Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 71-3vs Nicholls | 7 | 38 | 5.4 | 1 | 11 | |
| Wk 2 | W 34-7vs Washington State | 10 | 68 | 6.8 | 0 | 35 | Season-high 68 yds |
| Wk 3 | W 31-20vs Tulane | 9 | 24 | 2.7 | 0 | 8 | |
| Total | 26 | 130 | 5.0 | 1 | 35 |
#4
Joe Jackson
Senior running back for Kansas State. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 212 lb · Haines City, FL · Ridge Community
CFB Index 56 · #97 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
130
rushing yards · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Backed by 24 car · 293 yds · 3 TD -- top 0.1% rushing yards game. -- Best game: 38 rush yds, 1 TD, 48 rec yds, vs Nicholls
Swing playSwung Kansas State from 55% to 84% to win.Kansas State at Utah · 51-47
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Senior running back for Kansas State. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Kansas State in 2023.
Aura™ · Him Watch
Aura tax
+70aura tax
Fans rank this player in the 78th percentile of RBs; the tape says
9th pctl our rushing-value metric (wEPA) RBs · 140 qualified, n=61
— more hype than the tape.Aura — fan perception78th pctl
Production — on-field9th pctl
n=61 mentions · cohort: RBs · 140 qualified · perception = conversation volume, production = our rushing-value metric (wEPA)
Buzz vs Tape
Attention percentile: 79th · Production percentile: 9th
He's mentioned more than 79% of qualified RBs this season, but his production sits in just the 9th percentile — a gap of 70 points between volume and tape.
79thattention percentile · vs RBs
9thproduction percentile · vs RBs
Also worth knowing:
Joe Jackson
Does a little of everything without one standout trait. Joe Jackson has been at Kansas State through two head coaches in four seasons. His first career honor landed in 2025: All-Big 12. The receipt on tape: 68 rush yds, 48 rec yds against Washington State, Week 2, 2026.
130 RUSH YDS · 1 RUSH TD · 26 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- recognition record
- game log
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
The week the volume broke through — put up 293 yds at Utah.Utah · L 47-512025
2023
- Signed with Kansas State3-star out of Ridge Community
202511 games
The role got bigger.
- All-Big 12third
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Kansas State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎖
ALL-BIG 12
All-Big 12 mention (2025)
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coaches2023–2025
Kansas State
2026era →
Collin Klein
Kansas State
Coaching transition mid-career: Chris Klieman → Collin Klein. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Kansas State | 26 | 130 | 5.0 | 1 | -- |
| 2025 | Kansas State | 169 | 911 | 5.4 | 8 | -- |
| 2024 | Kansas State | 39 | 227 | 5.8 | 1 | -- |
| 2023 | Kansas State | 4 | 1 | 0.2 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 238 | 1,269 | 5.3 | 10 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Kansas State | 6 | 96 | 16.0 | 2 | -- |
| 2025 | Kansas State | 22 | 119 | 5.4 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | Kansas State | 6 | 63 | 10.5 | 1 | -- |
| 2023 | Kansas State | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 34 | 278 | 8.2 | 4 | -- |
Game log
Game by game
Joe Jackson'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 1 · 2026
W 71–3
vs Nicholls
38 rush yds (7 car) · 1 TD
Dominant 68-point win at home against Nicholls.
