CFB Zeitgeist Score
36
Mid-pack in the position cohort. Carried by yards / carry at the 84th percentile.
Eli Sanders
Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.
258 RUSH YDS · 2 RUSH TD · 44 CARRIES
2026 Outlook
Returning to USC for 2026
2026 Depth chart
Returning starter
Running back · USC
Returning around him
- 37% of 2024 offensive production back (Moderate turnover)
- 3 USC players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -13 net (9 in / 22 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
USC · Last season: 9-4 (AP #16) · Talent rank #17 · 2026 recruiting class #14
RB · USC · BIG TEN
Eli Sanders
- 4
- #1
- 5-10 | 200 lb
- Oceanside, CA
Heisman Heat
#4108
<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 · StarterR06 · Starter
Starter. A locked-in starting role.
Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Development Trajectory · rushing yards
2021–2025+790%
Up 790% from first season to most-recent.
Career Arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Identity & Role
The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.
Recruiting Pedigree
How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.
| Class | Profile | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3-star | 0.8778 | No. 551 recruit | HighSchool | Iowa State |
Transfer Arc
Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.
| Season | Move | Context |
|---|---|---|
| No transfer portal moves on file for this player. | ||
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 16Heisman Futures
Not yet listed on major futures markets.
No achievements unlocked yet this season.
Selector Grid · 2025
AP—
FWAA—
AFCA—
WCFF—
SN—
SI—
Selector recognition fills in once the major honors lists (AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, SI) are scraped and ingested.
NIL · Recruiting · NFL Draft
Market value, pedigree & pro outcome
Recruit stars
★★★☆☆
to Iowa State
Composite
0.8778
#551 national
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.
Anti-Take
PENDINGThe 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.
The Room on Eli Sanders
Fan sentiment ·
Belief Meter
100
Grounded Optimism
Top Take
“”
Trajectory
Per-cohort trajectory lands when historical bucket data is aggregated.
Cohort divergence map
- Own fans · n=1
- National · n=3
Rival Radar
How rival fanbases talk about Eli Sanders
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.
Season Pace · Projection
Where the rushing totals stand
Through 6g
258Rush yards
44Carries
2Rush TDs
Per game
43Rush yards
7Carries
0Rush TDs
Projected (13g)
559Rush yards
95Carries
4Rush TDs
To hit 750-yard season (currently 258): needs 70.3/game over remaining 7.
To hit 1,000-yard season (currently 258): needs 106/game over remaining 7.
To hit 1,500-yard season (currently 258): needs 177.4/game over remaining 7.
To hit 10 rushing TDs (currently 2): needs 1.1/game over remaining 7.
To hit 15 rushing TDs (currently 2): needs 1.9/game over remaining 7.
To hit 20 rushing TDs (currently 2): needs 2.6/game over remaining 7.
What made this player interesting
The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.
Eli Sanders's story is about how role and output meet each other. For USC, the card already shows enough current-season production to explain why he is on the serious-player board, and the next layer is determining whether the profile is just very good or actually distinctive.
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
Player identity What kind of player is this?
30-second read
What kind of player is this?
Efficient runner against FBS RB peers.
2025 Season · Final
2025 season snapshot | final
Rushing
CAR
44 55th
YDS
258 60th
YPC
5.9 83rd
TD
2 67th
Receiving
REC
8 55th
YDS
126 78th
YPR
15.8 96th
TD
1 89th
Game Log · Week-by-week
2025 season · 6 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 73-13vs Missouri State | 5 | 33 | 6.6 | 0 | 17 | |
| Wk 2 | W 59-20vs Georgia Southern | 8 | 52 | 6.5 | 2 | 19 | |
| Wk 3 | W 33-17@ Purdue | 10 | 75 | 7.5 | 0 | 20 | |
| Wk 4 | W 45-31vs Michigan State | 13 | 84 | 6.5 | 0 | 18 | Season-high 84 yds |
| Wk 5 | L 32-34@ Illinois | 8 | 14 | 1.8 | 0 | 6 | |
| Wk 7 | W 31-13vs Michigan | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Total | 44 | 258 | 5.8 | 2 | 20 |
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score
Traditional history
Traditional Stats
Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.
