Running back, Memphis, 2018–⁠20

Kenneth Gainwell

Number
No. 19
Height
5′11″
Weight
195 lb
Class (2020)
Sophomore
Hometown
Yazoo City, MS
Born
Mar 14, 1999

Kenneth Gainwell played running back at Memphis (2018–⁠20). The Philadelphia Eagles took Gainwell in round 5, No. 150 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.

At a glance

Best season
1,459
Rushing yards, 2019 (Memphis, 12–⁠2)
Best game
209 yards
At UL Monroe, week 6, 2019: No. 2 rushing game in FBS that week
Drafted
No. 150
Round 5, 2021 NFL Draft (Philadelphia Eagles)

Career highs

209rushing yards, career highat UL Monroe, 20193rushing touchdowns, career highat Tulsa, 20199catches, career highvs. Tulane, 2019203receiving yards, career highvs. Tulane, 20192receiving touchdowns, career highvs. Tulane, 2019

Honors

Team titles: American champions, 2019

Players of the year, conference and regional honors: Wikipedia’s lists (CC BY-SA), each linked from its honor.

Rushing

Rushing yards, season by season, with his team’s record
SeasonTeamCarYdsAvgTDLong
2018Memphis49122.8172
2019Memphis2311,4596.31375
Career2351,5506.61475

Receiving

SeasonTeamRecYdsAvgTDLong
2018Memphis6528.7014
2019Memphis5161012.0368
Career5766211.6368

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2018Memphis19RBYr 1
2019Memphis19RBYr 2
2020Memphis19RBSo. (Yr 3)5′11″195

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
2019Memphis2880.3294th (n=287)0.1391.028%0.24

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

2019 Memphis 14 games, 1,459 rushing yards, 13 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
Aug 31vs.Ole MissW 15–⁠10167706410
Sep 7vs.SouthernW 55–⁠24168524381
Sep 14atSouth AlabamaW 42–⁠6161451290
Sep 26vs.NavyW 35–⁠23141041290
Oct 5atUL MonroeW 52–⁠331420923420
Oct 12atTempleL 28–⁠301910618980
Oct 19vs.TulaneW 47–⁠1718104192032
Oct 26atTulsaW 42–⁠41241493–––
Nov 2vs.SMUW 54–⁠48218812140
Nov 16atHoustonW 45–⁠2717990190
Nov 23atSouth FloridaW 49–⁠10141280190
Nov 29vs.CincinnatiW 34–⁠24158703200
Dec 7vs.CincinnatiW 29–⁠24184403400
Dec 28 ✦vs.Penn StateL 39–⁠5393417780
2018 Memphis 4 games, 91 rushing yards, 1 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
Sep 1vs.MercerW 66–⁠1421103260
Sep 8atNavyL 21–⁠22–––2250
Sep 14vs.Georgia StateW 59–⁠222801110
Sep 22vs.South AlabamaW 52–⁠35––––––

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

Before the draft

DrillPro day 2021
Height5′8⅜″
Weight201 lb
Arm length30⅝″
Hand size9⅞″
Wingspan70¼″
40-yard dash4.44 s
10-yard split1.62 s
Vertical jump35″
Broad jump10′1″
Bench press21 reps
3-cone drill7.26 s
20-yard shuttle4.46 s

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

In the NFL

6 seasons, 88 games with a stat; latest team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

SeasonTeamGCarYdsTDRecRec yds
2021Philadelphia Eagles1668291533253
2022Philadelphia Eagles1753240423169
2023Philadelphia Eagles1684364230183
2024Philadelphia Eagles1775290116116
2025Pittsburgh Steelers17114537573486
2026 (so far)Tampa Bay Buccaneers5174401154
NFL career884111,766171861,261

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

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