Virginia’s best running backs
Thomas Jones has the most rushing yards in Virginia history, 3,998 from 1996 to 1999. Since 2004, Kevin Parks has the most, 3,219 in 48 games. Xavier Brown is 10th, with 1,122; 71 more passes Wayne Taulapapa for 9th.
Virginia’s running backs this season
- Jekail Middlebrook8 games, 64.1 a game513rushing yards
- Xay Davis9 games, 26.7 a game326 at Virginia.240rushing yards
- Xavier Brown9 games, 20.3 a game1,122 at Virginia, the 10th-most since 2004.183rushing yards
By decade: 2020s · 2010s · 2004–09
rushing yards in Virginia history
- 1Thomas Jones1996 – 19993,998
- 2Tiki Barber1993 – 19963,389
- 3Terry Kirby1989 – 19923,348
- 4John Papit1947 – 19503,238
- 5Kevin Parks2011 – 20143,219
- 6Wali Lundy2002 – 20053,193
- 7Tommy Vigorito1977 – 19802,913
- 8Frank Quayle1966 – 19682,695
- 9Jim Bakhtiar1955 – 19572,434
- 10Alvin Pearman2001 – 20042,394
From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), through the 2025 season, which counts bowl games from 2002.
Compare with in · side by side
Every running back since 2004
| Place | Player | rushing yards | rushing touchdowns | yards from scrimmage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kevin Parks2011 – 2014 · 48 games | 3,219 | 29 | 3,998 |
| 2 | Taquan Mizzell2013 – 2016 · 46 games | 2,075 | 12 | 3,635 |
| 3 | Perry Jones2009 – 2012 · 46 games | 2,033 | 8 | 3,198 |
| 4 | Jordan Ellis2015 – 2018 · 41 games | 1,997 | 19 | 2,203 |
| 5 | Cedric Peerman2005 – 2008 · 34 games | 1,746 | 15 | 2,091 |
| 6 | Wali Lundy2004 – 2005 · 23 games | 1,438 | 27 | 1,645 |
| 7 | Jason Snelling2004 – 2006 · 27 games | 1,286 | 10 | 1,747 |
| 8 | Mikell Simpson2006 – 2009 · 33 games | 1,274 | 17 | 1,990 |
| 9 | Wayne Taulapapa2018 – 2021 · 33 games | 1,192 | 19 | 1,342 |
| 10 | Xavier Brown2022 – 2026 · still playing | 1,122 | 5 | 1,406 |
| +183 this season · passes Wayne Taulapapa for 9th in 4 games at his pace | ||||
| 11 | J'Mari Taylor2025 · 13 games | 1,062 | 14 | 1,315 |
| 12 | Alvin Pearman2004 · 12 games | 1,037 | 10 | 1,439 |
| 13 | Keith Payne2007 – 2010 · 20 games | 1,004 | 16 | 1,181 |
| 14 | Kobe Pace2023 – 2024 · 23 games | 881 | 4 | 1,246 |
| 15 | Albert Reid2015 – 2016 · 22 games | 840 | 9 | 935 |
| 16 | Mike Hollins2019 – 2023 · 32 games | 814 | 14 | 1,045 |
| 17 | Khalek Shepherd2011 – 2014 · 46 games | 790 | 4 | 1,129 |
| 18 | Perris Jones2020 – 2023 · 23 games | 770 | 4 | 923 |
| 19 | Michael Johnson2004 – 2006 · 21 games | 654 | 3 | 780 |
| 20 | Rashawn Jackson2007 – 2009 · 27 games | 595 | 2 | 942 |
| 21 | Daniel Hamm2013 – 2017 · 38 games | 561 | 6 | 856 |
| 22 | Harrison Waylee2025 · 13 games | 556 | 6 | 595 |
| 23 | Olamide Zaccheaus2015 – 2018 · 50 games | 551 | 2 | 3,304 |
| 24 | Jekail Middlebrook2026 · still playing | 513 | 4 | 591 |
| +513 this season | ||||
| 25 | Noah Vaughn2024 – 2026 · still playing | 435 | 0 | 518 |
| +141 this season | ||||
rushing yards by decade
2020s
- › Xavier Brown2022 – 2026 · 37 games1,122
- J'Mari Taylor2025 · 13 games1,062
- Kobe Pace2023 – 2024 · 23 games881
- Perris Jones2020 – 2023 · 23 games770
- Wayne Taulapapa2020 – 2021 · 20 games719
2010s
- Kevin Parks2011 – 2014 · 48 games3,219
- Taquan Mizzell2013 – 2016 · 46 games2,075
- Perry Jones2010 – 2012 · 37 games2,024
- Jordan Ellis2015 – 2018 · 41 games1,997
- Albert Reid2015 – 2016 · 22 games840
2004–09
- Cedric Peerman2005 – 2008 · 34 games1,746
- Wali Lundy2004 – 2005 · 23 games1,438
- Jason Snelling2004 – 2006 · 27 games1,286
- Mikell Simpson2006 – 2009 · 33 games1,274
- Alvin Pearman2004 · 12 games1,037
Also at Virginia: quarterbacks · wide receivers · tight ends · defenders · kickers · punters · Virginia record book
Method
- Every running back who played at Virginia since 2004, ranked by rushing yards over his games there. Bowl and playoff games count.
- The numbers here start in 2004, so a running back who played at Virginia before then isn't here.
- A decade counts his rushing yards at Virginia in its seasons.
- The record book's numbers are the school's own. Where they and the box scores differ for one player, the box scores are missing a game or count bowls another way.
- A running back still playing at Virginia is counted at tonight's numbers against the record book's, which run through the 2025 season.