Season context · Team result + system
2021Iowa State7-5HC: Matt Campbell · Balanced, fast tempo
2022Iowa State4-8HC: Matt Campbell · Pass-leaning
2023Iowa State7-6HC: Matt Campbell · Balanced, slow tempo
2025USC9-4HC: Lincoln Riley · Balanced
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | USC | 44 | 258 | 5.9 | 2 | -- |
| 2023 | Iowa State | 102 | 477 | 4.7 | 4 | -- |
| 2022 | Iowa State | 48 | 187 | 3.9 | 0 | -- |
| 2021 | Iowa State | 9 | 29 | 3.2 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 4 loaded seasons | 203 | 951 | 4.7 | 6 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | USC | 8 | 126 | 15.8 | 1 | -- |
| 2023 | Iowa State | 5 | 43 | 8.6 | 1 | -- |
| 2022 | Iowa State | 7 | 51 | 7.3 | 0 | -- |
| 2021 | Iowa State | 3 | 41 | 13.7 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 4 loaded seasons | 23 | 261 | 11.3 | 2 | -- |
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context
Advanced metrics second
Advanced Metrics
Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.
Opponent-adjusted rushing value. It helps separate empty volume from carries that actually move the scoreboard.
How much of the team's offense flows through this back once rushing work and receiving work are combined.
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.
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.
Open full stat explorer
| Group | Metric | Value | Rank | Pct | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rushing | Rushing yards | 258 | #295/735 | 60th pct | Volumevs FBS RB |
| Rushing | Rush TD | 2 | #247/739 | 67th pct | Scoringvs FBS RB |
| Rushing | Yards / carry | 5.9 | #126/735 | 83rd pct | Efficiencyvs FBS RB |
| Receiving | Receptions | 8 | #248/552 | 55th pct | Volumevs FBS RB |
| Receiving | Receiving yards | 126 | #121/548 | 78th pct | Volumevs FBS RB |
| Value | Rushing WEPA | +0.18 | #84/362 | 77th pct | Opponent-adjusted rushing value | 45 weighted playsvs FBS RB |
| Usage | Role share | 13.2% | #221/738 | 70th pct | Share of team offensevs FBS RB |
| Rushing | Carries | 44 | #330/739 | 55th pct | Volumevs FBS RB |
| Rushing | Rushing LONG | 20 | #400/733 | 46th pct | Metricvs FBS RB |
| Receiving | Receiving LONG | 73 | #12/540 | 98th pct | Metricvs FBS RB |
| Receiving | Yards / catch | 15.8 | #25/548 | 96th pct | Efficiencyvs FBS RB |
| Receiving | Receiving TD | 1 | #60/552 | 89th pct | Scoringvs FBS RB |
| Returns | Kick return yards | 59 | #90/200 | 56th pct | Volumevs FBS RB |
| Returns | Kick return avg | 14.8 | #147/199 | 27th pct | Efficiencyvs FBS RB |
| Returns | Kick returns | 4 | #69/206 | 67th pct | Volumevs FBS RB |
| Usage | Rush share | 20.5% | #252/738 | 66th pct | Ground-game usagevs FBS RB |
| Usage | 1st-down usage | 16.9% | #187/738 | 75th pct | Early-down loadvs FBS RB |
| Usage | Standard-down usage | 14.1% | #237/738 | 68th pct | Base-situation sharevs FBS RB |
| Usage | 2nd-down usage | 10.7% | #316/738 | 57th pct | Middle-down loadvs FBS RB |
| Usage | Passing-down usage | 10.2% | #193/738 | 74th pct | Known-passing sharevs FBS RB |
| Usage | 3rd-down usage | 9.4% | #219/738 | 70th pct | Money-down loadvs FBS RB |
| Usage | Pass share | 4.9% | #165/738 | 78th pct | Air-game usagevs FBS RB |
Player Standing
Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.
AWAITING CLASSIFICATION
On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex
AWAITING CLASSIFICATION · Rung None of 16
Why he’s here
Standing classification populates when honors, Heisman, and roster signals all align.
