CLEMSON — Dabo Swinney has been pleased with what he’s seen from his running backs during the spring.

With Adam Randall off to the NFL, Gideon Davidson is expected to assume the spot atop the depth chart, and coming out of spring, that is right where the rising sophomore finds himself. Davidson had a really good day during the annual Orange and White spring game, averaging 8.9 yards per carry.

“He’s had a great spring,” head coach Dabo Swinney said after the spring game. “He is (number) one coming out of it.”

Despite most expecting a huge jump from Davidson in 2026, a lot of the focus has centered around Chris Johnson Jr., the transfer out of SMU. Johnson was the only offensive player the Tigers signed out of the transfer portal.

While the newest member of the running back room only averaged two yards per carry in the spring game, the speedster did have one 10-yard run that showed off his explosiveness.

Johnson is one of the fastest backs in the country. He was clocked at 22.3 mph last season, and he won Florida 3A state titles in the 100- and 200-meters during his high school days.

The 6-foot, 185-pound back rushed 479 yards and four touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore with the Mustangs in 2025. He averaged more than seven yards per carry. He also had 17 catches for another 180 yards and a score.

As productive as Johnson has been in the past, Swinney wants to see more. While the head coach is pleased with the progress his transfer back has made since arriving on campus, there is still more work to be done ahead of fall camp.

“CJ’s had a great spring as well,” Swinney said. “He is going to need a big summer. He’s made some progress, just with his body since he got here. He has made some improvement.”

Swinney has seen exactly what Johnson is capable of when he’s at his best. One of his best games came against Clemson. In last year’s game at Memorial Stadium, he totaled 99 all-purpose yards, which included a 30-yard rush, a 25-yard reception and a 6-yard touchdown that sealed SMU’s victory.

The goal is to get Johnson to a place where he can be more of an every-down back, and Swinney believes he is well on his way to doing just that.

“I was really proud of him,” Swinney added. “He actually came back from spring a few pounds heavier than where he was. He is working his way physically where we need him to be this fall, so he can be a little bit more of an every-down type back and not just a situational guy. And that is important to him. He wants to be able to do that.”