Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 16-17@ Auburn | 12 | 33 | 2.8 | 0 | 10 | |
| Wk 2 | W 44-3vs Prairie View A&M | 12 | 66 | 5.5 | 1 | 15 | Season-high 66 yds |
| Total | 24 | 99 | 4.2 | 1 | 15 |
#11
Caden Knighten
Sophomore running back for Baylor. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
5′11″ · 211 lb · Pauls Valley, OK · Pauls Valley HS
CFB Index 47 · #151 of 326 RBsHigh confidenceReturning to Baylor 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
99
rushing yards · 2026
1 TD · 4.1 per carry · 2 catches
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 66 rush yds, 1 TD, 11 rec yds, vs Prairie View A&M
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 running back for Baylor. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Baylor in 2025.
Caden Knighten
Does a little of everything without one standout trait. Second year in the Baylor backfield, same address the whole way. The receipt: 66 rush yds, 11 rec yds against Prairie View A&M — Week 2, 2026.
99 RUSH YDS · 1 RUSH TD · 24 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
202512 games
- Signed with Baylor4-star out of Pauls Valley
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Baylor
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Dave Aranda — 6-8 over that span.
2025Baylor5-7HC: Dave Aranda · Pass-leaning, fast tempo
2026Baylor1-1HC: Dave Aranda · Balanced, fast tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Concern: rush yards (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 splits
Through 2 games: 49.5 YDS/g, 4.2 YPC, 0.5 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Dave Aranda
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-Big 12
Based on 2025: #20 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.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 44–3
66 rush yds (12 car) · 1 TD
Dominant 41-point win at home against Prairie View A&M.
With N. Bennett — 301 yds · 2 TD · 2 INT · QBR 29.6 · 13 rush yds (2 car) · 1 TD · J. McGowan — 13 rush yds (1 car) · 1 TD
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 2 · Prairie View A&M · 3&5 · Q1 · EPA +2.76(04:22) No Huddle-Shotgun #11 C.Knighten rush left for 5 yards gain to the PVAMU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 04:22 #98 R.Armstrong kick attempt good (H: #94 P.Williams, LS: #93 D.Schaub)
- Week 1 · Auburn · 2&4 · Q2 · EPA -1.86(11:11) No Huddle-Shotgun #11 C.Knighten rush middle for 3 yards loss to the AUB47 (#17 X.Atkins)
- Week 1 · Auburn · 3&2 · Q4 · EPA -1.52(12:34) No Huddle-Shotgun #11 C.Knighten rush middle for 2 yards loss to the AUB38 (#9 E.Melendez)
- Week 2 · Prairie View A&M · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +1.35(06:51) No Huddle-Shotgun #11 C.Knighten rush middle for 15 yards gain to the BAYLOR41 (#11 N.Harris), out of bounds, 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Auburn · 2&4 · Q2 · EPA +1.10(11:58) No Huddle-Shotgun #11 C.Knighten rush left for 10 yards gain to the BAY50 (#9 E.Melendez), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Prairie View A&M · 2&10 · Q2 · EPA +1.05(07:19) No Huddle-Shotgun #12 N.Bennett pass complete short right to #11 C.Knighten caught at BAYLOR10, for 11 yards to the BAYLOR26 (#44 J.Campbell), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Auburn · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.70(15:00) No Huddle-Shotgun #11 C.Knighten rush left for 0 yards to the BAY25 (#15 D.Womack)
- Week 2 · Prairie View A&M · 2&6 · Q4 · EPA -0.68(06:18) No Huddle-Shotgun #11 C.Knighten rush middle for 2 yards gain to the BAYLOR49 (#32 C.Thornton, Jr.)
- Week 2 · Prairie View A&M · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.67(10:16) No Huddle-Shotgun #11 C.Knighten rush left for 2 yards gain to the BAYLOR41 (#16 J.Davis)
- Week 2 · Prairie View A&M · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA +0.63(07:55) No Huddle-Shotgun #11 C.Knighten rush middle for 7 yards gain to the PVAMU46 (#24 K.Canterbury)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Baylor
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · Baylor
Returning around him
- 60% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
- 2 Baylor players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -1 net (31 in / 32 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Baylor · Last season: 5-7 · Talent rank #43 · 2026 recruiting class #57
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Back
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Shadrick Byrd’s 2021 season.
Matches Shadrick on
Weight
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Rush TD rate
Differs from Shadrick on
Receiving share (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Owen Allen's freshman season at Air Force (2024).
Matches Owen on
Weight
Total rush EPA (college ability)
EPA / carry (adj)
Differs from Owen on
Class year (lower)
Background
2025 (Freshman): Played in 10 games as the primary reserve at running back … Toted it 104 times for 469 yards and a TD, adding 11 catches for 134 yards and a score … Had six carries for 29 yards and a four-yard TD catch vs. Auburn … Had seven carries for 26 yards with two catches for 11 yards at...
The backfield · Baylor
- #11Caden Knighten469 rushing yards · 2025
- #23Michael Turner320 rushing yards · 2025
- #27Joseph Dodds104 rushing yards · 2025
- #20Jacorey Watson1 game · 2025
- #35Dawson Pendergrass2 games · 2026
3 more on the roster · Baylor team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology