Running back, Iowa State, 2016–⁠20

Kene Nwangwu

Number
No. 3
Height
6′1″
Weight
210 lb
Class (2020)
Senior
Hometown
Frisco, TX
Born
Feb 9, 1998, in Frisco, Texas

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Kene Nwangwu played running back at Iowa State (2016–⁠20). The Minnesota Vikings took Nwangwu in round 4, No. 119 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.

At a glance

Best season
339
Rushing yards, 2020 (Iowa State, 9–⁠3)
Drafted
No. 119
Round 4, 2021 NFL Draft (Minnesota Vikings)

Honors

Rushing

Rushing yards, season by season, with his team’s record
SeasonTeamCarYdsAvgTDLong
2016Iowa State271334.9014
2018Iowa State391574.0024
2019Iowa State161157.2019
2020Iowa State613395.6449
Career1437445.2449

Returns

SeasonTeamKRYdsTD
2016Iowa State348961
2018Iowa State246430
2019Iowa State173810
2020Iowa State195500
Career942,4701

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2016Iowa State3RBYr 1
2017Iowa State3RBYr 2
2018Iowa State3RBYr 3
2019Iowa State3RBYr 4
2020Iowa State3RBSr. (Yr 5)6′1″210

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
2016Iowa State290.08––2.26%–
2018Iowa State35-0.01––-0.36%0.07
2019Iowa State180.29––5.2––
2020Iowa State640.0219th (n=212)0.141.38%0.14

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

2020 Iowa State 12 games, 339 rushing yards, 4 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDKRYds
Sep 12vs.LouisianaL 14–⁠317211369
Sep 26atTCUW 37–⁠341491118
Oct 3vs.OklahomaW 37–⁠30–––4167
Oct 10vs.Texas TechW 31–⁠157370266
Oct 24atOklahoma StateL 21–⁠24140253
Oct 31atKansasW 52–⁠22557114
Nov 7vs.BaylorW 38–⁠314110288
Nov 21vs.Kansas StateW 45–⁠011160––
Nov 27atTexasW 23–⁠204110––
Dec 5vs.West VirginiaW 42–⁠69771115
Dec 19vs.OklahomaL 21–⁠27110243
Jan 2 ✦vs.OregonW 34–⁠1711550127
2019 Iowa State 11 games, 17 returns, 381 yards
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDKRYds
Aug 31vs.Northern IowaW 29–⁠264300123
Sep 14vs.IowaL 17–⁠186540––
Sep 21vs.UL MonroeW 72–⁠202220135
Sep 28atBaylorL 21–⁠233130––
Oct 5vs.TCUW 49–⁠24–––349
Oct 19atTexas TechW 34–⁠241−40––
Oct 26vs.Oklahoma StateL 27–⁠34–––468
Nov 9atOklahomaL 41–⁠42–––258
Nov 23vs.KansasW 41–⁠31–––382
Nov 30atKansas StateL 17–⁠27–––124
Dec 28 ✦vs.Notre DameL 9–⁠33–––242
2018 Iowa State 13 games, 157 rushing yards
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDKRYds
Sep 8atIowaL 3–⁠13–––124
Sep 15vs.OklahomaL 27–⁠373100––
Sep 22vs.AkronW 26–⁠13230273
Sep 29atTCUL 14–⁠17–––145
Oct 6atOklahoma StateW 48–⁠4210490130
Oct 13vs.West VirginiaW 30–⁠145260116
Oct 27vs.Texas TechW 40–⁠31350158
Nov 3atKansasW 27–⁠37180––
Nov 10vs.BaylorW 28–⁠14110384
Nov 17atTexasL 10–⁠247310366
Nov 24vs.Kansas StateW 42–⁠38–––6125
Dec 1vs.DrakeW 27–⁠24–––366
Dec 28 ✦vs.Washington StateL 26–⁠281140256
2016 Iowa State 12 games, 133 rushing yards
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDKRYds
Sep 3vs.Northern IowaL 20–⁠25–––253
Sep 10atIowaL 3–⁠427310242
Sep 17atTCUL 20–⁠41350399
Sep 24vs.San José StateW 44–⁠10110––
Oct 1vs.BaylorL 42–⁠45–––5132
Oct 8atOklahoma StateL 31–⁠38–––592
Oct 15atTexasL 6–⁠27–––4109
Oct 29vs.Kansas StateL 26–⁠31–––5107
Nov 3vs.OklahomaL 24–⁠3462504102
Nov 12atKansasW 31–⁠24130247
Nov 19vs.Texas TechW 66–⁠106440––
Nov 26vs.West VirginiaL 19–⁠4932402113

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

Before the draft

DrillPro day 2021
Height6′0⅛″
Weight210 lb
Arm length30½″
Hand size9¼″
Wingspan74⅝″
40-yard dash4.31 s
10-yard split1.45 s
Vertical jump38″
Broad jump10′5″
Bench press22 reps
3-cone drill6.83 s
20-yard shuttle4.25 s

Pre-draft measurables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

In the NFL

6 seasons, 45 games with a stat; latest team: New York Jets.

First-team All-Pro: 2 (2021–⁠22) · Second-team All-Pro (AP): 2022

All-Pro teams: AP second team 2022; Sporting News first team 2021–⁠22.

SeasonTeamGCarYdsTDRecRec yds
2021Minnesota Vikings91361049
2022Minnesota Vikings149140221
2023Minnesota Vikings8513000
2024New York Jets200000
2025New York Jets101349000
2026 (so far)New York Jets200000
NFL career45401370630

Regular seasons, from nflverse (CC BY 4.0). G counts games in which the player recorded a stat. Pro Bowls and All-Pro teams by NFL season: rosters and honors, Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

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