What moves him up
What moves him down
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 · 6 games
Home vs Road
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home4g | 42.2 | 6.5 | 0.5 |
| Road2g | 44.5 | 4.7 | 0.0 |
Win vs Loss
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wins5g | 48.8 | 6.8 | 0.4 |
| Losses1g | 14.0 | 1.8 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-76g | 43.0 | 5.8 | 0.3 |
Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.
Savant · Box-rate percentiles
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
36Mid-pack
Elite: yards / carry (84th). Concern: carries (5th).
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Advanced Savant · RB · 2024
Percentile Card
Advanced opponent-adjusted percentile bars are coming soon for this player.
P4G5All FBS
Advanced Savant
Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.
wepa_rushing0.18Mid (p50–p75) (n=178)
Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match
Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile
Eli SandersUSCKamari MoultonIowa· 54% simJeremiah CobbAuburn· 53% simRashod DubinionApp State· 51% sim
Yards / carry
Rec yards
Receptions
Rush TDs
Rush yards
Long run
Carries
Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.
Player DNA
The Balanced Back
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to OJ Arnold’s 2023 season.
OJ Arnold
73%match
#2
C'Bo Flemister
66%
#3
Jordan Mims
68%
#4
Nelson Smith
57%
#5
Colby McDonald
66%
Matches OJ on
Yards / carry
Receiving share
Height
Differs from OJ on
Yards / reception (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a graduate, his production profile tracks closest to Dontae McMillan's graduate season at Eastern Michigan (2025).
Dontae McMillan
66%match
All-MAC
#2
Amari Daniels
64%
#3
Jordan Houston
60%
#4
Gerald Green
59%
#5
Matthew Sluka
53%
Matches Dontae on
Weight
Differs from Dontae on
Yards / reception (higher)
Recruiting rating (higher)
Total rush EPA (college ability) (lower)
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Lincoln Riley
Pass share
50.4%
420 pass / 414 run
Plays / game
64.2
13 games
OL sack rate (allowed)
3.8%
313 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Balanced.
Coaching Lineage · 2021–2025
2 coaches2021
Donte Williams
USC
2022era →
Lincoln Riley
USC
2023
Lincoln Riley
USC
2025
Lincoln Riley
USC
Coaching transition mid-career: Donte Williams → Lincoln Riley. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster
Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.
HometownOceanside, CA
Height5'10"
Weight200 lb
Class4
PositionRB
Jersey1
No fields populated yet.
No fields populated yet.
Current teamUSC
ConferenceBig Ten
Joined2025
Career arc5 season(s)
Trophy Case · Detail
Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.
No formal honors on the ledger yet
All-America, all-conference, player-of-the-week, watch-list, and postseason awards land here when they're earned. The absence is the signal: most players never collect formal honors, and that's its own kind of context.
Honors Timeline
Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.
| Season | Honor | Scope | Team / Selector | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No formal honors on the ledger yet. All-America, all-conference, weekly awards, watch lists, and postseason trophies land here when they’re earned. | ||||
Heisman By Year
Modeled rank and official finish by season.
| Season | Team | Role | Latest Model | Forecast | Win | Finalist | Official Finish | Points | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | New Mexico | RB4 | #4108 | #4523 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -- | -- | W16 snapshot | Mountain West |
| 2023 | Iowa State | RB4 | #378 | #395 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -- | -- | W19 snapshot | Big 12 |
| 2022 | Iowa State | RB4 | #1654 | #1926 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -- | -- | W20 snapshot | Big 12 |
| 2021 | Iowa State | RB4 | #1559 | #1461 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -- | -- | W20 snapshot | Big 12 |
Roster Timeline
Team, conference, and class by season.
| Season | Team | Conference | Pos | Class | Bio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | USC | Big Ten | RB | 4 | No. 1 | 5-10 | 200 lb | Oceanside, CA |
| 2024 | New Mexico | Mountain West | RB | 4 | No. 1 | 5-10 | 200 lb | Oceanside, CA |
| 2023 | Iowa State | Big 12 | RB | 4 | No. 1 | 5-10 | 200 lb | Oceanside, CA |
| 2022 | Iowa State | Big 12 | RB | 4 | No. 1 | 5-10 | 200 lb | Oceanside, CA |
| 2021 | Iowa State | Big 12 | RB | 4 | No. 1 | 5-10 | 200 lb | Oceanside, CA |