Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | W 87-3vs Wagner | 5 | 34 | 6.8 | 0 | 15 | Season-high 34 yds |
| Total | 5 | 34 | 6.8 | 0 | 15 |
#21
Jackson Mccarter
2nd-year running back for James Madison. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
5′10″ · 205 lb · Bristow, VA · Patriot
Returning to James Madison for 2026
The numbers
34
rushing yards · 2026
6.8 per carry
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 34 rush yds, vs Wagner
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
1 running back for James Madison. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to James Madison in 2025.
Jackson Mccarter
Two seasons at James Madison, two different head coaches: Bob Chesney and Billy Napier. The receipt on tape: 34 rush yds against Wagner, Week 2, 2026.
34 RUSH YDS · 0 RUSH TD · 5 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2025
- Signed with James Madison3-star out of Patriot
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
James Madison
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2025–2026
2 coaches2025
Bob Chesney
James Madison
Coaching transition mid-career: Bob Chesney → Billy Napier. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2025James Madison12-2HC: Bob Chesney · Run-heavy
2026James Madison2-0HC: Billy Napier · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
Elite: yards / carry (93rd percentile). 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 1 game: 34.0 YDS/g, 6.8 YPC, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Billy Napier
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 | James Madison | 5 | 34 | 6.8 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | James Madison | 4 | 18 | 4.5 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 9 | 52 | 5.8 | 0 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 87–3
vs Wagner
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
James Madison
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · James Madison
Returning around him
- 8% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
- Transfer portal: +6 net (37 in / 31 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
James Madison · Last season: 12-2 (AP #19) · Talent rank #101 · 2026 recruiting class #80
Background
2025: Played in three games Had four carries for 18 rushing yards Ran for 17 yards on two carries vs. App State (Nov. 15) with a season-long 13-yard rush Made debut with pair of carries vs. Georgia Southern (Sept. 27) High School: Washington Post Honorable Mention All-Metro as a junior First Team...
The backfield · James Madison
- #6George Pettaway195 rushing yards · 2025
- #21Jackson Mccarter18 rushing yards · 2025
- #22Trashon Dye12 rushing yards · 2025
- #20Malachi Fannin-Render6 rushing yards · 2025
- #34Seth Cromwell1 game · 2026
2 more on the roster · James Madison team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology