Clemson Football Depth Chart Outlook: Running Back

The best teams in Clemson football’s history had a common theme: the Tigers could run the football at an efficient rate.

This past season, it was quite the opposite. Clemson only averaged 3.7 yards per carry, which was outside the top 100 in the entire country. In the first season with a new offensive coordinator, Chad Morris, there will be an emphasis on ground game success.

For Clemson Tigers on SI’s football depth chart outlook, we began with quarterbacks. Now, here’s the breakdown of all the running backs in the room.

Clemson Running Backs (by class)

Chris Johnson Jr., 6-foot, 190 pounds, redshirt junior

Jarvis Green, 5-foot-9, 205 pounds, redshirt junior

Peyton Streko, 5-foot-10, 195 pounds, redshirt junior

Jay Haynes, 5-foot-11, 200 pounds, redshirt sophomore

Max Wilson, 5-foot-10, 200 pounds, redshirt sophomore

David Eziomume, 6-foot, 215 pounds, redshirt sophomore

Gideon Davidson, 6-foot, 200 pounds, sophomore

The Expected Starter: Gideon Davidson

Clemson running back Gideon Davidson (9) runs near South Carolina linebacker Shawn Murphy in the Palmetto Bowl. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

While playing behind Adam Randall, Davidson shone in the back half of the season, despite not recording a touchdown in his freshman season.

He finished with 260 yards on 60 attempts, an impressive 4.3 average clip. The Lynchburg, Va., native will look to build on that in his first full season as a Tiger, and he’s already shown how much he can do in his sophomore campaign.

Davidson was one of the best offensive players in the spring game, recording 80 yards on only nine carries throughout the contest. That was the first sample size that he was able to show the fans in his second season donning the Paw.

He’s been ready for this role as well.

Davidson averaged 11 yards per carry back in high school and was a consensus four-star recruit across most recruiting databases. Although recording that amount of yardage per game is quite difficult with the competition that Clemson has, expect that average number above to increase in 2026.

The Sleeper: Jay Haynes

Clemson running back Jay Haynes (26) stretches before drills during Spring Practice in Clemson, S.C. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

In 2024, when Phil Mafah was the main bell cow for the Tigers, Haynes complemented the run game as a redshirt freshman.

Then, in the ACC Championship against SMU, he injured his knee and was sidelined for the entirety of last season. It was a tough setback for the Roanoke, Va., native, who was expected to see an elevated role without Mafah in the fray.

Now, he’s back, and he can both run and pass-catch efficiently. He finished with over 300 total yards of offense and three rushing touchdowns in 2024, and if he is back at full strength, that number will inflate in 2026. It will be a tough task to beat out Davidson, however, as well as the rest of the group.

However, with how Morris wants multiple running backs in the mix, he will get his chances.

The Rest of the Room

Clemson running back David Eziomume (24) runs in a drill with obstacles during Spring Practice in Clemson, S.C. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It’s not just Davidson and Haynes competing: you could make a case for every player to make waves.

It starts with SMU transfer Chris Johnson Jr., who has blazing speed that won’t be easy to keep off the field. A track sprinter at Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., several years back, he brings a different speed element into the fold that Clemson, frankly, hasn’t had in quite some time.

Two others that should see reserve snaps are David Eziomume and Jarvis Green. Eziomume has seen scattered time across his two seasons, but he has a chance to elevate his game in 2026 with a strong start. On the other hand, Green missed all of last season with an injury.

The same goes for Haynes, but if Green can stay healthy, we’ve seen how good he can be in the biggest moment. The Irmo, S.C., native caught his first career touchdown against Texas in the College Football Playoff in 2024.

Long story short, C.J. Spiller’s running back room is filled with depth. However, there will need to be at least two running backs who emerge as the two best, especially with the schedule that the Tigers have.

Who will that duo be? It’s unclear without much to look at this summer. However, head coach Dabo Swinney should have the depth to make noise in the backfield in 2026.

Add us as a preferred source on Google