Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 45-24@ California | 5 | 41 | 8.2 | 0 | 15 | Season-high 41 yds |
| Wk 2 | W 28-10vs San Diego State | 7 | 32 | 4.6 | 1 | 9 | |
| Total | 12 | 73 | 6.4 | 1 | 15 |
#21
Jaivian Thomas
Senior running back for UCLA. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
5′10″ · 198 lb · Oakland, CA · McClymonds HS / California
CFB Index 36 · #267 of 326 RBsHigh confidenceReturning to UCLA 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
73
rushing yards · 2026
1 TD · 6.1 per carry · 1 catches
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 32 rush yds, 1 TD, 4 rec yds, vs San Diego State
Swing playSwung California from 25% to 55% to win.USC at California · 50-49
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 running back for UCLA. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to California in 2022.
- Transferred from California to UCLA in 2025.
Jaivian Thomas
Does a little of everything without one standout trait. Jaivian Thomas has played for three head coaches across four seasons and two programs. The receipt: 41 rush yds against California — Week 1, 2026.
73 RUSH YDS · 1 RUSH TD · 12 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
The week the volume broke through — put up 60 yds vs Penn State.Penn State · W 42-372025
2022
- Signed with California3-star out of Nolan Catholic
20237 games
- Signed with California3-star out of McClymonds
202510 games
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
4 coachesPlayed under 4 different head coaches: Chip Kelly, Deshaun Foster, Tim Skipper, and Bob Chesney. Multi-era developmental context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023California6-7HC: Justin Wilcox · Run-leaning
2024California6-7HC: Justin Wilcox · Balanced
2025UCLA3-9HC: Tim Skipper · Balanced, slow tempo
2026UCLA2-0HC: Bob Chesney · Run-heavy, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Elite: yards / carry (87th 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: 36.5 YDS/g, 6.4 YPC, 0.5 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Bob Chesney
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 Ten
Based on 2025: #41 of 44 Big Ten RBs
How the All-Big Ten estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. 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
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | UCLA | 12 | 73 | 6.1 | 1 | -- |
| 2025 | UCLA | 82 | 306 | 3.7 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | California | 100 | 626 | 6.3 | 7 | -- |
| 2023 | California | 18 | 110 | 6.1 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 212 | 1,115 | 5.3 | 10 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | UCLA | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | UCLA | 10 | 64 | 6.4 | 0 | -- |
| 2024 | California | 11 | 91 | 8.3 | 0 | -- |
| 2023 | California | 3 | 24 | 8.0 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 25 | 183 | 7.3 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 28–10
32 rush yds (7 car) · 1 TD
With C. Gerrand — 49 AVG · 2 IN 20 · 55 LONG · N. Iamaleava — 151 yds · 0 TD · 1 INT · QBR 31.0 · 57 rush yds (13 car)
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 2 · San Diego State · 2&1 · Q4 · EPA +1.90(04:32) Shotgun #21 J.Thomas rush middle for 1 yard gain to the SDSU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 04:31 #15 M.Bhaghani kick attempt good (H: #45 C.Barry, LS: #44 G.Cereghino)
- Week 1 · California · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +1.32(12:46) Shotgun #21 J.Thomas rush left for 15 yards gain to the CLA40 (#20 C.Sidney), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · San Diego State · 2&6 · Q2 · EPA +1.06(06:36) Shotgun #21 J.Thomas rush right for 6 yards gain to the SDSU49 (#21 T.Letuli), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · San Diego State · 3&2 · Q2 · EPA +1.04(13:34) Shotgun #9 N.Iamaleava pass complete short right to #21 J.Thomas caught at UCLA23, for 4 yards to the UCLA32 (#21 T.Letuli), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · San Diego State · 2&6 · Q3 · EPA +0.87(02:38) Shotgun #21 J.Thomas rush middle for 7 yards gain to the UCLA31 (#20 J.McLaughlin), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · San Diego State · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA -0.81(03:57) Shotgun #21 J.Thomas rush left for 0 yards to the SDSU39 (#91 A.Comier). #76 M.Indestad injured on the play
- Week 2 · San Diego State · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA +0.62(06:30) Shotgun #21 J.Thomas rush left for 9 yards gain to the SDSU10 (#27 M.Lindsay), out of bounds
- Week 1 · California · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +0.31(05:09) Shotgun #21 J.Thomas rush middle for 7 yards gain to the CAL09 (#9 A.Tuitele)
- Week 2 · San Diego State · 1&7 · Q4 · EPA +0.30(05:15) Shotgun #21 J.Thomas rush right for 6 yards gain to the SDSU01 (#20 J.McLaughlin)
- Week 2 · San Diego State · 2&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.21(01:48) Shotgun #21 J.Thomas rush left for 3 yards gain to the UCLA34 (#11 K.Clay)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
UCLA
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · UCLA
Returning around him
- 57% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
- Transfer portal: +14 net (43 in / 29 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
UCLA · Last season: 3-9 · Talent rank #25 · 2026 recruiting class #62
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Back
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Rodrigues Clark’s 2020 season.
82%match
Matches Rodrigues on
Receiving share
Yards / reception
Class year
Differs from Rodrigues on
Recruiting rating (lower)
Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Asim Rose’s path through Kentucky.
100%match
#3
Cooper Wallace
96%
Matches Asim on
Yards per carry
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Charvis Thornton's junior season at Louisiana Tech (2023).
80%match
Matches Charvis on
Yards / carry
Rush TD rate
Height
Differs from Charvis on
Yards / reception (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Jaivian Thomas
Heisman trajectory
Heisman Trajectory · 2026
Peak #246
Peaked at #246 this season.
Background
Career Summary Thomas has played 30 games and made seven starts over three seasons at UCLA (2025) and California (2023-24) … has totaled 199 carries for 1,030 yards and nine rushing touchdowns in his career … has averaged 5.2 yards per carry and 34.3 yards per game … has totaled 24 receptions for...
The backfield · UCLA
- #3Wayne Knight1,373 rushing yards · 2025
- #21Jaivian Thomas306 rushing yards · 2025
- #6Anthony Woods294 rushing yards · 2025
- #22Dylan Lee117 rushing yards · 2025
- #32Troy Leigber24 rushing yards · 2025
1 more on the roster · UCLA team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology