Tony Pollard in the NFL
In the NFL. Photo: All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Running back, Memphis, 2015–⁠18

Tony Pollard

Number
No. 1
Height
6′0″
Weight
208 lb
Class (2018)
Junior
Hometown
Memphis, TN
Born
Apr 30, 1997, in Memphis, Tennessee

Wikipedia readers: about 5,753 a month over the past year

Tony Pollard played running back at Memphis (2015–⁠18). The Dallas Cowboys took Pollard in round 4, No. 128 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft.

At a glance

Best season
553
Rushing yards, 2018 (Memphis, 8–⁠6)
National rank
No. 1
In the nation in kickoff return average, 2017
Drafted
No. 128
Round 4, 2019 NFL Draft (Dallas Cowboys)

Career highs

113rushing yards, career highvs. Wake Forest, 20182rushing touchdowns, career highat East Carolina, 20189catches, career highat Houston, 2017116receiving yards, career highvs. Houston, 2018

Honors

All-America: FWAA 2017; Walter Camp 2017; Athlon Sports 2017; College Football News 2017

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
2016Memphis311595.1119
2017Memphis302307.7266
2018Memphis795537.0641
Career1409426.7966

Returns

SeasonTeamKRYdsTDPRYdsTD
2016Memphis401,0682190
2017Memphis228814120
2018Memphis276671–––
Career892,61672110

Receiving

SeasonTeamRecYdsAvgTDLong
2016Memphis2929810.3245
2017Memphis3653614.9459
2018Memphis3844411.7344
Career1031,27812.4959

Defense

SeasonTeamTklSoloTFLSacksPDHur
2016Memphis220000
2017Memphis870000
2018Memphis220000
Career12110000

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls. A dash: the source has no number for that season (often an FCS season), and career totals count only the numbers on file.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2015Memphis1RBRS
2016Memphis1RBFr.
2017Memphis1RBSo.
2018Memphis1RBJr.6′0″208

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
2016Memphis710.2887th (n=259)0.1320.17%–
2017Memphis840.4599th (n=287)0.1238.19%0.16
2018Memphis1410.2784th (n=300)0.1537.914%0.25

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

2018 Memphis 14 games, 553 rushing yards, 6 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDKRYdsPR
Sep 1vs.MercerW 66–⁠141501−2–
Sep 8atNavyL 21–⁠22160–––
Sep 14vs.Georgia StateW 59–⁠224220–––
Sep 22vs.South AlabamaW 52–⁠353301–––
Sep 28atTulaneL 24–⁠40100119–
Oct 6vs.UConnW 55–⁠143200266–
Oct 13vs.UCFL 30–⁠315291252–
Oct 20atMissouriL 33–⁠658750111–
Nov 3atEast CarolinaW 59–⁠419862240–
Nov 10vs.TulsaW 47–⁠216130372–
Nov 16atSMUW 28–⁠183260111–
Nov 23vs.HoustonW 52–⁠3111831137–
Dec 1atUCFL 41–⁠5664507152–
Dec 22 ✦vs.Wake ForestL 34–⁠371811316209–
2017 Memphis 13 games, 230 rushing yards, 2 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDKRYdsPR
Aug 31vs.UL MonroeW 37–⁠292802144–
Sep 16vs.UCLAW 48–⁠451−20367–
Sep 23vs.Southern IllinoisW 44–⁠31–––3148–
Sep 30atUCFL 13–⁠40490240–
Oct 6atUConnW 70–⁠316300273–
Oct 14vs.NavyW 30–⁠27350–––
Oct 19atHoustonW 42–⁠38–––2115–
Oct 27vs.TulaneW 56–⁠263761–––
Nov 3atTulsaW 41–⁠14490130–
Nov 18vs.SMUW 66–⁠453160134–
Nov 25vs.East CarolinaW 70–⁠13–––1100–
Dec 2atUCFL 55–⁠623711255–
Dec 30 ✦vs.Iowa StateL 20–⁠211803751
2016 Memphis 13 games, 159 rushing yards, 1 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDKRYdsPR
Sep 3vs.Southeast Missouri StateW 35–⁠173502631
Sep 17vs.KansasW 43–⁠75401–––
Sep 24vs.Bowling GreenW 77–⁠31190139–
Oct 1atOle MissL 28–⁠48–––5114–
Oct 6vs.TempleW 34–⁠27–––4141–
Oct 14atTulaneW 24–⁠141110135–
Oct 22atNavyL 28–⁠4221503134–
Oct 29vs.TulsaL 30–⁠591206161–
Nov 5atSMUW 51–⁠76260–––
Nov 12vs.South FloridaL 42–⁠49–––9174–
Nov 18atCincinnatiW 34–⁠79370124–
Nov 25vs.HoustonW 48–⁠441−105108–
Dec 20 ✦vs.Western KentuckyL 31–⁠51250375–

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

Before the draft

Played in the 2019 Senior Bowl (North team, won 34–⁠24).

DrillCombine 2019Combine or pro day 2019
Height5′11⅝″
Weight210 lb
Arm length30″
Hand size9½″
Wingspan73¾″W
40-yard dash4.52 s
10-yard split1.59 s
Vertical jump35″
Broad jump10′1″
Bench press13 reps
3-cone drill7.00 s
20-yard shuttle4.37 s

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). Rosters and honors: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

In the NFL

8 seasons, 116 games with a stat; latest team: Tennessee Titans.

Pro Bowl: 2022

SeasonTeamGCarYdsTDRecRec yds
2019Dallas Cowboys1486455215107
2020Dallas Cowboys16101435428193
2021Dallas Cowboys15130719239337
2022Dallas Cowboys161931,007939371
2023Dallas Cowboys172521,005655311
2024Tennessee Titans162601,079541238
2025Tennessee Titans172421,082533206
2026 (so far)Tennessee Titans5682731824
NFL career1161,3326,055342581,787

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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