Heisman / Players / Wayne Knight /James Madison

Wayne Knight

RB · James Madison · Jr · #3

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

1,373 RUSH YDS · 9 RUSH TD · 207 CARRIES

2026 TRANSFERTransferred James Madison → UCLA for 2026As of Jun 22, 2026

Where He Ended Up · Transfer

Transferred to UCLA

2025James Madison

2026UCLA

View James Madison career stats ↓

RB · JAMES MADISON · SUN BELT

Wayne Knight

3
#3
5-7 | 190 lb
Smyrna, DE

CFB Zeitgeist Score

Elite in the position cohort. Carried by yards / carry at the 93rd percentile.

Heisman Heat

#1374

<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

Aura™ · Him Watch the full board →

Aura tax +24aura tax

Fans rank this player in the 80th percentile of RBs; the tape says 57th — more hype than the tape.

Aura — fan perception80th pctl

Production — on-field57th pctl

n=8 mentions · cohort: RBs · 140 qualified · perception = conversation volume, production = wepa_rushing

Career arc · Season-by-season Standing

3 seasons on the ladder

Peak: R09 All-Conference HM / 2nd team · 2025

2022

James Madison · RB

—

2023

James Madison · RB

—

★

2025

James Madison · RB

R09 · All-Conference HM / 2nd team

Recognized

Development Trajectory · rushing yards

2022–2025

-8.02022

23.02023

1,3732025

-17262%

Sharp dropoff (-17262%) — career inflection point.

Career Arc

Recruit

—

No recruit profile

CFB

College

James Madison

2022–2025

NFL

NFL Draft

—

Not drafted (yet)

Identity & Role

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

PositionRB

Class3

Jersey3

Measurements5-7 | 190 lb

HometownSmyrna, DE

Primary teamJames Madison

Recruiting Pedigree

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

Top pedigree Not on file No matched recruiting profile in the loaded archive

Composite rating -- Composite rating unavailable for this player

Signed with -- Commitment history unavailable

Origin -- Hometown and high school unavailable

Class	Profile	Context
No recruiting profile is on file for this player.

Transfer Arc

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

Portal moves 1 Programs changed on file

Latest destination UCLA 2026

Transfer stars 3-star CFBD transfer rating context

Eligibility Immediate Jan 7, 2026

Season	Move	Context
2026	James Madison -> UCLA	3-star \| 0.8700 \| Immediate

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#1374Latest modeled ballot order

Season forecast#1184Where 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.

Achievements

Volume King 1.3%
Program Benchmark 5.5%

Selector Grid · 2025

AP—

FWAA—

AFCA—

WCFF—

SN—

SI—

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.

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.

Belief Meter

Mixed Sentiment

Sample 6 mentions

Confidence LOW

Top Take

Trajectory

Cohort divergence map

Own fans · n=6
National · n=4

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

final

Through 14g

1,373Rush yards

207Carries

9Rush TDs

Per game

98.1Rush yards

15Carries

1Rush TDs

Final

1,373Rush yards

207Carries

9Rush TDs

✓ Hit 750-yard season · finished with 1,373.

✓ Hit 1,000-yard season · finished with 1,373.

Why this is more than a rushing profile

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

Wayne Knight is not a one-lane back. The profile is interesting because the workload spills beyond pure rushing volume: 1,373 rushing yards, 40 catches, and 268 return yards for James Madison. That kind of all-purpose footprint gives the card a much richer story than a basic carry total.

Current place #1374 0.0% win | 0.0% finalist

Role load 25.4% Overall usage share

Profile quirk Honors spine 2 honors loaded

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 1,770 1,373 rush | 397 rec | #7/735 (99th pct)

Rush TD 9 207 carries | #43/739 (94th pct)

Yards/carry 6.6 Per-rush efficiency | #76/735 (90th pct)

Player identity What kind of player is this?

30-second read

What kind of player is this?

Workhorse | Efficient runner | Passing-game back against FBS RB peers.

WorkhorseEfficient runnerPassing-game back

Rushing

CAR

207 97th

YDS

1,373 99th

YPC

6.6 90th

9 94th

Receiving

REC

40 99th

YDS

397 99th

YPR

9.9 77th

1 89th

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 14 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	CAR	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	Note
Wk 1	W 45-10vs Weber State	7	89	12.7	1	59
Wk 2	L 14-28@ Louisville	5	12	2.4	0	6
Wk 4	W 31-13@ Liberty	17	89	5.2	1	17
Wk 5	W 35-10vs Georgia Southern	19	151	7.9	1	40	151-yard day
Wk 6	W 14-7@ Georgia State	13	85	6.5	1	22
Wk 7	W 24-14vs Louisiana	20	111	5.6	0	49
Wk 8	W 63-27vs Old Dominion	12	74	6.2	1	34
Wk 10	W 52-20@ Texas State	13	48	3.7	0	10
Wk 11	W 35-23@ Marshall	14	87	6.2	1	30
Wk 12	W 58-10vs App State	16	94	5.9	1	41
Wk 13	W 24-20vs Washington State	15	126	8.4	1	58
Wk 14	W 59-10@ Coastal Carolina	18	85	4.7	0	15
Wk 15	W 31-14vs Troy	21	212	10.1	1	73	Season-high 212 yds
Bowl	L 34-51@ Oregon	17	110	6.5	0	49
Total		207	1373	6.6	9	73

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

2022James Madison8-3HC: Curt Cignetti · Run-leaning

2023James Madison11-2HC: Damian Wroblewski · Balanced

2025James Madison12-2HC: Bob Chesney · Run-heavy

Season	Team
2025	James Madison	207	1,373	6.6	9	--
2023	James Madison	4	23	5.8	0	--
2022	James Madison	5	-8	-1.6	0	--
Career	3 loaded seasons	216	1,388	6.4	9	--

Season	Team
2025	James Madison	40	397	9.9	1	--
2023	James Madison	1	11	11.0	0	--
2022	James Madison	5	63	12.6	0	--
Career	3 loaded seasons	46	471	10.2	1	--

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 40 397 rec yds | #5/552 (99th pct)

Usage 25.4% 34.6% rush share | #45/738 (94th pct)

Rushing WEPA +0.15 Opponent-adjusted rush value | #126/362 (65th pct)

Open full stat explorer

Group	Metric	Value	Rank	Pct	Why it matters
Rushing	Rushing yards	1,373	#7/735	99th pct	Volumevs FBS RB
Rushing	Rush TD	9	#43/739	94th pct	Scoringvs FBS RB
Rushing	Yards / carry	6.6	#76/735	90th pct	Efficiencyvs FBS RB
Receiving	Receptions	40	#5/552	99th pct	Volumevs FBS RB
Receiving	Receiving yards	397	#5/548	99th pct	Volumevs FBS RB
Value	Rushing WEPA	+0.15	#126/362	65th pct	Opponent-adjusted rushing value \| 199 weighted playsvs FBS RB
Usage	Role share	25.4%	#45/738	94th pct	Share of team offensevs FBS RB
Rushing	Carries	207	#25/739	97th pct	Volumevs FBS RB
Rushing	Rushing LONG	73	#44/733	94th pct	Metricvs FBS RB
Receiving	Receiving LONG	57	#32/540	94th pct	Metricvs FBS RB
Receiving	Yards / catch	9.9	#129/548	77th pct	Efficiencyvs FBS RB
Receiving	Receiving TD	1	#60/552	89th pct	Scoringvs FBS RB
Returns	Punt return yards	179	#3/27	93rd pct	Volumevs FBS RB
Returns	Kick return yards	89	#64/200	68th pct	Volumevs FBS RB
Returns	Kick return avg	22.3	#50/199	75th pct	Efficiencyvs FBS RB
Returns	Punt returns	21	#1/29	100th pct	Volumevs FBS RB
Returns	Punt return avg	8.5	#14/27	52nd pct	Efficiencyvs FBS RB
Returns	Kick returns	4	#69/206	67th pct	Volumevs FBS RB
Usage	Rush share	34.6%	#92/738	88th pct	Ground-game usagevs FBS RB
Usage	1st-down usage	29.9%	#42/738	94th pct	Early-down loadvs FBS RB
Usage	Standard-down usage	28.4%	#49/738	93rd pct	Base-situation sharevs FBS RB
Usage	2nd-down usage	27.2%	#31/738	96th pct	Middle-down loadvs FBS RB
Usage	Passing-down usage	18.7%	#24/738	97th pct	Known-passing sharevs FBS RB
Usage	3rd-down usage	14.4%	#79/738	89th pct	Money-down loadvs FBS RB
Usage	Pass share	13.1%	#6/738	99th pct	Air-game usagevs FBS RB
Ball Security	Fumbles lost	0	#1/256	100th pct	Turnoversvs FBS RB

ALL-CONF HM

On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex

ALL-CONF HM · Rung 9 of 16

Why he’s here

All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started.

What moves him up

A best-at-position run lifts to 1st team.

What moves him down

A back-end conference finish drops out of the honor list.

Accolade streams

Status—Awaiting tracker

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

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 14 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

	YDS/g	YPC	TD/g
Home7g	122	8.1	0.9
Road7g	73.7	5.0	0.4

Win vs Loss

	YDS/g	YPC	TD/g
Wins12g	104	6.9	0.8
Losses2g	61.0	4.5	0.0

First half vs Second half

	YDS/g	YPC	TD/g
Weeks 1-77g	92.4	6.7	0.6
Weeks 8+7g	104	6.5	0.7

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

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort

93Elite

8 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: rec yards (98th). Strength: receptions (98th).

Rec yards#4 / 338 · 99th pct

397rece

Receptions#5 / 338 · 98th pct

40rece

Rush yards#7 / 349 · 98th pct

1373rush

Yards / carry#22 / 349 · 93rd pct

6.6rush

Carries#25 / 349 · 93rd pct

207rush

Long run#40 / 349 · 88th pct

73rush

Rush TDs#43 / 349 · 87th pct

9rush

Fumbles lost#1 / 201 · 87th pct

0fumb

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

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

wepa_rushing0.15Mid (p50–p75) (n=178)High (p75–p90) (n=184)Mid (p50–p75) (n=362)

Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match

Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile

3 peers · 8 metrics

Wayne KnightJames MadisonJeremiyah LoveNotre Dame· 92% simNate SheppardDuke· 92% simChip TrayanumToledo· 89% sim

Rec yards

99
Knight

95
Love

96
Sheppard

87
Trayanum

Receptions

98
Knight

86
Love

97
Sheppard

79
Trayanum

Rush yards

98
Knight

98
Love

94
Sheppard

90
Trayanum

Yards / carry

93
Knight

96
Love

79
Sheppard

74
Trayanum

Carries

93
Knight

92
Love

93
Sheppard

90
Trayanum

Long run

88
Knight

99
Love

73
Sheppard

90
Trayanum

Rush TDs

87
Knight

99
Love

92
Sheppard

94
Trayanum

Fumbles lost

87
Knight

87
Love

87
Trayanum

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

Player DNA

The Speed Merchant

Cuts upfield fast. Designed to find the crease, not run through the line.

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Tyler Badie’s 2021 season.

Tyler Badie

65%match

Missouri · 2021

All-SECNFL Rd 6

Raleek Brown

Arizona State · 2025

All-Big 12

64%

Jamal Haynes

Georgia Tech · 2023

All-ACC

63%

Ismail Mahdi

Arizona · 2025

62%

Raheem Blackshear

Virginia Tech · 2021

61%

Matches Tyler on

Rush TD rate

Yards / carry

Differs from Tyler on

Yards / reception (higher)

Height (lower)

Total rush EPA (college ability) (lower)

Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Jahiem White’s path through West Virginia.

Jahiem White

94%match

West Virginia · 2025

Seth Davis

Mississippi State · 2023

91%

Jermar Jefferson

Oregon State · 2020

NFL Rd 7

91%

Devon Achane

Texas A&M · 2022

NFL Rd 3 · Pk 21

84%

Raleek Brown

Arizona State · 2025

All-Big 12

84%

Matches Jahiem on

Height

Weight

Yards per carry

As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Raleek Brown's senior season at Arizona State (2025).

Raleek Brown

72%match

Arizona State · 2025

All-Big 12

Sutton Smith

Memphis · 2025

All-AACNFL Rd 6

65%

Evan Pryor

Cincinnati · 2025

60%

OJ Arnold

Georgia Southern · 2025

All-Sun Belt

59%

Brashard Smith

SMU · 2024

All-ACCNFL Rd 7

58%

Matches Raleek on

Total rush EPA (college ability)

Weight

Differs from Raleek on

Yards / reception (higher)

Height (lower)

Rush TD rate (higher)

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Bob Chesney

Pass share

39.7%

385 pass / 584 run

Plays / game

69.2

14 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

7.8%

269 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Run-heavy.

Coaching Lineage · 2022–2025

3 coaches

2022

Curt Cignetti

James Madison

2023

Damian Wroblewski

James Madison

era →

2025

Bob Chesney

James Madison

era →

Played under 3 different head coaches: Curt Cignetti, Damian Wroblewski, and Bob Chesney. Multi-era developmental context.

HometownSmyrna, DE

Height5'7"

Weight190 lb

Class3

PositionRB

Jersey3

Trophy Case · Confirmed honors

What the selectors said

2 entries

🥈

ALL-CONFERENCE · 1ST TEAM

All-Conf 1st team (2025)

All-Sun Belt

Trophy Case · Detail

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

All-Conference

2 all-conference honors

Conference-level recognition helps anchor whether a player is merely statistically loud or actually viewed as elite within his competitive lane.

Honors Timeline

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

Season	Honor	Scope	Team / Selector	Context
2025	All-Sun Belt	all_conference	James Madison \| Sun Belt	AP
2025	All-Sun Belt	all_conference	Sun Belt	RB

Heisman By Year

Modeled rank and official finish by season.

Season	Team	Role	Latest Model	Forecast	Win	Finalist	Official Finish	Points	Context
2024	James Madison	RB3	#1374	#1184	0.0%	0.0%	--	--	W16 snapshot \| Sun Belt
2023	James Madison	RB3	#1263	#1001	0.0%	0.0%	--	--	W19 snapshot \| Sun Belt
2022	James Madison	RB3	#2653	#2500	0.0%	0.0%	--	--	W20 snapshot \| Sun Belt

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season	Team	Conference	Pos	Class	Bio
2025	James Madison	Sun Belt	RB	3	No. 3 \| 5-7 \| 190 lb \| Smyrna, DE
2024	James Madison	Sun Belt	RB	3	No. 3 \| 5-7 \| 190 lb \| Smyrna, DE
2023	James Madison	Sun Belt	RB	3	No. 3 \| 5-7 \| 190 lb \| Smyrna, DE
2022	James Madison	Sun Belt	RB	3	No. 3 \| 5-7 \| 190 lb \| Smyrna, DE

Wayne Knight

R07 · Impact starter

-17262%

Identity & Role

Recruiting Pedigree

Transfer Arc

Heisman Lens · 2024 Season · Final

The Room on Wayne Knight

How rival fanbases talk about Wayne Knight

Awaiting candidate metric

Why this is more than a rushing profile

2025 Season · Final

RB season snapshot

What kind of player is this?

2025 Season · Final

Traditional Stats

Advanced Metrics

Player Standing

Percentile Card

Advanced Savant

The Speed Merchant

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

Trophy Case · Detail

2 all-conference honors

Honors Timeline

Heisman By Year

Roster Timeline