Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 12-13@ Michigan | 19 | 62 | 3.3 | 0 | 11 | Season-high 62 yds |
| Wk 2 | W 49-14vs Monmouth | 10 | 28 | 2.8 | 3 | 11 | 3 rushing TDs |
| Total | 29 | 90 | 3.0 | 3 | 11 |
#6
Jalen Buckley
Senior running back for Western Michigan. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
5′11″ · 225 lb · Aurora, IL
CFB Index 59 · #83 of 326 RBsHigh confidenceReturning to Western Michigan 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
90
rushing yards · 2026
3 TD · 3.1 per carry · 1 catches
2 games into 2026 so far -- Backed by 10 car · 28 yds · 3 TD -- top 1% rushing TDs game. -- Best game: 28 rush yds, 3 TD, 9 rec yds, vs Monmouth
The play that turned itSwung Western Michigan from 49% to 83% to win.Ohio at Western Michigan · 17-13
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 running back for Western Michigan. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Named MAC Freshman Player of the Year in 2023.
Jalen Buckley
Does a little of everything without one standout trait. Jalen Buckley has played for two head coaches in five seasons at Western Michigan. All-MAC in 2025 was the second honor of his career. The receipt on tape: 62 rush yds against Michigan, Week 1, 2026.
90 RUSH YDS · 3 RUSH TD · 29 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- recognition record
- game log
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
202311 games
- MAC Freshman Player of the Yearwinner
- All-MACthird
202513 games
- All-MACthird
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Western Michigan
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎖
ALL-MAC
All-MAC mention (2025)
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
2 coaches2022
Western Michigan
Coaching transition mid-career: Tim Lester → Lance Taylor. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2022Western Michigan5-7HC: Tim Lester · Run-leaning
2023Western Michigan4-8HC: Lance Taylor · Run-leaning
2024Western Michigan6-7HC: Lance Taylor · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2025Western Michigan10-4HC: Lance Taylor · Run-heavy
2026Western Michigan1-1HC: Lance Taylor · Run-heavy, fast tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Elite: rush tds (80th percentile). Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (8)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 45.0 YDS/g, 3.0 YPC, 1.5 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Lance Taylor
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
In the mix to repeat All-MAC
Based on 2025: #4 of 30 Mid-American RBs
How the All-MAC estimate is computed
35% estimated, 95% confidence interval 31–38%. 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 | Western Michigan | 29 | 90 | 3.1 | 3 | -- |
| 2025 | Western Michigan | 179 | 1,003 | 5.6 | 9 | -- |
| 2024 | Western Michigan | 128 | 683 | 5.3 | 9 | -- |
| 2023 | Western Michigan | 189 | 997 | 5.3 | 10 | -- |
| 2022 | Western Michigan | 9 | 27 | 3.0 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 534 | 2,800 | 5.2 | 31 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Western Michigan | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Western Michigan | 12 | 75 | 6.2 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | Western Michigan | 15 | 112 | 7.5 | 0 | -- |
| 2023 | Western Michigan | 18 | 161 | 8.9 | 0 | -- |
| 2022 | Western Michigan | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 46 | 357 | 7.8 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 49–14
vs Monmouth
28 rush yds (10 car) · 3 TD
Dominant 35-point win at home against Monmouth.
With B. Lowry — 212 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 56.4 · 40 rush yds (4 car) · R. Millmore — 48 AVG · 56 LONG · 4 NO
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 2 · Monmouth · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +2.52#6 J.Buckley rush middle for 11 yards gain to the MON00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 14:03, 1ST DOWN #32 D.Kelly kick attempt good (H: #25 R.Millmore, LS: #46 D.Doyle)
- Week 1 · Michigan · 3&6 · Q4 · EPA +2.26(08:20) Shotgun #6 J.Buckley rush middle for 11 yards gain to the WMU43 (#18 T.Bowles), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Monmouth · 2&1 · Q2 · EPA +1.90Shotgun #6 J.Buckley rush left for 1 yard gain to the MON00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 04:47 #32 D.Kelly kick attempt good (H: #25 R.Millmore, LS: #46 D.Doyle)
- Week 1 · Michigan · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA -1.52(05:31) Shotgun #6 J.Buckley rush middle for 2 yards loss to the UOM49 (#18 T.Bowles)
- Week 1 · Michigan · 3&15 · Q2 · EPA -1.25(06:03) Shotgun #6 J.Buckley rush middle for 2 yards loss to the UOM37 (#8 D.Nichols)
- Week 1 · Michigan · 2&12 · Q4 · EPA -0.97(04:46) Shotgun #6 J.Buckley rush middle for 0 yards to the UOM49 (#95 T.Pierce)
- Week 2 · Monmouth · 1&1 · Q3 · EPA +0.94Shotgun #6 J.Buckley rush middle for 1 yard gain to the MON00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 03:55 #32 D.Kelly kick attempt good (H: #25 R.Millmore, LS: #46 D.Doyle)
- Week 1 · Michigan · 3&1 · Q4 · EPA +0.91(06:04) Shotgun #6 J.Buckley rush middle for 1 yard gain to the UOM47 (#0 J.Hill; #95 T.Pierce), 1ST DOWN. The previous play is under automatic review - "First down". CALL UPHELD
- Week 2 · Monmouth · 2&10 · Q2 · EPA -0.70Shotgun #6 J.Buckley rush middle for 1 yard gain to the MON34 (#98 H.Gil)
- Week 1 · Michigan · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.69(09:00) Shotgun #6 J.Buckley rush middle for 2 yards gain to the WMU44 (#18 T.Bowles; #10 Z.Berry)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Western Michigan
2026 Depth chart
Returning starter
Running back · Western Michigan
Returning around him
- 100% of 2024 offensive production back (Strong continuity)
- Transfer portal: +1 net (14 in / 13 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Western Michigan · Last season: 10-4 · Talent rank #108 · 2026 recruiting class #112
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Back
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Avery Morrow’s 2024 season.
86%match
All-Mountain West
Matches Avery on
Rush TD rate
Yards / carry
EPA / carry (adj)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Zylan Perry's senior season at Louisiana (2025).
78%match
Matches Zylan on
EPA / carry (adj)
Weight
Rush TD rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Jalen Buckley
Heisman trajectory
Heisman Trajectory · 2026
Peak #153
Peaked at #153 this season.
The backfield · Western Michigan
- #6Jalen Buckley1,003 rushing yards · 2025
- #5Devin Miles425 rushing yards · 2025
- #24Ofa Mataele252 rushing yards · 2025
- #26Tre' Hartwell34 rushing yards · 2025
- #4Cole Cabana18 rushing yards · 2025
4 more on the roster · Western Michigan team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology