Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 59-7vs Texas State | 3 | 19 | 6.3 | 1 | 11 | Season-high 19 yds |
| Total | 3 | 19 | 6.3 | 1 | 11 |
#31
James Simon
Freshman running back for Texas. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
5′11″ · 208 lb · Shreveport, LA · Calvary Baptist Academy
Returning to Texas for 2026
The numbers
19
rushing yards · 2026
1 TD · 6.3 per carry
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 19 rush yds, 1 TD, vs Texas State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
1 running back for Texas. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Texas in 2025.
James Simon
He has spent two seasons in the Texas backfield. The receipt on tape: 19 rush yds, 1 rush TD against Texas State, Week 1, 2026.
19 RUSH YDS · 1 RUSH TD · 3 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
20253 games
- Signed with Texas4-star out of Calvary Baptist Academy
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Texas
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Steve Sarkisian, all balanced offenses — 12-3 over that span.
2025Texas10-3HC: Steve Sarkisian · Balanced
2026Texas2-0HC: Steve Sarkisian · Balanced
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
Elite: yards / carry (90th 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: 19.0 YDS/g, 6.3 YPC, 1.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Steve Sarkisian
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
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Texas
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · Texas
Returning around him
- 72% of 2024 offensive production back (Strong continuity)
- 6 Texas players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -6 net (22 in / 28 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Texas · Last season: 10-3 (AP #14) · Talent rank #2 · 2026 recruiting class #7
Heisman trajectory
Heisman Trajectory · 2026
Peak #214
Peaked at #214 this season.
Background
A second-year running back who has played in three games ... named to the 2025-26 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll. FRESHMAN (2025) Made collegiate debut vs. UTEP (9/13), recording 17 carries for 67 yards (3.9 ypc) and catching one pass for eight yards ... produced 50 rushing yards on nine atte...
The backfield · Texas
- Raleek Brown1,141 rushing yards · 2025
- #2Daylan Smothers939 rushing yards · 2025
- #31James Simon122 rushing yards · 2025
- #21Ryan Niblett15 rushing yards · 2025
- #11Michael Terry III0 rushing yards · 2025
3 more on the roster · Texas team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology