Senior running back for SMU. 2025: 88 rushing yards, 2 rushing TD, 3 catches.
6′1″ · 204 lb · New Orleans, LA
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
rushing yards · 2025
2 TD · 7.3 per carry · 3 catches
Best game: 62 rush yds, 1 TD, vs Louisville
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 running back for SMU. 2025: 88 rushing yards, 2 rushing TD, 3 catches.
Ashaad Clayton
Wins in space out of the backfield. Five head coaches in six seasons, at three different programs. One game to point at: 62 rush yds, 1 rush TD against Louisville — Week 13, 2025.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
He was on the field for 6 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
The role got bigger.
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2020–2025
3 coachesPlayed under 3 different head coaches: Sonny Dykes, Jim Leavitt, and Rhett Lashlee. Multi-era developmental context.
Season context · Team result + system
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
Elite: yards / carry (98th percentile). Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits · Per-game
2025 season · 6 games
Home vs Road
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home3g | 22.7 | 5.3 | 0.3 |
| Road3g | 6.7 | 6.0 | 0.3 |
First half vs Second half
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-72g | 3.0 | 1.8 | 0.0 |
| Weeks 8+4g | 20.5 | 8.1 | 0.5 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Rhett Lashlee
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Player standing · 2025
Earning real snaps in the rotation without a starting job.
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
Game log · Week-by-week
2025 season · 6 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 7 | W 34-10vs Stanford | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Wk 8 | W 35-24@ Clemson | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Wk 9 | L 12-13@ Wake Forest | 3 | 12 | 4.0 | 1 | 6 | |
| Wk 11 | W 45-13@ Boston College | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 8 | |
| Wk 13 | W 38-6vs Louisville | 5 | 62 | 12.4 | 1 | 50 | Season-high 62 yds |
| Bowl | W 24-19vs Arizona | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | 0 | 3 | |
| Total | 12 | 88 | 5.6 | 2 | 50 |
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
SMU
2026 Depth chart
Returning starter
Running back · SMU
Returning around him
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
SMU · Last season: 9-4 (AP #25) · Talent rank #31 · 2026 recruiting class #32
Player DNA
Deployed as a receiver as much as a runner. Value is in space, not between the tackles.
His 2023 production profile sits closest to Marlon Gunn’s 2022 season.
Matches Marlon on
Differs from Marlon on
Through 5 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Jeremiah Cobb’s path through Auburn.
Matches Jeremiah on
Differs from Jeremiah on
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Dean Connors's senior season at Houston (2025).
Matches Dean on
Differs from Dean on
Player DNA