Joe Jackson

Senior running back for Kansas State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.

RB · Kansas State · Sr. · #4

6′0″ · 212 lb · Haines City, FL · Ridge Community

CFB Index 56 · #97 of 326 RBsHigh confidenceReturning to Kansas State for 2026

via kstatesports.com ↗

Next upSat Sep 19 · 12 pm ETvs TulaneBill Snyder Family StadiumKansas State by 20.5

How he plays

Rec yards: 100th percentile.

The full scouting read

The numbers

106

rushing yards · 2026

1 TD · 6.2 per carry · 6 catches

2 games into 2026 so far -- Backed by 24 car · 293 yds · 3 TD -- top 0.1% rushing yards game. -- Best game: 38 rush yds, 1 TD, 48 rec yds, vs Nicholls

Swing playSwung Kansas State from 55% to 84% to win.Kansas State at Utah · 51-47

His career numbers, season by season

The story

4 running back for Kansas State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.

Signed as a 3-star recruit to Kansas State in 2023.

The full story, with sources

Joe Jackson

RB · Kansas State · Sr · #4

Does a little of everything without one standout trait. Joe Jackson has been at Kansas State through two head coaches in four seasons. His first career honor landed in 2025: All-Big 12. The receipt on tape: 68 rush yds, 48 rec yds against Washington State, Week 2, 2026.

106 RUSH YDS · 1 RUSH TD · 17 CARRIES

Low coverage — composed from the verified record.

season totals
positional archetype classification
head-coach lineage
recognition record
game log

2026 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2023Kansas State9-4HC: Chris Klieman · Run-leaning

2024Kansas State9-4HC: Chris Klieman · Run-leaning

2025Kansas State6-6HC: Chris Klieman · Run-leaning, slow tempo

2026Kansas State2-0HC: Collin Klein · Run-leaning

Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort

Box-score percentiles

56Quality starter #97 of 326?

High confidenceAscending7 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: rec yards (100th percentile). Strength: yards / carry (87th percentile). Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).

Box-score rates (7)

Rec yards#1 / 15 · 100th pct

Yards / carry#3 / 15 · 87th pct

6.2

Receptions#6 / 15 · 67th pct

Long run#9 / 15 · 47th pct

Rush TDs#10 / 15 · 30th pct

Rush yards#16 / 15 · 0th pct

106

Carries#16 / 15 · 0th pct

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Splits & context

Splits

Per-game splits

Through 2 games: 53.0 YDS/g, 6.1 YPC, 0.5 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Collin Klein

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 to repeat All-Big 12

Based on 2025: #15 of 35 Big 12 RBs

How the All-Big 12 estimate is computed

22% estimated, 95% confidence interval 19–25%. 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	Kansas State	17	106	6.2	1	--
2025	Kansas State	169	911	5.4	8	--
2024	Kansas State	39	227	5.8	1	--
2023	Kansas State	4	1	0.2	0	--
Career		229	1,245	5.4	10	--

Season	Team
2026	Kansas State	6	96	16.0	2	--
2025	Kansas State	22	119	5.4	1	--
2024	Kansas State	6	63	10.5	1	--
2023	Kansas State	--	--	--	--	--
Career		34	278	8.2	4	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026

W 71–3

vs Nicholls

38 rush yds (7 car) · 1 TD

Dominant 68-point win at home against Nicholls.

With A. Johnson — 199 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · 23 rush yds (4 car) · 1 TD · B. White — 7 rush yds (1 car)

Signature plays

Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|

The plays that mattered most

fact

Week 2 · Washington State · 2&10 · Q3 · EPA +3.58(01:08) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 J.Jackson rush left for 35 yards gain to the WSU35 (#0 C.Solis-Lumar), 1ST DOWN
Week 1 · Nicholls · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +3.35(02:05) No Huddle-Shotgun #2 A.Johnson pass complete short left to #4 J.Jackson caught at NICH32, for 43 yards to the NICH00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 01:58, 1ST DOWN #43 L.Rodriguez kick attempt good (H: #8 S.McClannan, LS: #33 A.Johnson)
Week 2 · Washington State · 2&11 · Q2 · EPA +3.08(01:58) Shotgun #2 A.Johnson pass complete short middle to #4 J.Jackson caught at WSU18, for 21 yards to the WSU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 01:51, 1ST DOWN #43 L.Rodriguez kick attempt good (H: #8 S.McClannan, LS: #33 A.Johnson)
Week 2 · Washington State · 3&9 · Q2 · EPA +3.06(14:59) Shotgun #2 A.Johnson pass complete short right to #4 J.Jackson caught at KSTATE32, for 15 yards to the WSU47 (#2 J.Smith), 1ST DOWN
Week 1 · Nicholls · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +2.52(05:57) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 J.Jackson rush right for 11 yards gain to the NICH00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 05:52, 1ST DOWN #37 R.Hammond III kick attempt good (H: #8 S.McClannan, LS: #45 J.Duffield)
Week 2 · Washington State · 3&8 · Q2 · EPA +2.39(13:59) No Huddle-Shotgun #2 A.Johnson pass complete short right to #4 J.Jackson caught at WSU39, for 12 yards to the WSU33 (#2 J.Smith), 1ST DOWN
Week 2 · Washington State · 3&7 · Q4 · EPA +1.29(14:59) Shotgun #4 J.Jackson rush middle for 8 yards gain to the WSU24 (#21 K.Brown), 1ST DOWN
Week 1 · Nicholls · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.99(04:43) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 J.Jackson rush middle for 0 yards to the KSTATE34 (#1 K.Loftin)
Week 2 · Washington State · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.86(01:51) Shotgun #2 A.Johnson pass complete short right to #4 J.Jackson caught at KSTATE24, for 0 yards to the KSTATE30 (#16 I.Hung)
Week 2 · Washington State · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA -0.80(13:29) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 J.Jackson rush right for 1 yard loss to the WSU34 (#84 M.Wrice)

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2026 season · 2 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	CAR	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	Note
Wk 1	W 71-3vs Nicholls	7	38	5.4	1	11
Wk 2	W 34-7vs Washington State	10	68	6.8	0	35	Season-high 68 yds
Total		17	106	6.1	1	35

How he plays

Play style

Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.

CFB Index positional classification

2026 Outlook

Kansas State

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Running back · Kansas State

Returning around him

71% of 2024 offensive production back (Strong continuity)
2 Kansas State players drafted to NFL
Transfer portal: -6 net (27 in / 33 out)

2026 Award watch

No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)

Kansas State · Last season: 6-6 (AP #17) · Talent rank #47 · 2026 recruiting class #50

DNA match

Player DNA

Balanced Back

Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Al-Jay Henderson’s 2022 season.

Al-Jay Henderson

79%match

Buffalo · 2022

Dominic Richardson

Oklahoma State · 2021

78%

Telly Johnson Jr.

Northern Illinois · 2025

77%

Jaylen Wright

Tennessee · 2021

NFL Rd 4

76%

Leo Pulalasi

Washington State · 2024

76%

Matches Al-Jay on

Yards / carry

EPA / carry (adj)

Yards / reception

Differs from Al-Jay on

Class year (lower)

Recruiting rating (higher)

Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Asim Rose’s path through Kentucky.

Asim Rose

100%match

Kentucky · 2020

Calvin Turner

Hawai'i · 2020

All-Mountain West

97%

Cooper Wallace

The Citadel · 2024

96%

Chase Belcher

Kennesaw State · 2025

92%

Simeon Price

Colorado · 2025

91%

Matches Asim on

Yards per carry

As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Nolan Ray's junior season at Maryland (2025).

Nolan Ray

71%match

Maryland · 2025

Tank Bigsby

Auburn · 2022

All-SECNFL Rd 3 · Pk 25

69%

Bryson Washington

Baylor · 2025

68%

Darius Taylor

Minnesota · 2025

66%

Isaiah Johnson

North Texas · 2022

64%

Matches Nolan on

Total rush EPA (college ability)

Receiving share

Height

Differs from Nolan on

Rush TD rate (higher)

Yards / carry (higher)

Player DNA

Players who play like Joe Jackson

Telly Johnson Jr.

Northern Illinois · 2025

77%

Heisman trajectory

Heisman Trajectory · 2026

Peak #66

Final rank

#66

Avg #83.7

Finalist prob 0%

Peaked at #66 this season.

Background

CAREER HONORS • 2025 All-Big 12 Third Team (Coaches) • 2025 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week (Utah) • 2025 Academic All-District (College Sports Communicators) • 2024-25 Academic All-Big 12 CAREER: Enters the 2026 season ranked seventh in school history in career rushing yards per carry (5.37)...

via kstatesports.com ↗

The backfield · Kansas State

#4Joe JacksonRB · Sr.911 rushing yards · 2025
#20Rodney Fields Jr.RB · Jr.614 rushing yards · 2025
#9Jay HarrisRB · Sr.151 rushing yards · 2025
#31Monterrio Elston Jr.RB · So.2 rushing yards · 2025
#21LJ McGheeRB · Fr.no box-score line yet

1 more on the roster · Kansas State team page

Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology

Joe Jackson

Attention percentile: 79th · Production percentile: 9th

2023

202511 games

2026 snapshot

Splits & context

Awards

Backup

Career stats

Signature game

Signature plays

Game log

How he plays

DNA match

Balanced Back

Players who play like Joe Jackson

Heisman trajectory

Peak #66

Background

The backfield · Kansas State