Jayvian Tanelus

Position:
Running Back
Height:
5-10
Class:
Freshman
Hometown:
Naples, Fla.

2026: Incoming running back … enrolled at Duke in January 2026.

PRIOR TO DUKE: Lettered two seasons at the Community School of Naples under head coach Jonah Dubinski and two at Lely under head coaches Ben Hammer and J.J. Everage … rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports.com, ESPN.com and Rivals.com … an honorable mention selection for the Florida Gatorade Player of the Year award in 2025 … helped the Community School of Naples to the first district title in school history in 2025 … as a senior, registered more 2,000 rushing yards and 30 TDs … ran for 228 yards and five TDs in the Seahawks’ Florida High School Athletic Association Class 1A first round playoff win … gained 243 ground yards in the school’s Region 3-1A semifinal game … during junior season, carried 169 times for 1,525 yards and 20 touchdowns while adding seven receptions for 84 yards … earned Second Team All-Naples Daily News accolades after junior year … as a sophomore at Lely High School, rushed 76 times for 454 yards and six scores … in freshman season, carried 19 times for 82 yards … earned two additional letters as a sprinter with the track & field program, qualifying for regionals in the 100 meters and 4x100-meter relay.

PERSONAL: Son of Charlene and Junior Tanelus … cousin, Kendrick Raphael, is in his first year as a running back at SMU spending two seasons (2023-24) at NC State and one (2025) at Cal and earning All-ACC honorable mention accolades in 2025 after rushing for 13 touchdowns to rank third in the ACC … cousin, Tupac Isme, lettered four seasons (2016-17-18-19) at Bethune-Cookman and ran for nearly 900 yards and seven TDs.