Xay Davis, Virginia RB: the 2026 season story
Xay Davis is a sophomore running back for Virginia (ACC). He ranks 394th of 575 running backs in Division I by the Player Index, which judges every running back on the measures that matter at the position, adjusted for the opponents he faced.
Scouting report
Why it matters. Every measure is set against every ranked running back, so a strength here is a strength against the whole position, not just his own team. Xay Davis's strongest measure is receiving yards per game at 11, 99th of 299 (the average is 9). His weakest is rush yards per game at 23, 282nd of 299 (the average is 49).
Season production
Why it matters. Volume is the first sign of how much a coaching staff trusts a player. His rush yards per game, 23, ranks 282nd among 299 ranked running backs.
Against every running back
Why it matters. Volume, efficiency and impact plays can tell different stories: a player can be busy without being effective, or rarely used but dangerous every time. Among ranked running backs he sits, on average, in the 37th percentile for volume, 20th for efficiency and 43rd for impact.
The season, game by game
Why it matters. Consistency matters to a team: one huge game and five quiet ones is a different season from six solid ones. Over 8 games, Xay Davis's best came in week 2 against Norfolk State and his quietest in week 8 against Duke.
When it matters
Why it matters. Third downs, the red zone and games against good teams are where drives and seasons are decided.
Where he does his damage
Why it matters. The shape of a player's production, not just its size, is what opponents scout.
National and conference
Why it matters. The Player Index puts every running back on one scale, adjusted for the defenses or offenses he faced, so a rank here is comparable across conferences. Xay Davis is 262nd of 299 FBS running backs and 30th of 36 in the ACC. Next up nationally is Jamarion Morrow of Texas A&M, 0.01 ahead on the index.
Running backs like him
Why it matters. Players with similar profiles tend to be used the same way, which makes them a quick way to picture his game. His closest match this season is Landan Brown of Sam Houston.
