Potential UCLA Running Back Target Set to Transfer From JMU

Earlier this month, UCLA announced the hiring of former James Madison head coach Bob Chesney as the Bruins' new head coach. While many of the players on James Madison's 2025 roster don't have the talent to play in the Big Ten, there are a couple of players UCLA fans hope Chesney will bring to Westwood via the transfer portal.

One of those players is a superstar running back who led the Sun Belt in rushing yards in 2025 and has recently announced his intention to enter the transfer portal, potentially opening the door for the Bruins to land him.

Superstar JMU Running Back Enters Portal

On Dec. 27, Rivals' Hayes Fawcett reported on X that Wayne Knight, a redshirt junior James Madison running back is planning on entering the transfer portal once it offically opens in January.

BREAKING: JMU star RB Wayne Knight is entering the @TransferPortal, he tells @On3Sports

He totaled 1,770 yards and 10 TDs this season

Knight was named an All-American, 1st Team All-Sun Belt, and was a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award https://t.co/RlUbB6Fk7q pic.twitter.com/UfqHryRyjl
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 27, 2025

Knight was a superstar at James Madison this year, finishing the 2025 season with 1,373 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, averging 6.6 yards per carry, while adding 397 yards and a score as a receiver.

On Dec. 13, UCLA On SI reported that if Knight were to transfer from James Maidson at the end of the season, he was the player the Bruins and Chensey could not afford to miss coming out of the portal.

Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; James Madison Dukes running back Wayne Knight (3) rushes as Oregon Ducks defensive back Aaron Flowers (21) defends during the second quarter at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The Bruins' rushing attack was abysmal in 2025, with quarterback Nico Iamaleava leading the team in rushing yards. Knight would come in and immediately help Chesney address that problem, becoming a reliable option for UCLA's offense.

While Chesney has coached Knight for the past two seasons, and the young running back is expected to be interested in UCLA, that doesn't necessarily guarantee that the Bruins will be able to land him, as other schools are also expected to make a run at him.

Still, the Bruins should be in the driver's seat to win Knight's portal recruitment, and the star running back would be a massive portal addition for Chesney and UCLA.

Since he recently entered the portal, Knight doesn't yet have a transfer ranking from Rivals or 247Sports. Still, he should be among the most highly ranked transfer running backs in the country, and he'll have one year of eligibility remaining after he transfers to a new school.

While there are several former James Madison stars currently in the portal whom the Bruins and Chesney are expected to target, none would have a bigger impact on the program next year than Knight, making him an essential player for UCLA to land out of the portal.

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