Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 66-14vs Idaho | 12 | 71 | 5.9 | 1 | 21 | Season-high 71 yds |
| Wk 2 | W 43-10vs Arkansas | 10 | 53 | 5.3 | 2 | 15 | |
| Total | 22 | 124 | 5.6 | 3 | 21 |
#1
Wayshawn Parker
Junior running back for Utah. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
5′10″ · 205 lb · Richmond, CA · Grant Union HS
CFB Index 74 · #32 of 326 RBsHigh confidenceWatch-list name (model)Returning to Utah 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
124
rushing yards · 2026
3 TD · 5.6 per carry · 8 catches
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 53 rush yds, 2 TD, 65 rec yds, vs Arkansas
The play that turned itSwung Utah from 17% to 53% to win.Texas Tech at Utah · 34-10
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 running back for Utah. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Washington State in 2024.
- Transferred from Washington State to Utah in 2025.
Aura™ · Him Watch
Aura tax
+30aura tax
Fans rank this player in the 83rd percentile of RBs; the tape says
52nd pctl our rushing-value metric (wEPA) RBs · 140 qualified, n=73
— more hype than the tape.Aura — fan perception83rd pctl
Production — on-field52nd pctl
n=73 mentions · cohort: RBs · 140 qualified · perception = conversation volume, production = our rushing-value metric (wEPA)
Buzz vs Tape
Attention percentile: 83rd · Production percentile: 53rd
He's mentioned more than 83% of qualified RBs this season, but his production sits in just the 53rd percentile — a gap of 30 points between volume and tape.
83rdattention percentile · vs RBs
53rdproduction percentile · vs RBs
Also worth knowing:
In Their Words
124 windows · 2026 fan posts
wayshawn×920.8dampier×767.4devon×95.9utah×26.1
Wayshawn Parker
Hits the crease and outruns the angle. Wayshawn Parker has played for three head coaches across three seasons and two programs. His first career honor landed in 2025: All-Big 12. One game to point at: 71 rush yds, 23 rec yds against Idaho — Week 1, 2026.
124 RUSH YDS · 3 RUSH TD · 22 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- recognition record
- game log
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
202412 games
- Signed with Washington State3-star out of Grant Union
202513 games
- Entered the portal
- All-Big 12third
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎖
ALL-BIG 12
All-Big 12 mention (2025)
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coaches2024–2025
Utah
2026era →
Morgan Scalley
Utah
Coaching transition mid-career: Kyle Whittingham → Morgan Scalley. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Washington State8-5HC: Pete Kaligis · Run-leaning
2025Utah11-2HC: Kyle Whittingham · Run-heavy
2026Utah2-0HC: Morgan Scalley · Run-leaning
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidenceAscending
Elite: rec yards (100th percentile). Strength: yards / carry (80th percentile). 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: 62.0 YDS/g, 5.6 YPC, 1.5 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Morgan Scalley
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Watch-list name (model)
Our Heisman model has him inside the top 25; he is not on a published award watch list yet.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
In the mix to repeat All-Big 12
Based on 2025: #5 of 35 Big 12 RBs
How the All-Big 12 estimate is computed
35% estimated, 95% confidence interval 31–38%. 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.
One of 52 players who were elite at two different things in 2025. See the others ›
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Utah | 22 | 124 | 5.6 | 3 | -- |
| 2025 | Utah | 149 | 981 | 6.6 | 6 | -- |
| 2024 | Washington State | 137 | 735 | 5.4 | 4 | -- |
| Career | 308 | 1,840 | 6.0 | 13 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Utah | 8 | 88 | 11.0 | 3 | -- |
| 2025 | Utah | 13 | 185 | 14.2 | 3 | -- |
| 2024 | Washington State | 10 | 100 | 10.0 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 31 | 373 | 12.0 | 7 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 66–14
vs Idaho
71 rush yds (12 car) · 1 TD
Dominant 52-point win at home against Idaho.
With D. Dampier — 176 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 93.5 · 31 rush yds (6 car) · B. Ficklin — 93 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 80.1 · 70 rush yds (8 car)
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 1 · Idaho · 1&20 · Q1 · EPA +3.15(01:15) No Huddle-Shotgun #1 W.Parker rush right for 21 yards gain to the IDA00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 01:07, 1ST DOWN #17 D.Curtis kick attempt good (H: #92 O.Phillips, LS: #65 L.Castor)
- Week 2 · Arkansas · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA +2.94(07:44) No Huddle-Shotgun #15 B.Ficklin pass complete deep right to #1 W.Parker caught at Ark43, for 36 yards to the Ark39 (#35 S.Soles Jr.), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Arkansas · 1&9 · Q2 · EPA +2.42(02:00) No Huddle-Shotgun #1 W.Parker rush left for 9 yards gain to the Ark00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 01:55 #17 D.Curtis kick attempt good (H: #92 O.Phillips, LS: #65 L.Castor)
- Week 1 · Idaho · 3&5 · Q1 · EPA +2.38(02:45) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 D.Dampier pass complete short left to #1 W.Parker caught at UTA38, for 11 yards to the UTA48 (#4 K.Rawls; #21 I.Bivins), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Idaho · 2&4 · Q1 · EPA +2.38(12:42) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 D.Dampier pass complete short left to #1 W.Parker caught at IDA08, for 9 yards to the IDA00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 12:40, 1ST DOWN #17 D.Curtis kick attempt good (H: #92 O.Phillips, LS: #65 L.Castor)
- Week 1 · Idaho · 2&10 · Q3 · EPA +2.32(14:53) No Huddle-Shotgun #1 W.Parker rush right for 18 yards gain to the UTA43 (#7 A.Kinsey; #27 L.Moore), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Idaho · 2&3 · Q2 · EPA +2.21(00:40) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 D.Dampier pass complete short right to #1 W.Parker caught at IDA04, for 3 yards to the IDA00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 00:32 #17 D.Curtis kick attempt good (H: #92 O.Phillips, LS: #65 L.Castor) PENALTY
- Week 2 · Arkansas · 1&7 · Q2 · EPA +2.20(00:33) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 D.Dampier pass complete short right to #1 W.Parker caught at Ark10, for 7 yards to the Ark00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 00:27 #17 D.Curtis kick attempt good (H: #92 O.Phillips, LS: #65 L.Castor)
- Week 2 · Arkansas · 3&1 · Q3 · EPA +1.36(01:39) No Huddle-Shotgun #1 W.Parker rush middle for 5 yards gain to the UTA44 (#91 C.Jones), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Arkansas · 2&10 · Q4 · EPA +1.27(15:00) No Huddle-Shotgun #1 W.Parker rush right for 15 yards gain to the Ark24 (#14 K.Magloire; #7 B.Shaw), 1ST DOWN
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Cuts upfield fast. Designed to find the crease, not run through the line.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Utah
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · Utah
Returning around him
- 68% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
- 3 Utah players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -5 net (17 in / 22 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Utah · Last season: 11-2 (AP #15) · Talent rank #58 · 2026 recruiting class #27
DNA match
Player DNA
Speed Merchant
Cuts upfield fast. Designed to find the crease, not run through the line.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Kevorian Barnes’s 2022 season.
Matches Kevorian on
Weight
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Height
Differs from Kevorian on
Class year (lower)
EPA / carry (adj) (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Davon Booth's sophomore season at Mississippi State (2024).
75%match
Matches Davon on
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Yards / carry
Rush TD rate
Differs from Davon on
Class year (lower)
Heisman trajectory
Heisman Trajectory · 2026
Peak #41
Peaked at #41 this season.
Background
PARKER QUICK HITS 2025 Big 12 All-Conference Third Team 2025: Played in all 13 games, rushing for 981 yards and six touchdowns on 149 carries. Led Utah with 88.6 all-purpose yards per game. His 7.0 yards per carry ranked 20th nationally and fourth in the Big 12. Sixth in the Big 12 with 75.5rushi...
The backfield · Utah
- #1Wayshawn Parker981 rushing yards · 2025
- #25Steve Chavez-Soto448 rushing yards · 2025
- #5Daniel Bray272 rushing yards · 2025
- #3Nate Johnson225 rushing yards · 2025
- #20Mateaki Helu2 games · 2026
3 more on the roster · Utah team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology