Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 42-7vs Merrimack | 3 | 17 | 5.7 | 1 | 11 | Season-high 17 yds |
| Wk 2 | L 26-35@ Vanderbilt | 5 | 2 | 0.4 | 1 | 2 | |
| Total | 8 | 19 | 3.1 | 2 | 11 |
#21
Viron Ellison Jr.
Junior running back for Delaware. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 212 lb · Lewisville, TX · Lewisville
CFB Index 39 · #231 of 326 RBsHigh confidenceReturning to Delaware 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
19
rushing yards · 2026
2 TD · 2.4 per carry · 1 catches
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 rush yds, 1 TD, 8 rec yds, at Vanderbilt
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 running back for Delaware. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Tulsa in 2024.
Viron Ellison Jr.
Does a little of everything without one standout trait. Two head coaches in three seasons, at two different programs. The receipt on tape: 17 rush yds, 1 rush TD against Merrimack, Week 1, 2026.
34 RUSH YDS · 2 RUSH TD · 8 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 3 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
20249 games
- Signed with Tulsa3-star out of Lewisville
202513 games
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024
—
Delaware
2025–2026era →
Ryan Carty
Delaware
Played his entire career under Ryan Carty.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Tulsa3-9HC: Kevin Wilson · Balanced
2025Delaware7-6HC: Ryan Carty · Pass-leaning
2026Delaware1-1HC: Ryan Carty · Pass-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: 9.5 YDS/g, 3.1 YPC, 1.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Ryan Carty
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-Conference USA
Based on 2025: #18 of 28 Conference USA RBs
How the All-Conference USA 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
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 42–7
vs Merrimack
75 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · 17 rush yds (3 car) · 1 TD
Dominant 35-point win at home against Merrimack.
With N. Minicucci — 330 yds · 2 TD · 1 INT · QBR 79.3 · 13 rush yds (5 car) · 1 TD · J. Cupitt — 42 AVG · 2 IN 20 · 49 LONG
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 1 · Merrimack · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +6.08No Huddle-Shotgun #21 V.Ellison Jr. pass complete deep right to #3 K.Roberts caught at DEL45, for 75 yards to the MC00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 09:11, 1ST DOWN #31 T.Smack kick attempt good (H: #39 J.Cupitt, LS: #49 M.Sills)
- Week 2 · Vanderbilt · 4&1 · Q2 · EPA +2.79(01:55) No Huddle-Shotgun #21 V.Ellison Jr. rush middle for 1 yard gain to the Vandy00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 01:56 #31 T.Smack kick attempt good (H: #39 J.Cupitt, LS: #49 M.Sills)
- Week 1 · Merrimack · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA +2.52(07:42) No Huddle-Shotgun #21 V.Ellison Jr. rush left for 11 yards gain to the MC00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 07:35, 1ST DOWN #31 T.Smack kick attempt good (H: #39 J.Cupitt, LS: #49 M.Sills)
- Week 2 · Vanderbilt · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA -1.36(11:18) No Huddle-Shotgun #21 V.Ellison Jr. rush left for 2 yards loss to the DEL34 (#29 M.Capers)
- Week 2 · Vanderbilt · 2&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.77(06:35) No Huddle-Shotgun #21 V.Ellison Jr. rush middle for 1 yard gain to the DEL47 (#99 T.Carter; #29 M.Capers)
- Week 1 · Merrimack · 4&1 · Q1 · EPA +0.69(08:18) No Huddle-Shotgun #21 V.Ellison Jr. rush middle for 6 yards gain to the MC11 (#5 R.Cooper), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Merrimack · 3&1 · Q1 · EPA -0.53(09:03) No Huddle-Shotgun #21 V.Ellison Jr. rush middle for 0 yards to the MC17 (#2 J.Wilson; #7 D.Simms)
- Week 2 · Vanderbilt · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.46(08:13) No Huddle-Shotgun #21 V.Ellison Jr. rush middle for 0 yards to the DEL16 (#92 J.Stone)
- Week 2 · Vanderbilt · 2&1 · Q3 · EPA -0.33(07:26) No Huddle-Shotgun #21 V.Ellison Jr. rush left for 2 yards gain to the DEL46 (#53 G.Seabrooks III), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Vanderbilt · 3&23 · Q4 · EPA +0.02(02:32) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 N.Minicucci pass complete short left to #21 V.Ellison Jr. caught at DEL10, for 8 yards to the DEL16 (#4 M.Hight; #11 B.Longwell)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Delaware
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · Delaware
Returning around him
- 85% of 2024 offensive production back (Strong continuity)
- Transfer portal: +5 net (13 in / 8 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Delaware · Last season: 7-6 · Talent rank #134 · 2026 recruiting class #115
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Back
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Alex Fontenot’s 2021 season.
Matches Alex on
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Receiving share
Differs from Alex on
Class year (lower)
Yards / reception (higher)
Rush TD rate (lower)
Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Ja'Veon Marlow’s path through Vanderbilt.
88%match
Matches Ja'Veon on
Weight
Recruiting rating
Yards per carry
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Diore Hubbard's sophomore season at West Virginia (2025).
76%match
Matches Diore on
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Rush TD rate
Weight
Differs from Diore on
Class year (higher)
Height (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Viron Ellison Jr.
Background
HONORS AND AWARDS 2025-26 Conference USA Academic Honor Roll 2025 SEASON Appeared in all 13 games and made four starts Rushed 118 times for 460 yards and four TDs Added 21 receptions for 191 yards and two TDs Conference USA Academic Honor Roll 2024 SEASON AT TULSA Appeared in 11 games Rushed 62 t...
The backfield · Delaware
- #27Jo'Nathan Silver652 rushing yards · 2025
- #21Viron Ellison Jr.462 rushing yards · 2025
- #3Kaderris Roberts215 rushing yards · 2025
- #26Greg Spiller110 rushing yards · 2025
- #28Saeed St. Fleur27 rushing yards · 2025
6 more on the roster · Delaware team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology