Running back, UNLV (from William & Mary), 2019–⁠23

Donavyn Lester

Number
No. 4
Height
6′2″
Weight
215 lb
Class (2023)
Junior
Hometown
Plano, TX

Donavyn Lester played running back at William & Mary (2019–⁠22) and UNLV (2023).

Career highs

99rushing yards, career highat Nevada, 20233rushing touchdowns, career highat Nevada, 2023

Team titles: Coastal Athletic Association Football champions, 2022

Rushing

Rushing yards, season by season, with his team’s record
SeasonTeamCarYdsAvgTDLong
2021William & Mary12423.5014
2022William & Mary765337.0869
2023UNLV954554.8966
Career1831,0305.61769

Receiving

SeasonTeamRecYdsAvgTDLong
2019William & Mary11010.0010
2021William & Mary3237.7014
2022William & Mary57715.4032
2023UNLV5183.607
Career141289.1032

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2019William & Mary4RBYr 1
2021William & Mary4RBYr 3
2022William & Mary4RBYr 4
2023UNLV4RBJr. (Yr 5)6′2″215

As each season’s roster listed the player (CollegeFootballData). Classes before the latest listing are counted back from it; “Yr 1” is the year on file where that count can’t place a season he played (a redshirt, transfer or 2020 year); height and weight as last listed.

Per play

SeasonTeamPlaysEPA/playPctileMedianTotalUsageAdj. rush
2019William & Mary (FCS)2-0.18––-0.4––
2021William & Mary (FCS)160.08––1.2––
2022William & Mary (FCS)620.3592nd (n=470)0.1421.514%–
2023UNLV950.2981st (n=450)0.1727.211%0.34

Expected points added: how much the player’s plays moved the team’s expected score, per play and in total. Plays: total EPA divided by EPA per play, the plays the source credits to him (for a receiver roughly his catches and runs, not every target; for a passer, not every attempt), so it can differ from attempts plus carries. Percentile: against the position’s regulars that season across all divisions on file (quarterbacks with 150+ plays, backs 60+, receivers and tight ends 30+), with how many there were (n) and their median; a dash means too few plays to rank. A season in progress uses the full-season bar scaled by games played, never below 75 plays for quarterbacks, 30 for backs and 20 for receivers. The cohort grows or shrinks with the source’s coverage each season (2025 lists far more players), so compare percentiles rather than raw EPA across years. FCS seasons are marked. Usage: the share of the team’s plays the player was part of (shown from 20 plays). Adjusted pass and rush: EPA per play adjusted for the defenses faced (CollegeFootballData’s WEPA). From CollegeFootballData, 2013 on.

Game by game

2023 UNLV 13 games, 455 rushing yards, 9 TD
DateOpponentResultCarYdsTDLongRecRec yds
Sep 2vs.BryantW 44–⁠1482919––
Sep 9atMichiganL 7–⁠35250312
Sep 16vs.VanderbiltW 40–⁠3751609––
Sep 23atUTEPW 45–⁠2881816––
Sep 30vs.Hawai’iW 44–⁠201298122––
Oct 14atNevadaW 45–⁠27109936612
Oct 21vs.Colorado StateW 25–⁠23136011417
Oct 28atFresno StateL 24–⁠31165201211
Nov 4atNew MexicoW 56–⁠1431115––
Nov 10vs.WyomingW 34–⁠14830010––
Nov 18atAir ForceW 31–⁠274813––
Nov 25vs.San José StateL 31–⁠375230616
Dec 2vs.Boise StateL 20–⁠441606––
2022 William & Mary 9 games, 533 rushing yards, 8 TD
DateOpponentResultCarYdsTDLongRecRec yds
Sep 2atCharlotteW 41–⁠24546122––
Sep 10vs.CampbellW 37–⁠21533122212
Oct 8vs.DelawareW 27–⁠211777014132
Oct 22atTowsonW 44–⁠24842213––
Oct 29vs.Rhode IslandW 31–⁠301152214––
Nov 5atHamptonW 20–⁠14108004413
Nov 12vs.VillanovaW 45–⁠12768139––
Nov 19atRichmondW 37–⁠26948018––
Dec 3vs.Gardner-WebbW 54–⁠14487169130
2021 William & Mary 1 game, 42 rushing yards
DateOpponentResultCarYdsTDLongRecRec yds
Sep 4atVirginiaL 0–⁠431242014323
2019 William & Mary 1 game, 1 catch, 10 yards
DateOpponentResultCarYdsTDLongRecRec yds
Sep 6atVirginiaL 17–⁠52––––110

No box score in the source for Aug 31 vs. Lafayette; Sep 14 vs. Colgate; Sep 28 at UAlbany; Oct 5 vs. Villanova; Oct 19 vs. James Madison; Oct 26 at Maine; Nov 2 at Elon; Nov 9 vs. Rhode Island; Nov 16 vs. Towson; Nov 23 at Richmond, so those games are not listed.

Box scores from CollegeFootballData, 2004 on. ✦ postseason; ★ a career high on file.

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