With A. Johnson — 199 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · 23 rush yds (4 car) · 1 TD · B. White — 7 rush yds (1 car)
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 2 · Washington State · 2&10 · Q3 · EPA +3.58(01:08) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 J.Jackson rush left for 35 yards gain to the WSU35 (#0 C.Solis-Lumar), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Nicholls · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +3.35(02:05) No Huddle-Shotgun #2 A.Johnson pass complete short left to #4 J.Jackson caught at NICH32, for 43 yards to the NICH00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 01:58, 1ST DOWN #43 L.Rodriguez kick attempt good (H: #8 S.McClannan, LS: #33 A.Johnson)
- Week 2 · Washington State · 2&11 · Q2 · EPA +3.08(01:58) Shotgun #2 A.Johnson pass complete short middle to #4 J.Jackson caught at WSU18, for 21 yards to the WSU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 01:51, 1ST DOWN #43 L.Rodriguez kick attempt good (H: #8 S.McClannan, LS: #33 A.Johnson)
- Week 2 · Washington State · 3&9 · Q2 · EPA +3.06(14:59) Shotgun #2 A.Johnson pass complete short right to #4 J.Jackson caught at KSTATE32, for 15 yards to the WSU47 (#2 J.Smith), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Nicholls · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +2.52(05:57) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 J.Jackson rush right for 11 yards gain to the NICH00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 05:52, 1ST DOWN #37 R.Hammond III kick attempt good (H: #8 S.McClannan, LS: #45 J.Duffield)
- Week 2 · Washington State · 3&8 · Q2 · EPA +2.39(13:59) No Huddle-Shotgun #2 A.Johnson pass complete short right to #4 J.Jackson caught at WSU39, for 12 yards to the WSU33 (#2 J.Smith), 1ST DOWN
- Week 3 · Tulane · 3&1 · Q1 · EPA +1.56(00:31) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 J.Jackson rush middle for 7 yards gain to the KSTATE48 (#7 K.Adams III), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Washington State · 3&7 · Q4 · EPA +1.29(14:59) Shotgun #4 J.Jackson rush middle for 8 yards gain to the WSU24 (#21 K.Brown), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Nicholls · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.99(04:43) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 J.Jackson rush middle for 0 yards to the KSTATE34 (#1 K.Loftin)
- Week 2 · Washington State · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.86(01:51) Shotgun #2 A.Johnson pass complete short right to #4 J.Jackson caught at KSTATE24, for 0 yards to the KSTATE30 (#16 I.Hung)
2026 snapshot
Since week 2: +24 rushing yards.
Season context · Team result + system
2023Kansas State9-4HC: Chris Klieman · Run-leaning
2024Kansas State9-4HC: Chris Klieman · Run-leaning
2025Kansas State6-6HC: Chris Klieman · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2026Kansas State3-0HC: Collin Klein · Run-leaning
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidenceAscending
Elite: rec yards (96th percentile). Concern: carries (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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home3g | 43.3 | 5.0 | 0.3 |
First half vs Second half
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 43.3 | 5.0 | 0.3 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Collin Klein
Pass share
43.2%
89 pass / 117 run
Plays / game
68.7
3 games
Team sack rate
0.0%
89 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot to repeat All-Big 12
Based on 2025: #15 of 35 Big 12 RBs
How the All-Big 12 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
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Back
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Al-Jay Henderson’s 2022 season.
79%match
Matches Al-Jay on
Yards / carry
EPA / carry (adj)
Yards / reception
Differs from Al-Jay on
Class year (lower)
Recruiting rating (higher)
Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Asim Rose’s path through Kentucky.
100%match
#3
Cooper Wallace
96%
Matches Asim on
Yards per carry
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Nolan Ray's junior season at Maryland (2025).
71%match
Matches Nolan on
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Receiving share
Height
Differs from Nolan on
Rush TD rate (higher)
Yards / carry (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Joe Jackson
Heisman trajectory
Heisman Trajectory · 2026
Peak #78
Peaked at #78 this season.
Background
CAREER HONORS • 2025 All-Big 12 Third Team (Coaches) • 2025 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week (Utah) • 2025 Academic All-District (College Sports Communicators) • 2024-25 Academic All-Big 12 CAREER: Enters the 2026 season ranked seventh in school history in career rushing yards per carry…
The backfield · Kansas State
- #4Joe Jackson911 rushing yards · 2025
- #20Rodney Fields Jr.614 rushing yards · 2025
- #9Jay Harris151 rushing yards · 2025
- #31Monterrio Elston Jr.2 rushing yards · 2025
- #21LJ McGheeno box-score line yet
1 more on the roster · Kansas State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology