Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 31-0vs Charleston Southern | 2 | 21 | 10.5 | 0 | 18 | Season-high 21 yds |
| Wk 2 | L 7-22@ Clemson | 3 | 11 | 3.7 | 0 | 5 | |
| Total | 5 | 32 | 7.1 | 0 | 18 |
#6
David Mbadinga
Senior running back for Georgia Southern. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
5′7″ · 190 lb · Atlanta, GA · North Cobb
CFB Index 33 · #277 of 310 RBsHigh confidenceReturning to Georgia Southern 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
32
rushing yards · 2026
6.4 per carry · 2 catches
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 11 rush yds, 30 rec yds, at Clemson
Swing playSwung Georgia Southern from 48% to 75% to win.James Madison at Georgia Southern · 28-14
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 running back for Georgia Southern. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
His career, year by yearDavid Mbadinga
Does a little of everything without one standout trait. This is his fourth year in the same backfield at Georgia Southern. The receipt on tape: 21 rush yds against Charleston Southern, Week 1, 2026.
32 RUSH YDS · 0 RUSH TD · 5 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Georgia Southern
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Georgia Southern
Played his entire career under Clay Helton.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
4 seasons under Clay Helton — 22-19 over that span.
2023Georgia Southern6-7HC: Clay Helton · Pass-leaning
2024Georgia Southern8-5HC: Clay Helton · Balanced
2025Georgia Southern7-6HC: Clay Helton · Balanced
2026Georgia Southern1-1HC: Clay Helton · Pass-heavy
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Elite: yards / carry (93rd percentile). 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: 16.0 YDS/g, 7.1 YPC, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Clay Helton
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
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Georgia Southern | 5 | 32 | 6.4 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Georgia Southern | 49 | 196 | 4.0 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | Georgia Southern | 58 | 229 | 3.9 | 3 | -- |
| 2023 | Georgia Southern | 22 | 112 | 5.1 | 2 | -- |
| Career | 134 | 569 | 4.2 | 6 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Georgia Southern | 2 | 30 | 15.0 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Georgia Southern | 5 | 18 | 3.6 | 0 | -- |
| 2024 | Georgia Southern | 3 | 26 | 8.7 | 0 | -- |
| 2023 | Georgia Southern | 6 | 30 | 5.0 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 16 | 104 | 6.5 | 0 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 31–0
21 rush yds (2 car)
Dominant 31-point win at home against Charleston Southern.
With M. Johnson — 281 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 66.4 · A. Smith — 40 AVG · 42 LONG · 4 NO
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Georgia Southern
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · Georgia Southern
Returning around him
- 6% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
- Transfer portal: -1 net (17 in / 18 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Georgia Southern · Last season: 7-6 · Talent rank #78 · 2026 recruiting class #89
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Back
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Bryan Hill’s 2021 season.
Matches Bryan on
Yards / carry
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Receiving share
Differs from Bryan on
Height (lower)
Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Rickey Spruill’s path through Wagner.
Rickey Spruill
98%match
#3
Bryant Barr
95%
#4
Travis Theis
94%
Matches Rickey on
Yards per carry
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jordan Ford's junior season at Tulsa (2023).
79%match
Matches Jordan on
Weight
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Rush TD rate
Differs from Jordan on
Height (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like David Mbadinga
Background
PRONUNCIATION 2025-26 - Sun Belt Conference Academic Commissioner’s List 2025 - College Sports Communicators Academic All-District 2024-25 - Sun Belt Conference Academic Commissioner’s List 2024 - College Sports Communicators Academic All-District 2023-24 - Sun Belt Conference Academic Commission...
The backfield · Georgia Southern
- #6David Mbadinga196 rushing yards · 2025
- #35Taeo Todd102 rushing yards · 2025
- #16Jamarian Samuel87 rushing yards · 2025
- #5Terrance Gibbs61 rushing yards · 2025
- #33Bryce Baker52 rushing yards · 2025
4 more on the roster · Georgia Southern team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology