Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 28-9vs Austin Peay | 8 | 24 | 3.0 | 0 | 5 | |
| Wk 2 | W 35-26vs Delaware | 8 | 38 | 4.8 | 0 | 20 | Season-high 38 yds |
| Total | 16 | 62 | 3.9 | 0 | 20 |
#22
Makhilyn Young
Senior running back for Vanderbilt. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
5′10″ · 210 lb · Midland, TX · Midland Legacy
CFB Index 61 · #67 of 326 RBsHigh confidenceReturning to Vanderbilt 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
62
rushing yards · 2026
3.9 per carry · 2 catches
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 24 rush yds, 14 rec yds, vs Austin Peay
The play that turned itSwung Vanderbilt from 48% to 84% to win.Missouri at Vanderbilt · 17-10
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 running back for Vanderbilt. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 2-star recruit to New Mexico State in 2022.
- Transferred from New Mexico State to Vanderbilt in 2024.
Buzz vs Tape
Country hotter than the fans
The wider college football conversation reads him warmer than his own fans do — a gap of 31 points in belief.
24.8own fans
55.8national conversation
Makhilyn Young
Wins in space out of the backfield. Makhilyn Young has played for two head coaches across four seasons and two programs. The receipt on tape: 38 rush yds, 9 rec yds against Delaware, Week 2, 2026.
62 RUSH YDS · 0 RUSH TD · 16 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.
2022
- Signed with New Mexico State2-star out of Midland Legacy
2024
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2022New Mexico State7-6HC: Jerry Kill · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2023New Mexico State10-5HC: Jerry Kill · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2025Vanderbilt10-3HC: Clark Lea · Balanced, slow tempo
2026Vanderbilt2-0HC: Clark Lea · Run-leaning
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
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: 31.0 YDS/g, 3.9 YPC, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Clark Lea
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-SEC
Based on 2025: #12 of 37 SEC RBs
How the All-SEC 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 | Vanderbilt | 16 | 62 | 3.9 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Vanderbilt | 45 | 411 | 9.1 | 6 | -- |
| 2023 | New Mexico State | 28 | 191 | 6.8 | 2 | -- |
| 2022 | New Mexico State | 4 | 10 | 2.5 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 93 | 674 | 7.2 | 9 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Vanderbilt | 2 | 23 | 11.5 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Vanderbilt | 14 | 133 | 9.5 | 0 | -- |
| 2023 | New Mexico State | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | -- |
| 2022 | New Mexico State | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 17 | 157 | 9.2 | 0 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 28–9
vs Austin Peay
24 rush yds (8 car)
With T. Ebel — 52 AVG · 1 IN 20 · 59 LONG · B. Berlowitz — 149 yds · 0 TD · 0 INT · 45 rush yds (11 car) · 1 TD
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 1 · Austin Peay · 4&1 · Q4 · EPA -3.13(08:10) No Huddle #22 M.Young rush right for 2 yards loss to the APSU30 (#81 M.Denkins; #14 J.Bretanys-Desca), TURNOVER ON DOWNS
- Week 1 · Austin Peay · 4&1 · Q1 · EPA +2.38(12:19) Shotgun #22 M.Young rush right for 5 yards gain to the APSU44 (#11 D.Jenkins; #26 T.Haile), out of bounds, 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Delaware · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -1.50(05:11) No Huddle-Shotgun #22 M.Young rush middle for 2 yards loss to the Vandy38 (#9 C.Gallagher)
- Week 1 · Austin Peay · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA +1.32(12:12) No Huddle-Shotgun #2 J.Curtis pass complete short left to #22 M.Young caught at VU39, for 14 yards to the VU49 (#0 K.Crisp; #22 T.Hardy), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Delaware · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA +1.03(09:18) No Huddle-Shotgun #22 M.Young rush left for 11 yards gain to the Vandy41 (#6 K.Cox Jr.), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Delaware · 2&10 · Q3 · EPA +0.95(02:30) Shotgun #2 J.Curtis pass complete short left to #22 M.Young caught at Vandy50, for 9 yards to the DEL35 (#8 J.Alexander), out of bounds
- Week 1 · Austin Peay · 3&3 · Q1 · EPA -0.63(12:54) Shotgun #22 M.Young rush middle for 2 yards gain to the APSU49 (#11 D.Jenkins; #81 M.Denkins)
- Week 2 · Delaware · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA +0.61(04:41) No Huddle-Shotgun #22 M.Young rush middle for 20 yards gain to the DEL21 (#18 J.Kolagbodi; #9 C.Gallagher), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Delaware · 3&1 · Q3 · EPA +0.56(02:08) No Huddle-Shotgun #22 M.Young rush right for 3 yards gain to the DEL32 (#7 K.Seay; #10 B.Matthews), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Delaware · 2&10 · Q4 · EPA -0.53(04:11) No Huddle-Shotgun #22 M.Young rush middle for 1 yard gain to the DEL27 (#7 K.Seay; #20 J.Bell)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Deployed as a receiver as much as a runner. Value is in space, not between the tackles.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Vanderbilt
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · Vanderbilt
Returning around him
- 35% of 2024 offensive production back (Moderate turnover)
- 1 Vanderbilt player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -2 net (18 in / 20 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Vanderbilt · Last season: 10-3 (AP #13) · Talent rank #42 · 2026 recruiting class #33
DNA match
Player DNA
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 Dierre Hill Jr.’s 2025 season.
Differs from Dierre on
Recruiting rating (lower)
Class year (higher)
Rush TD rate (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Ahmonte Watkins's junior season at New Mexico State (2023).
12%match
Differs from Ahmonte on
Rush TD rate (higher)
Recruiting rating (lower)
Receiving share (higher)
The backfield · Vanderbilt
- #28Sedrick Alexander570 rushing yards · 2025
- #22Makhilyn Young411 rushing yards · 2025
- #3Jamezell Lassiter143 rushing yards · 2025
- #24Gabe Fields8 rushing yards · 2025
- #44Gabe Fisher3 games · 2025
3 more on the roster · Vanderbilt team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology