2026 UNC Football Breakdown: RB Kaleb Jackson

Kaleb Jackson arrives in Chapel Hill as a reclamation project with upside. 

Once a top-10 running back recruit and a bruising four-star signee at LSU, the 6-foot, 234-pound back is betting that a change of scenery can revive a career that never quite matched the early hype in Baton Rouge.

Jackson’s track record is a mix of flashes and frustration — highlight runs and strong grades in spots, followed by dwindling carries and stalled development. North Carolina is hoping the tools that once made him a coveted SEC prospect can translate into steady production in the Tar Heels’ backfield. 

Here is a breakdown of Jackson’s debut season — from basic stats and advanced analytics to his PFF grades — and a brief look at what North Carolina can realistically expect from him in 2026.

Looking Back at Jackson’s Time at LSU

Jackson transferred from LSU before the 2026 spring semester. He played three seasons there and took a redshirt year before leaving Baton Rouge. There were flashes of his potential in 2023, when he finished with 31 carries for 165 yards and four touchdowns and averaged 5.2 yards per rush. His biggest highlight of his freshman season was trucking a Mississippi State defender in a 41-14 win.

The 2024 season wasn’t as kind after high expectations were placed on him. He got more carries early, but a lack of production and the emergence of Caden Durham meant fewer and fewer touches as the year went on. He finished with 44 rushes for only 150 yards — 3.4 yards per carry — with no touchdowns, just two runs of 10 or more yards, a 12.7 breakaway percentage and a 38.2 elusive rating. 

By 2025, he had received little to no action, appearing in only four games and recording seven carries for 16 yards, an average of 2.3 yards per attempt.

PFF Grades

Season Outlook

Among the running backs in the current room at the Kenan Football Center, Jackson was the highest-rated recruit coming out of high school, a consensus four-star and a top 10 running back in the country for the class of 2023.

While he didn’t pan out at LSU for a multitude of reasons, ranging from a lack of development to LSU’s offensive line issues, maybe the move to Chapel Hill could help him find his way.

Expect Jackson to be part of the rotation. While he may not be the No. 1 option, it would be hard not to include a 6-0, 234-pound tailback with SEC experience in the rotation.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: 2026 UNC Football Breakdown: RB Kaleb Jackson