cfb zeitgeistZeitgeist
OFFSEASON · SUMMER 2026 · COMMITMENT SEASON
Heisman / Players / Kevin Riley /Alabama

Kevin Riley

RB · Alabama · Fr · #28

Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.

224 RUSH YDS · 2 RUSH TD · 59 CARRIES

2026 RETURNINGReturning to Alabama for 2026

2026 Outlook

Returning to Alabama for 2026

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Running back · Alabama

Returning around him

  • 43% of 2024 offensive production back (Moderate turnover)
  • 10 Alabama players drafted to NFL
  • Transfer portal: -7 net (17 in / 24 out)

2026 Award watch

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

Alabama · Last season: 11-4 (AP #11) · Talent rank #2 · 2026 recruiting class #3

RB · ALABAMA · SEC

Kevin Riley

  • 1
  • #28
  • 5-11 | 191 lb
  • Northport, AL

CFB Zeitgeist Score

26

Below cohort in the position cohort. Carried by rec yards at the 78th percentile.

Heisman Heat

#934

<1% win probability

Fan Belief

Awaiting

Player-specific FI not yet ingested. Falls back to team mood below.

Respect Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

Reality Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

ACCOLADE PROBABILITY

Heisman

<1%

TOP RB AWARD

Doak Walker

CONSENSUS

All-American

Player Standing · 17 rungs

Tier 2 · Starter

R07 · Impact starter

Impact starter. Producing measurable value above replacement.

Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Development Trajectory · rushing yards

2024–2025
30.02024
2242025

+647%

Up 647% from first season to most-recent.

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
★★★★
#75 national
CFB
College
Alabama
2024–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Identity & Role

The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.

PositionRB
Class1
Jersey28
Measurements5-11 | 191 lb
HometownNorthport, AL
Primary teamAlabama

Recruiting Pedigree

How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.

Top pedigree 4-star No. 75 recruit
Composite rating 0.9617 HighSchool
Signed with Alabama 2024
Origin Tuscaloosa County Northport, AL, USA
Class Profile Context
2024 4-star | 0.9617 No. 75 recruit | HighSchool | Alabama

Transfer Arc

Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.

Portal moves 0 No portal entry on file
Latest destination -- --
Transfer stars -- CFBD transfer rating context
Eligibility -- Transfer date TBD
Season Move Context
No transfer portal moves on file for this player.

Heisman Lens · 2024 Season · Final

Where the player landed at the end of the listed season — final nowcast rank, win/finalist/ballot probabilities, and the cleanest official Heisman placement on file.

HIGH CONFIDENCE· through week 16
Current nowcast#934Latest modeled ballot order
Season forecast#755Where the full season sim points
Win probability0.0%Chance to actually win the trophy
Finalist probability0.0%Chance to make the finalist tier
Ballot probability0.0%Chance to appear anywhere on a ballot
Best official finish--Best completed Heisman placement on file

Heisman Futures

Not yet listed on major futures markets.

No achievements unlocked yet this season.

Selector Grid · 2025

AP
FWAA
AFCA
WCFF
SN
SI

Selector recognition fills in once the major honors lists (AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, SI) are scraped and ingested.

NIL · Recruiting · NFL Draft

Market value, pedigree & pro outcome

Recruit stars

★★★★☆

to Alabama

Composite

0.9617

#75 national

Today’s Hot-Take

The Hot-Take engine fires when this player’s percentile profile crosses a defensible threshold (top 10% in a cohort, 100+ snap sample). When it’s quiet, the model is honoring its “must be defensible” rule.

Anti-Take

PENDING

The contrarian read fires when the rules-engine detects a stat that complicates the Hot-Take. Quiet here means the model hasn’t found a defensible counter yet — not that one doesn’t exist.

The Room on Kevin Riley

Fan sentiment ·

Belief Meter

56

Mixed Sentiment

Sample 8 mentions
Confidence LOW

Top Take

Trajectory

Cohort divergence mapbearishbullishheatedcalmOwn fans: 9 mentions · belief -44 · "Come on now! This is a 175 lbs RB who is ranked outside the top 50 at their posi"Own fans
  • Own fans · n=9

Rival Radar

How rival fanbases talk about Kevin Riley

No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.

Signature Story

Awaiting candidate metric

He hasn't written his page yet — we'll start filling it in when there are enough snaps to rank against his peers.

Signature Moment

No signature moment on the ledger yet.

Returns once this player puts together a multi-game body of work — single-game flashes alone don't clear the bar.

A 3-act season arc returns once this player has six or more games on the ledger.

Season Pace · Projection

Where the rushing totals stand

projecting to 13-game
Through 10g
224Rush yards
59Carries
2Rush TDs
Per game
22.4Rush yards
6Carries
0Rush TDs
Projected (13g)
291.2Rush yards
77Carries
3Rush TDs

To hit 750-yard season (currently 224): needs 175.3/game over remaining 3.

To hit 1,000-yard season (currently 224): needs 258.7/game over remaining 3.

To hit 1,500-yard season (currently 224): needs 425.3/game over remaining 3.

To hit 10 rushing TDs (currently 2): needs 2.7/game over remaining 3.

To hit 15 rushing TDs (currently 2): needs 4.3/game over remaining 3.

To hit 20 rushing TDs (currently 2): needs 6/game over remaining 3.

What made this player interesting

The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.

Kevin Riley's story is about how role and output meet each other. For Alabama, the card already shows enough current-season production to explain why he is on the serious-player board, and the next layer is determining whether the profile is just very good or actually distinctive.

Current place #934 0.0% win | 0.0% finalist
Role load 11.8% Overall usage share
Profile quirk Blue-chip pedigree No. 75 recruit

2025 Season · Final

Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.

Last season

RB season snapshot

2025 season snapshot | final

2025 season snapshot | finalData: CFBD player stats + local Heisman modelPeer context: same position + same level
Scrimmage yards 400 224 rush | 176 rec | #322/735 (56th pct)
Rush TD 2 59 carries | #247/739 (67th pct)
Yards/carry 3.8 Per-rush efficiency | #534/735 (27th pct)
Player identity What kind of player is this?

30-second read

What kind of player is this?

Passing-game back against FBS RB peers.

Passing-game back

2025 Season · Final

2025 season snapshot | final

Rushing

CAR
59 62nd
YDS
224 56th
YPC
3.8 27th
TD
2 67th

Receiving

REC
19 86th
YDS
176 86th
YPR
9.3 72nd
TD
1 89th

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 10 games

Box score · CFBD
WkOppCARYDSAVGTDLONGNote
Wk 1L 17-31@ Florida State5316.2013
Wk 2W 73-0vs UL Monroe11696.3022Season-high 69 yds
Wk 3W 38-14vs Wisconsin7202.9011
Wk 5W 24-21@ Georgia10303.005
Wk 6W 30-14vs Vanderbilt5173.408
Wk 7W 27-24@ Missouri6162.706
Wk 8W 37-20vs Tennessee3-2-0.700
Wk 11W 20-9vs LSU155.005
Wk 13W 56-0vs Eastern Illinois8364.529
BowlL 3-38@ Indiana320.702
Total592243.4222
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score

Traditional history

Traditional Stats

Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.

Season rows Career row

Season context · Team result + system

2024Alabama9-4HC: Kalen DeBoer · Run-leaning
2025Alabama11-4HC: Kalen DeBoer · Balanced
SeasonTeam
2025Alabama592243.82--
2024Alabama10303.00--
Career2 loaded seasons692543.72--
SeasonTeam
2025Alabama191769.31--
2024Alabama294.50--
Career2 loaded seasons211858.81--
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context

Advanced metrics second

Advanced Metrics

Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.

Usage Value Context
Rushing WEPA

Opponent-adjusted rushing value. It helps separate empty volume from carries that actually move the scoreboard.

Role share

How much of the team's offense flows through this back once rushing work and receiving work are combined.

Peer percentile

Every percentile is compared against players at the same position and level, so an FBS quarterback is judged against FBS quarterbacks, not the whole sport.

Traditional first

The top tables stick to the stats fans already know from broadcasts and box scores. Advanced context is pushed underneath instead of replacing the basics.

Receiving work 19 176 rec yds | #78/552 (86th pct)
Usage 11.8% 18.0% rush share | #259/738 (65th pct)
Rushing WEPA +0.02 Opponent-adjusted rush value | #337/362 (7th pct)
Open full stat explorer
0 metrics visible Showing all metrics
Group Metric Value Rank Pct Why it matters
Rushing Rushing yards 224 #322/735 56th pct Volumevs FBS RB
Rushing Rush TD 2 #247/739 67th pct Scoringvs FBS RB
Rushing Yards / carry 3.8 #534/735 27th pct Efficiencyvs FBS RB
Receiving Receptions 19 #78/552 86th pct Volumevs FBS RB
Receiving Receiving yards 176 #78/548 86th pct Volumevs FBS RB
Value Rushing WEPA +0.02 #337/362 7th pct Opponent-adjusted rushing value | 51 weighted playsvs FBS RB
Usage Role share 11.8% #259/738 65th pct Share of team offensevs FBS RB
Rushing Carries 59 #283/739 62nd pct Volumevs FBS RB
Rushing Rushing LONG 22 #375/733 49th pct Metricvs FBS RB
Receiving Receiving LONG 27 #142/540 74th pct Metricvs FBS RB
Receiving Yards / catch 9.3 #152/548 72nd pct Efficiencyvs FBS RB
Receiving Receiving TD 1 #60/552 89th pct Scoringvs FBS RB
Usage Rush share 18.0% #292/738 61st pct Ground-game usagevs FBS RB
Usage 2nd-down usage 15.0% #180/738 76th pct Middle-down loadvs FBS RB
Usage Standard-down usage 13.4% #255/738 66th pct Base-situation sharevs FBS RB
Usage 1st-down usage 13.3% #260/738 65th pct Early-down loadvs FBS RB
Usage Passing-down usage 7.8% #305/738 59th pct Known-passing sharevs FBS RB
Usage Pass share 6.3% #108/738 86th pct Air-game usagevs FBS RB
Usage 3rd-down usage 4.5% #461/738 38th pct Money-down loadvs FBS RB

Player Standing

Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION

On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION · Rung None of 16

Why he’s here

Standing classification populates when honors, Heisman, and roster signals all align.

What moves him up

What moves him down

Accolade streams

StatusAwaiting tracker

Heisman model tracks the top FBS contenders weekly; this player hasn't entered the watch list yet.

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 10 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

YDS/gYPCTD/g
Home6g24.23.60.3
Road4g19.83.10.0

Win vs Loss

YDS/gYPCTD/g
Wins8g23.93.40.2
Losses2g16.53.50.0

First half vs Second half

YDS/gYPCTD/g
Weeks 1-77g26.43.60.0
Weeks 8+3g13.02.90.7

Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort

26Below cohort
7 metrics · season cumulative

Concern: yards / carry (8th).

Rec yards#74 / 338 · 78th pct
176rece
Receptions#77 / 338 · 75th pct
19rece
Rush TDs#236 / 349 · 26th pct
2rush
Carries#283 / 349 · 19th pct
59rush
Long run#295 / 349 · 14th pct
22rush
Rush yards#318 / 349 · 9th pct
224rush
Yards / carry#315 / 349 · 9th pct
3.8rush

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

Advanced Savant · RB · 2024

Percentile Card

Advanced opponent-adjusted percentile bars are coming soon for this player.

P4G5All FBS
EPA / dropback
awaiting
CPOE
awaiting
Success rate
awaiting
Explosive rate (20+)
awaiting
aDOT
awaiting
Deep-ball accuracy
awaiting
Pressure-to-sack
awaiting
3rd-down EPA
awaiting
Red-zone TD rate
awaiting
Play-action EPA
awaiting
Scramble EPA
awaiting
Turnover-worthy play rate
awaiting

Advanced Savant

Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.

wepa_rushing0.02Below (<p25) (n=178)

Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match

Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile

3 peers · 7 metrics
Kevin RileyAlabamaAl-Jay HendersonBuffalo· 57% simRashod DubinionApp State· 56% simSeth McGowanKentucky· 55% sim
Rec yards
78
Riley
79
Henderson
77
Dubinion
67
McGowan
Receptions
75
Riley
85
Henderson
86
Dubinion
75
McGowan
Rush TDs
26
Riley
72
Henderson
50
Dubinion
94
McGowan
Carries
19
Riley
90
Henderson
87
Dubinion
85
McGowan
Long run
14
Riley
43
Henderson
39
Dubinion
11
McGowan
Rush yards
9
Riley
79
Henderson
84
Dubinion
76
McGowan
Yards / carry
9
Riley
18
Henderson
53
Dubinion
29
McGowan

Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.

Player DNA

The Satellite Back

Deployed as a receiver as much as a runner. Value is in space, not between the tackles.

RB

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Davion Ervin-Poindexter’s 2023 season.

Davion Ervin-Poindexter

68%match

Western Kentucky · 2023

#2

Charles Kellom

Akron · 2024

67%
#3

Keegan Jones

UCLA · 2022

66%
#4

Austin Jones

Stanford · 2021

65%
#5

Ron Cook Jr.

Buffalo · 2021

64%

Matches Davion on

Total rush EPA (college ability)

Differs from Davion on

Class year (lower)
Yards / reception (higher)
EPA / carry (adj) (lower)

Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Darius Wilson’s path through William & Mary.

Darius Wilson

97%match

William & Mary · 2024

#2

Chris McMillian

Bowling Green · 2025

92%
#3

Davion Ervin-Poindexter

Western Kentucky · 2023

92%
#4

James Charles

Florida Atlantic · 2021

87%
#5

Jamal Jones

Arkansas State · 2020

86%

Matches Darius on

Yards per carry

As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Sutton Smith's sophomore season at Memphis (2023).

Sutton Smith

62%match

Memphis · 2023

All-AACNFL Rd 6
#2

Ron Cook Jr.

Buffalo · 2021

59%
#3

Austin Jones

Stanford · 2021

58%
#4

Xavier White

Texas Tech · 2021

57%
#5

Diore Hubbard

West Virginia · 2025

57%

Matches Sutton on

Weight
Total rush EPA (college ability)

Differs from Sutton on

Class year (lower)
Height (higher)
EPA / carry (adj) (lower)

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Kalen DeBoer

Pass share

53.4%

523 pass / 456 run

Plays / game

65.3

15 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

6.8%

384 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Balanced.

Coaching Lineage · 2024–2025

1 coach
2024
Kalen DeBoer
Alabama
2025
Kalen DeBoer
Alabama

Played his entire career under Kalen DeBoer.

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.

HometownNorthport, AL
Height5'11"
Weight191 lb
Class1
PositionRB
Jersey28

Trophy Case · Detail

Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.

Honors

No formal honors on the ledger yet

All-America, all-conference, player-of-the-week, watch-list, and postseason awards land here when they're earned. The absence is the signal: most players never collect formal honors, and that's its own kind of context.

Honors Timeline

Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.

Season Honor Scope Team / Selector Context
No formal honors on the ledger yet. All-America, all-conference, weekly awards, watch lists, and postseason trophies land here when they’re earned.

Heisman By Year

Modeled rank and official finish by season.

Season Team Role Latest Model Forecast Win Finalist Official Finish Points Context
2024 Alabama RB1 #934 #755 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W16 snapshot | SEC

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season Team Conference Pos Class Bio
2025 Alabama SEC RB 1 No. 28 | 5-11 | 191 lb | Northport, AL
2024 Alabama SEC RB 1 No. 28 | 5-11 | 191 lb | Northport, AL