#22Makhilyn Young
Makhilyn Young is a Pass-Catching Back for Vanderbilt. Makhilyn's 2025 season ranks in the 100th percentile nationally by opponent-adjusted EPA per play across 53 plays — a elite rate for the RB.
2026 Usage Outlook · projected share of team plays
Regressed toward the RB mean. Model correlation r≈0.52 on a 2019-2025 walk-forward — volume only; efficiency not projected.
2025 Production
Performance Analysis · 2025 · vs RB peers
Third-down weapon out of the backfield. Routes, hands, and separation in coverage define this role as much as rushing.
- ▸Top-10% efficiency among RBs — elite opponent-adjusted EPA rate.
- ▸Limited usage share suggests a rotational or specialist role.
- ▸5 high-impact games (EPA/play > 0.4) this season — elite ceiling.
- ▸Particularly dangerous on passing downs — efficiency spikes in obvious pass situations.
- ▸Production faded as the season progressed — 0.19 EPA/play decline from first to second half.
- ▸Peak game: 1.45 EPA/play in Wk 4 vs Georgia State (SP+ -25).
NIL Market Tier· 2025
On3 valuation ↗Top-3 player at position nationally. Collective + national brand deals.
Tier is a model estimate based on position, school brand, performance rank, and usage — not a reported deal. NIL deals are private. For a real market valuation, see On3's NIL profile, which factors in social following and actual deal tracking.
Game Log · box score + EPA, week by week
| Wk | Opponent | Result | Opp SP+ | Car | Rush Yds | Avg | Rush TD | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TD | EPA/play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | vsCharleston Southern | W45-3 | — | 3 | 19 | 6.3 | 1 | — | — | — | 0.88 |
| 2 | @Virginia Tech | W44-20 | -10.1 | 8 | 95 | 11.9 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 0.86 |
| 3 | @South Carolina | W31-7 | 5.9 | 3 | 9 | 3.0 | 0 | — | — | — | -0.12 |
| 4 | vsGeorgia State | W70-21 | -24.5 | 2 | 64 | 32.0 | 1 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 1.45 |
| 5 | vsUtah State | W55-35 | -3.1 | 4 | 24 | 6.0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0.09 |
| 6 | @Alabama | L14-30 | 14.8 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | — | — | — | -0.78 |
| 8 | vsLSU | W31-24 | 10.3 | 5 | 82 | 16.4 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.82 |
| 9 | vsMissouri | W17-10 | 14.4 | 4 | 86 | 21.5 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 10 | @Texas | L31-34 | 16.2 | 4 | 7 | 1.8 | 0 | 3 | 31 | 0 | 0.22 |
| 11 | vsAuburn | W45-38 | 11.6 | 5 | 7 | 1.4 | 0 | — | — | — | -0.07 |
| 13 | vsKentucky | W45-17 | 1.8 | 1 | -1 | -1.0 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 0 | -0.07 |
| 14 | @Tennessee | W45-24 | 15.0 | 4 | 15 | 3.8 | 1 | 2 | 39 | 0 | 1.03 |
| 1 | vsIowa | L27-34 | 19.7 | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 | — | — | — | -0.08 |
Usage & Situational · Pro
- Standard downs
- 0.36
- Passing downs
- 1.06
- Pass / Rush EPA
- 0.83 / 0.37
Usage = share of team plays (CFBD has no true snap counts).