T J Yeldon

Early years

Yeldon attended Daphne High School in Daphne, Alabama, where he played football and ran track. Yeldon first played varsity football as a freshman in 2008, being called up to play slot receiver and contribute on special teams, and recorded 227 rushing yards and one touchdown as well as 131 receiving yards and a score on the season. As a sophomore, Yeldon had 1,121 yards on 201 carries with 34 catches for 361 yards and one touchdown. He rushed for 148 yards on 24 carries and scored twice in a 41–19 upset of C. J. Mosley's Theodore Bobcats in the first round of the playoffs.

In his junior season, Yeldon totaled 1,112 yards and 18 scores on the ground while also catching a career-best 34 passes for 504 yards and five touchdowns. Daphne finished the year with an unbeaten 15–0 record and the 2010 Alabama 6A State Championship, beating the defending champions Hoover Buccaneers, who were on a 21-game winning streak, in the final. Yeldon scored the winning touchdown off a 1-yard run with 11 minutes of play remaining.

In his senior season, Yeldon rushed for 2,193 yards on 232 carries with 31 touchdowns and won the Alabama Mr. Football Award over Hueytown's Jameis Winston, becoming the first running back to win the award since Cadillac Williams in 2000. Yeldon was also named a first-team All-State selection by the Alabama Sports Writers Association and second-team USA Today High School All-American. Daphne finished with a 10–2 record, finishing the season with a 3–13 loss to Prattville in the 6A playoffs.

Yeldon was also on the school's track team, where he competed as a sprinter and jumper. At the prelims of the 2010 Lionell Newell Track Meet, he ran a career-best time of 11.35 seconds in the 100 meters, placing 12th overall in the finals. He also placed 6th in the long jump at the 2010 McGill-Toolen Invitational, with a personal-best mark of 6.08 meters.

Regarded as a five-star recruit by Rivals.com, Yeldon was listed as the No. 2 running back prospect in his class, behind only Johnathan Gray. Understandably, he had scholarship offers from almost every football powerhouse, including Florida, Oregon, Penn State, and Tennessee. In June 2011, Yeldon verbally committed to Auburn. However, after the end of his senior season, he switched to Auburn's in-state rival Alabama, citing uncertainty over the Tigers' offensive coordinator position following Gus Malzahn's move to Arkansas State. Yeldon enrolled at Alabama in January 2012, right after the 2012 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

College career

As a true freshman in 2012, Yeldon played in all 14 games, sharing time with Eddie Lacy. In his first college game, Yeldon rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown. His season high for the year was 153 yards against Georgia in the 2012 SEC Championship Game. In the 2013 BCS Championship Game victory over Notre Dame, Yeldon ran for 110 yards and had one touchdown. Yeldon finished the season with 1,108 rushing yards on 175 carries and 12 touchdowns. The 1,108 rushing yards were an Alabama freshman record and his 12 touchdowns tied Mark Ingram Jr.'s freshman touchdown record.

After Lacy entered the 2013 NFL Draft, Yeldon became Alabama's starter his sophomore season in 2013. He started 11 of 12 games, missing one game due to injury. Yeldon led the team with 1,235 yards on 207 carries and 14 touchdowns. He was named first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection. Yeldon shared carries with Derrick Henry his junior season in 2014. He played in 13 games, rushing for 979 yards on 194 carries with 11 touchdowns.

After his junior season, Yeldon decided to forego his senior season and entered the 2015 NFL Draft.

Professional career

Yeldon was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round (36th overall) in the 2015 NFL Draft.

On May 27, 2015, Yeldon signed a four-year, $5.91 million contract, with a $2.56 million signing bonus, and $3.26 million guaranteed.

Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley, named Yeldon the starting running back for the beginning of the season, ahead of veterans Denard Robinson, Toby Gerhart, and Bernard Pierce. On September 13, 2015, he made his NFL debut and carried the ball 15 times for 51 yards, while also catching 3 passes for 16-yards. The next game against the Miami Dolphins, Yeldon had a season-high 25 carries for 70-yards in a 23-20 victory. On October 11, 2015, he had 11 rushing attempts, 32 rushing yards, 5 receptions, 31 receiving yards, and scored his first career touchdown reception in a 31-38 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

After five consecutive starts to begin his rookie campaign, Yeldon would miss a Week 6 matchup against the Houston Texans due to a groin injury. He returned as the starter on October 25, rushing for season-high 115 yards on 15 carries and scored his first career rushing touchdown in a 34-31 victory over the Buffalo Bills. During a Week 14 contest against the Indianapolis Colts, he had 11 carries for 62 yards but left the game with an MCL sprain that would keep him out the following week. He was placed on injured reserve on December 26, 2016.

Personal life

Yeldon is a distant cousin of former West Virginia quarterback Pat White.