Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 10-48@ Alabama | 1 | -2 | -2.0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | L 24-27vs App State | 4 | 24 | 6.0 | 0 | 8 | Season-high 24 yds |
| Total | 5 | 22 | 2.0 | 0 | 8 |
#4
TJ Engleman Jr.
Junior running back for East Carolina. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
5′9″ · 189 lb · Atlanta, GA · Hughes Center
CFB Index 35 · #278 of 326 RBsHigh confidenceReturning to East Carolina 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
22
rushing yards · 2026
4.4 per carry
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 24 rush yds, vs App State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 running back for East Carolina. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to East Carolina in 2024.
TJ Engleman Jr.
Does a little of everything without one standout trait. Second year in the East Carolina backfield, same address the whole way. The receipt on tape: 24 rush yds against App State, Week 2, 2026.
22 RUSH YDS · 0 RUSH TD · 5 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with East Carolina3-star out of Hughes Center
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
East Carolina
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Blake Harrell — 9-6 over that span.
2025East Carolina9-4HC: Blake Harrell · Run-leaning, fast tempo
2026East Carolina0-2HC: Blake Harrell · Balanced, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
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 2 games: 11.0 YDS/g, 2.0 YPC, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Blake Harrell
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-AAC
Based on 2025: #27 of 37 American Athletic RBs
How the All-AAC estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. 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 | East Carolina | 5 | 22 | 4.4 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | East Carolina | 59 | 306 | 5.2 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 64 | 328 | 5.1 | 1 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | East Carolina | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | East Carolina | 7 | 37 | 5.3 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 7 | 37 | 5.3 | 0 | -- |
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
East Carolina
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · East Carolina
Returning around him
- 14% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
- 1 East Carolina player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -2 net (24 in / 26 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
East Carolina · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #83 · 2026 recruiting class #94
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Back
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Robert Briggs’s 2022 season.
82%match
Matches Robert on
Rush TD rate
Height
Weight
Differs from Robert on
Class year (higher)
Through 1 college season, his career arc tracks closest to Joshua Samuel’s path through Austin Peay.
98%match
#5
Narii Gaither
91%
Matches Joshua on
Yards per carry
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Robert Briggs's freshman season at Utah State (2022).
83%match
Matches Robert on
Receiving share
Yards / reception
Weight
Differs from Robert on
Class year (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like TJ Engleman Jr.
Background
Two-year letterman (2024-25) … Played in 16 career games (5/2024, 11/2025) … Rushed 59 times for 306 yards (5.2 ypr) with one touchdown … Caught seven passes out of the backfield for 37 yards … Verbally committed to East Carolina on June 25, 2023 … Officially enrolled at ECU in January of 2024. 2...
The backfield · East Carolina
- #21Michael Allen385 rushing yards · 2025
- #3Ashton Gray377 rushing yards · 2025
- #4TJ Engleman Jr.306 rushing yards · 2025
- #5DeJuan Lacy44 rushing yards · 2025
- #22Michael Beatty1 game · 2025
2 more on the roster · East Carolina team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology