Rico Dowdle is an American football running back for the Dallas Cowboys as of the 2024 NFL season. After going undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft, he was subsequently signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent. During his rookie season, he recorded 4 kickoff returns for 152 yards, 3 special teams tackles, and 24 rushing yards across all 15 games. As of Week 14 of the 2024 NFL season, he has accumulated 1,116 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns,50 receptions, 349 receiving yards and 5 receiving touchdowns (via Pro Football Reference).
Dowdle attended A.C. Reynolds High School, where he switched from running back to quarterback as a senior. That season, he recorded 2,545 rushing yards, 51 rushing touchdowns, 1,434 passing yards, 11 passing touchdowns, and a touchdown reception. He also set a WNC single-season record with 63 total touchdowns. After high school, he committed to playing college football at the University of South Carolina.
Where did Rico Dowdle attend college?
Dowdle attended the University of South Carolina from 2016 to 2019, where he played college football for the South Carolina Gamecocks. Dowdle finished 15th on the school's all-time rushing list with 2,167 yards and 16 touchdowns in 39 games. He also played in the 2020 East-West Shrine Bowl, rushing for 50 yards.
As a freshman in 2016, Dowdle had offseason surgery for a sports hernia and missed the first 4 games. He played in 9 games, starting 7, and recorded 764 rushing yards and 6 rushing touchdowns. He also had 15 receptions for 55 yards and one receiving touchdown.
In 2017, he became the starting running back and played in 8 games, starting 4. He had 66 carries for 251 yards, 2 rushing touchdowns, 11 receptions for 128 yards, and one receiving touchdown.
As a junior, he played in 12 games, leading the team with 123 carries for 654 yards and 4 rushing touchdowns. He also had 14 receptions for 133 yards and one receiving touchdown.
As a senior, he was limited in the offseason due to a groin injury. He concluded his collegiate career in 2019 with 108 carries for 498 yards and 4 rushing touchdowns in 10 games.
| Rushing | Receiving | ||||||||
| Season | GP | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD |
| 2016 | 9 | 133 | 764 | 5.7 | 6 | 15 | 55 | 3.7 | 1 |
| 2017 | 8 | 66 | 251 | 3.8 | 2 | 11 | 128 | 11.6 | 1 |
| 2018 | 12 | 123 | 654 | 5.3 | 4 | 14 | 133 | 9.5 | 1 |
| 2019 | 10 | 108 | 498 | 4.7 | 4 | 22 | 167 | 7.6 | 0 |
| Career | 39 | 428 | 2,167 | 4.9 | 16 | 62 | 483 | 8.1 | 3 |
FAQs on Rico Dowdle
A. Rico Dowdle plays for the Dallas Cowboys.
A. Rico Dowdle went undrafted during the 2020 NFL Draft.
A. Rico Dowdle was born in Asheville, North Carolina.
A. No, Rico Dowdle has not earned Pro Bowl selection as of the 2023 NFL season.
