Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 10-51@ LSU | 3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Wk 2 | W 22-7vs Georgia Southern | 7 | 53 | 7.6 | 0 | 17 | Season-high 53 yds |
| Total | 10 | 53 | 3.8 | 0 | 17 |
#16
Chris Johnson Jr.
Senior running back for Clemson. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 190 lb · Fort Lauderdale, FL · Dillard HS // Miami (Fla.) // SMU
CFB Index 61 · #72 of 326 RBsHigh confidenceTransferred SMU → Clemson 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
53
rushing yards · 2026
5.3 per carry
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 53 rush yds, vs Georgia Southern
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 running back for Clemson. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Miami in 2023.
- Transferred from SMU to Clemson in 2026.
Chris Johnson Jr.
Wins in space out of the backfield. Three head coaches in four seasons, at three different programs. One game to point at: 53 rush yds against Georgia Southern — Week 2, 2026.
53 RUSH YDS · 0 RUSH TD · 10 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
5 programs, one constant: he played.
20233 games
- Signed with Miami4-star out of Dillard
202513 games
The role got bigger.
- Entered the portal
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
3 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Clemson
Played his entire career under Dabo Swinney.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Clemson
2025SMU
2026Clemson
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Miami7-6HC: Mario Cristobal · Balanced
2024Miami10-3HC: Mario Cristobal · Balanced
2025SMU9-4HC: Rhett Lashlee · Balanced
2026Clemson1-1HC: Dabo Swinney · Balanced, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidenceAscending
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: 26.5 YDS/g, 3.8 YPC, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Dabo Swinney
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.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 22–7
53 rush yds (7 car)
With J. Smith — 39 AVG · 5 IN 20 · 46 LONG · T. Reynolds — 178 yds · 0 TD · 0 INT · QBR 11.3 · 38 rush yds (14 car)
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 2 · Georgia Southern · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +1.34(05:55) No Huddle-Shotgun #16 C.Johnson Jr. rush middle for 17 yards gain to the CLEM37 (#6 J.Jones), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Georgia Southern · 2&5 · Q3 · EPA -1.09(00:52) No Huddle-Shotgun #16 C.Johnson Jr. rush middle for 0 yards to the CLEM41 (#18 M.Stroud)
- Week 1 · LSU · 2&6 · Q1 · EPA -1.04(13:59) No Huddle-Shotgun #16 C.Johnson Jr. rush left for 2 yards loss to the LSU31 (#6 T.Dottery; #7 W.Weeks)
- Week 1 · LSU · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.68(03:18) No Huddle-Shotgun #16 C.Johnson Jr. rush left for 2 yards gain to the CLEM42 (#6 T.Dottery; #2 T.Benefield)
- Week 2 · Georgia Southern · 2&1 · Q1 · EPA -0.57(05:22) No Huddle-Shotgun #16 C.Johnson Jr. rush middle for 0 yards to the GS10 (#18 M.Stroud)
- Week 1 · LSU · 2&6 · Q1 · EPA -0.54(03:02) No Huddle-Shotgun #16 C.Johnson Jr. rush left for 0 yards to the CLEM25 (#29 J.Ross; #6 T.Dottery)
- Week 2 · Georgia Southern · 3&20 · Q3 · EPA +0.53(04:29) No Huddle-Shotgun #16 C.Johnson Jr. rush middle for 11 yards gain to the GS49 (#1 B.Tyson; #6 J.Jones)
- Week 2 · Georgia Southern · 2&8 · Q1 · EPA +0.47(06:23) No Huddle-Shotgun #16 C.Johnson Jr. rush middle for 8 yards gain to the GS19 (#6 J.Jones; #14 R.Myles Jr.), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Georgia Southern · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA -0.30(04:40) No Huddle-Shotgun #16 C.Johnson Jr. rush right for 2 yards gain to the GS28 (#7 N.Mangham), out of bounds
Game log
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
DNA match
Player DNA
Satellite Back
Deployed as a receiver as much as a runner. Value is in space, not between the tackles.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to James Cook’s 2021 season.
73%match
NFL Rd 2 · Pk 31
Matches James on
Weight
Yards / carry
Height
Differs from James on
Class year (lower)
Recruiting rating (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jai'Den Thomas's junior season at UNLV (2025).
58%match
All-Mountain West
Matches Jai'Den on
Weight
Differs from Jai'Den on
Class year (lower)
Yards / reception (higher)
Height (higher)
The backfield · Clemson
- #16Chris Johnson Jr.479 rushing yards · 2025
- #8Gideon Davidson260 rushing yards · 2025
- #24David Eziomume71 rushing yards · 2025
- #21Jarvis Green2 games · 2026
- #26Jay Haynesno box-score line yet
2 more on the roster · Clemson team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology