ESPN ranks Alvin Kamara as 10th-best running back in the NFL
Alvin Kamara is nearing 10 years in the NFL and is still a top-10 running back in the league. ESPN ranked Kamara, the former Tennessee Football star and the eight-year veteran with the New Orleans Saints, as the 10th-best running back in the league entering the 2025 season.
Philadelphia’s Saquon Barkley was ranked No. 1, ahead of Baltimore’s Derrick Henry, Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs, Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson, San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey, Green Bay’s Josh Jacobs, Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor, Buffalo’s James Cook and Houston’s Joe Mixon.
Kamara was the 67th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, selected by the Saints in the third round.
“Some of the elite traits are still there (for Kamara),” one NFL offensive coach told ESPN. “He didn’t have much of an offensive line or supporting cast last year. But he can still take a screen for big yardage and still has great contact balance.”
Alvin Kamara at Tennessee: 1,977 total yards, 23 touchdowns
In two seasons at Tennessee he accounted for 1,977 total yards from scrimmage and 23 touchdowns. He had 698 rushing yards, 291 receiving yards and 10 total touchdowns in 13 games in 2015 and 596 rushing yards, 392 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns 11 games in 2016.
Kamara started his college career at Alabama in 2013, but transferred after a redshirt season, landing at Hutchinson Community College in 2014. He rushed for 1,211 yards, averaging 134.6 per game, and had 18 touchdowns in junior college, finishing the season with 1,469 yards from scrimmage and 21 touchdowns.
Kamara was an honorable mention in the ESPN position ranking last summer, but moved back up after going for 950 rushing yards, 543 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games last season.
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“Though some evaluators see slight decline,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote, “Kamara fought his way back to the top 10 thanks to 1,503 scrimmage yards last year. Kamara appeared on nearly 60% of the voting ballots but none in the top six.”
‘Kamara still accounted for 26% of New Orleans’ scrimmage yards in 2024′
Kamara’s 950 yards last season was a career high. In 2020 Kamara had a career highs with 1,688 yards 21 total touchdowns in 15 games.
“Kamara has eclipsed 600 rushing yards and 400 receiving yards in all eight seasons of his career,” Fowler wrote. “That’s already tied for the most such seasons in NFL history, alongside (Marshall) Faulk.”
“Despite missing the final three games of last season, Kamara still accounted for 26% of New Orleans’ scrimmage yards in 2024, the seventh-highest mark in the NFL.”
