
Differs from Daelen on
Class year (lower)
Recruiting rating (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Jayden Scott
Heisman trajectory
Heisman Trajectory · 2026
Peak #222
Peaked at #222 this season.
The backfield · NC State
- #1Jayden Scott595 rushing yards · 2025
- #7Davion Gause258 rushing yards · 2025
- #25Darius Johnson10 rushing yards · 2025
- #26Isiah Jones1 game · 2026
- #14Jonathan Paylor1 game · 2026
4 more on the roster · NC State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology