Running back, SMU (from NC State, California), 2023–⁠26

Kendrick Raphael

Lettered 2023–⁠24 at NC State (school media guide)

Number
No. 6
Height
5′11″
Weight
200 lb
Class (2026)
Senior
Hometown
Naples, FL

Kendrick Raphael plays running back for SMU, after NC State (2023–⁠24) and California (2025). Last time out, against Virginia: 22 carries, 124 yards; 1 catch, 4 yards. Raphael leads SMU in rushing touchdowns and rushing yards this season.

2026 so far

542 rushing yards, 6 TD

Last game: 22 carries, 124 yards; 1 catch, 4 yards vs. Virginia, W 23–⁠13

Next game: vs. California, Oct 24

Game by game this season, rushing yards
  1. 75@FSU
  2. 3UCD
  3. 197@LOU
  4. 98MOST
  5. 45BC
  6. 124UVA

Filled bars: wins; outlined: losses.

At a glance

Best season
952
Rushing yards, 2025 (California, 7–⁠6)
Best game
197 yards
At Louisville, week 3, 2026: No. 1 rushing game in FBS that week

Career highs

197rushing yards, career highat Louisville, 20263rushing touchdowns, career hightwice; last at Louisville, 2026

Rushing

Rushing yards, season by season, with his team’s record

* The season in progress, so far.

SeasonTeamCarYdsAvgTDLong
2023NC State673114.6131
2024NC State784255.4340
2025California2339524.11333
2026SMU995425.5640
Career4772,2304.72340

Receiving

SeasonTeamRecYdsAvgTDLong
2023NC State10969.6021
2024NC State10414.1011
2025California342457.2142
2026SMU99710.8036
Career634797.6142

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2023NC State6RBFr.
2024NC State6RBSo.
2025California6RBJr.
2026SMU6RBSr.5′11″200

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
2023NC State790.1236th (n=450)0.179.112%0.10
2024NC State810.1031st (n=434)0.168.311%0.11
2025California2770.0226th (n=576)0.104.430%0.05
2026SMU1040.2583rd (n=478)0.1026.425%0.28

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.

Rushing detail

SeasonTeamSuccessLine yardsSecond levelOpen fieldStuffed
2025California40%2.900.900.9015%
2026SMU49%3.200.901.7016%

Where his yards came from, per carry: line yards are the ones credited to the blockers (the first few, and losses), second level the yards 5 to 10 past the line, open field those beyond 10. Success: carries that kept the offense on schedule. Stuffed: carries stopped at or behind the line. From CollegeFootballData, FBS games, 2025 on.

Game by game

2026 SMU 6 games, 542 rushing yards, 6 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
Sep 7atFlorida StateW 27–⁠24127501110
Sep 12vs.UC DavisW 56–⁠103311230
Sep 19atLouisvilleL 31–⁠412419732110
Sep 26vs.Missouri StateW 34–⁠24239814480
Oct 3vs.Boston CollegeW 25–⁠1615451–––
Oct 17vs.VirginiaW 23–⁠13221240140
2025 California 13 games, 952 rushing yards, 13 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
Aug 30atOregon StateW 34–⁠1593701−50
Sep 6vs.Texas SouthernW 35–⁠3181311230
Sep 13vs.MinnesotaW 27–⁠1413420160
Sep 20atSan Diego StateL 0–⁠3411270–––
Sep 27atBoston CollegeW 28–⁠24251191130
Oct 4vs.DukeL 21–⁠45186723250
Oct 17vs.North CarolinaW 21–⁠18228112150
Oct 24atVirginia TechL 34–⁠42207133160
Nov 1vs.VirginiaL 21–⁠31134624661
Nov 8atLouisvilleW 29–⁠26198315370
Nov 22atStanfordL 10–⁠31154704120
Nov 29vs.SMUW 38–⁠353311115530
Dec 24 ✦atHawai’iL 31–⁠35179013140
2024 NC State 12 games, 425 rushing yards, 3 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
Aug 29vs.Western CarolinaW 38–⁠2132402−10
Sep 7vs.TennesseeL 10–⁠51450–––
Sep 14vs.Louisiana TechW 30–⁠209631–––
Sep 21atClemsonL 35–⁠5910901–––
Sep 28vs.Northern IllinoisW 24–⁠1772102110
Oct 5vs.Wake ForestL 30–⁠34104813270
Oct 12vs.SyracuseL 17–⁠245260120
Oct 19atCaliforniaW 24–⁠236100130
Nov 9vs.DukeL 19–⁠292601−10
Nov 21atGeorgia TechL 29–⁠309780–––
Nov 30atNorth CarolinaW 35–⁠309480–––
Dec 28 ✦vs.East CarolinaL 21–⁠26460–––
2023 NC State 10 games, 311 rushing yards, 1 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
Sep 9vs.Notre DameL 24–⁠453701140
Sep 16vs.VMIW 45–⁠716850–––
Sep 22atVirginiaW 24–⁠213190–––
Oct 14atDukeL 3–⁠241503190
Oct 28vs.ClemsonW 24–⁠17450–––
Nov 4vs.MiamiW 20–⁠63411–––
Nov 11atWake ForestW 26–⁠615540–––
Nov 18atVirginia TechW 35–⁠2883602270
Nov 25vs.North CarolinaW 39–⁠207390160
Dec 28 ✦vs.Kansas StateL 19–⁠2872003300

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

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