James Jones brings big-play juice to New Mexico State’s backfield
In the 2026 season, James Jones has opened as a productive, explosive RB for New Mexico State, with 165 rushing yards on 30 carries and a 5.5 yards-per-carry clip through two games, including a 137-yard, one-touchdown burst against Mercyhurst[2][8]. The headline trait is burst: he arrived off a 2025 Delaware State season with 958 rushing yards, nine rushing TDs, and a blistering 9.8 YPC, earning first-team All-MEAC and HBCU Impact Player of the Year honors[5][10][13]. At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, he looks like a downhill runner with pop, and reports also note he should handle the bulk of the workload in Las Cruces[5][6].
