Running back, Pittsburgh, 2020–⁠22

Israel Abanikanda

Number
No. 2
Height
5′11″
Weight
215 lb
Class (2022)
Junior
Hometown
Brooklyn, NY
Born
Oct 5, 2002

Israel Abanikanda played running back at Pittsburgh (2020–⁠22). The New York Jets took Abanikanda in round 5, No. 143 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.

At a glance

Best season
1,431
Rushing yards, 2022 (Pittsburgh, 9–⁠4)
Best game
320 yards
Vs. Virginia Tech, week 6, 2022: No. 1 rushing game in FBS that week
National rank
No. 1
In FBS in rushing touchdowns, 2022
Drafted
No. 143
Round 5, 2023 NFL Draft (New York Jets)

Career highs

320rushing yards, career highvs. Virginia Tech, 20226rushing touchdowns, career highvs. Virginia Tech, 2022

Honors

Team titles: ACC champions, 2021

All-America: CBS Sports 2022; ESPN 2022

Rushing

Rushing yards, season by season, with his team’s record
SeasonTeamCarYdsAvgTDLong
2020Pittsburgh28953.4110
2021Pittsburgh1236515.3728
2022Pittsburgh2391,4316.02080
Career3902,1775.62880

Receiving

SeasonTeamRecYdsAvgTDLong
2020Pittsburgh2115.5115
2021Pittsburgh241978.2125
2022Pittsburgh1214612.2137
Career383549.3337

Returns

SeasonTeamKRYdsTD
2021Pittsburgh72061
2022Pittsburgh122280
Career194341

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2020Pittsburgh2RBFr.
2021Pittsburgh2RBSo.
2022Pittsburgh2RBJr.5′11″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
2020Pittsburgh320.03––0.98%–
2021Pittsburgh1450.2879th (n=277)0.1639.915%0.25
2022Pittsburgh2540.2783rd (n=470)0.1468.134%0.33

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

2022 Pittsburgh 11 games, 1,431 rushing yards, 20 TD
DateOpponentResultCarYdsTDLongRecRec yds
Sep 1vs.West VirginiaW 38–⁠3181505124
Sep 10vs.TennesseeL 27–⁠3425154176121
Sep 17atWestern MichiganW 34–⁠13311331231−5
Sep 24vs.Rhode IslandW 45–⁠2419177467119
Oct 1vs.Georgia TechL 21–⁠261031012––
Oct 8vs.Virginia TechW 45–⁠2936320680––
Oct 22atLouisvilleL 10–⁠2428129136350
Oct 29atNorth CarolinaL 24–⁠4226127322––
Nov 12atVirginiaW 37–⁠72412111318
Nov 19vs.DukeW 28–⁠2617113126221
Nov 26atMiamiW 42–⁠161511123728
2021 Pittsburgh 13 games, 651 rushing yards, 7 TD
DateOpponentResultCarYdsTDLongRecRec yds
Sep 4vs.MassachusettsW 51–⁠7730112––
Sep 11atTennesseeW 41–⁠34124308418
Sep 18vs.Western MichiganL 41–⁠441−100––
Sep 25vs.New HampshireW 77–⁠71375117455
Oct 2atGeorgia TechW 52–⁠211560216215
Oct 16atVirginia TechW 28–⁠721140018––
Oct 23vs.ClemsonW 27–⁠17956024320
Oct 30vs.MiamiL 34–⁠38628119225
Nov 6atDukeW 54–⁠291067028424
Nov 11vs.North CarolinaW 30–⁠231263016328
Nov 20vs.VirginiaW 48–⁠38319014115
Dec 4vs.Wake ForestW 45–⁠219552161−3
Dec 30 ✦vs.Michigan StateL 21–⁠3151607––
2020 Pittsburgh 6 games, 95 rushing yards, 1 TD
DateOpponentResultCarYdsTDLongRecRec yds
Sep 12vs.Austin PeayW 55–⁠0526110––
Sep 26vs.LouisvilleW 23–⁠20941081−4
Oct 3vs.NC StateL 29–⁠304202––
Oct 10atBoston CollegeL 30–⁠3151109115
Oct 24vs.Notre DameL 3–⁠452000––
Nov 7atFlorida StateW 41–⁠1731507––

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

Before the draft

DrillCombine 2023Combine or pro day 2023
Height5′10⅛″
Weight216 lb
Arm length32″
Hand size8¼″
Wingspan76″W
40-yard dash4.45 sW
10-yard split1.50 sW
Vertical jump41″W
Broad jump10′8″W
3-cone drill7.14 sW
20-yard shuttle4.32 sW

Combine or pro day: the source doesn’t say which. Unmarked: Combine and pro day results compiled by array-carpenter (nfl-draft-data); W: Pre-draft measurables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

In the NFL

1 season, 6 games with a stat; latest team: Dallas Cowboys.

SeasonTeamGCarYdsTDRecRec yds
2023New York Jets622700743

Regular seasons, from nflverse (CC BY 4.0). G counts games in which the player recorded a stat.

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