Player
Jaleel McLaughlin
RB · Broncos
Undrafted change-of-pace backs rarely earn three straight seasons of complementary touches. McLaughlin has carved out a steady role since Day 1 of his rookie year and his per-carry efficiency has held up across coaching emphasis, depth-chart churn, and a new lead back every year.
UDFA out of Youngstown State — 1,123 career rushing yards across 3 seasons.
TrendMcLaughlin by season (regular season)
| Season | Gms | Car | RuYds | YPC | RuTD | Rec | RecYds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 17 | 76 | 410 | 5.4 | 1 | 31 | 160 |
| 2024 | 17 | 115 | 494 | 4.3 | 1 | 25 | 76 |
| 2025 | 10 | 45 | 219 | 4.9 | 1 | 5 | 29 |
Career rushing yards by season
| Season | RuYds |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 410 |
| 2024 | 494 |
| 2025 | 219 |
McLaughlin's college resume was historic (FCS all-time rushing yards record at Youngstown State) but he went undrafted in 2023. Sean Payton signed him as a UDFA and immediately gave him a complementary role.
Through 3 seasons: 236 carries, 1,123 yards, 3 rushing TDs. The career YPC of 4.8 is well above average for a change-of-pace back.
Why it matters. Undrafted change-of-pace backs rarely earn three straight seasons of complementary touches. McLaughlin has carved out a steady role since Day 1 of his rookie year and his per-carry efficiency has held up across coaching emphasis, depth-chart churn, and a new lead back every year.
5.4 YPC as a rookie UDFA — that's elite efficiency at the bottom of the depth chart.
RareFor a rookie UDFA RB to post 5.4 YPC on 76 carries is rare. The benchmark for high-end RBs is ~4.5 YPC — McLaughlin cleared it by almost a full yard, working primarily as a 2nd/3rd-down change-of-pace back behind Javonte Williams.
He was Denver's most efficient ball-carrier in 2023 by a wide margin: Williams averaged 3.6 YPC on 217 carries; McLaughlin nearly doubled that on a third of the volume.
Why it matters. A rookie YPC nearly two yards above the lead back, on a third of the volume, is the statistical fingerprint of a back the offense underused. The split (5.4 vs 3.6) was Denver's clearest signal in 2023 that the backfield rotation needed reweighting.
4 career games of 60+ rushing yards — and three came from 7, 9, and 10 carries.
SplitMcLaughlin's 60+ yard rushing games
| Season | Wk | Opp | Car | Yds | YPC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13 | CLE | 14 | 84 | 6.0 |
| 2023 | 4 | CHI | 7 | 72 | 10.3 |
| 2024 | 17 | CIN | 10 | 69 | 6.9 |
| 2023 | 5 | NYJ | 9 | 68 | 7.6 |
McLaughlin's biggest games arrive on small touches — the 7-72 (10.3 YPC) at Chicago in his 4th NFL game and 9-68 vs. the Jets the next week put him on Payton's radar.
The one true workhorse outing was 2024 Week 13 at Cleveland: 14 carries for 84 yards — his only career game with 13+ carries that crossed 80 yards.
Why it matters. All four 60+ yard games came on 14 or fewer carries, with three under 11 attempts. That is the efficiency profile of a back whose value compounds on limited touches, not someone the offense is starving for volume.
3 career rushing TDs in 44 games — touchdowns aren't his role.
AnomalyFor a back who's averaged ~6.7 carries per game over 3 seasons, 3 career rushing TDs is a goal-line story. Payton has kept McLaughlin firmly in his change-of-pace box: he gets the open-field carries, not the red-zone work.
Denver's goal-line rotation has gone through Javonte Williams (now Dallas), Audric Estimé, and now RJ Harvey — McLaughlin's touchdowns have come almost entirely on broken-tackle long runs, not designed inside-the-5 carries.
Why it matters. Just 6 career carries inside the 5-yard line for a back with 236 total attempts is unusually low usage in the highest-leverage area of the field. The TD total isn't a luck story — it's a coaching choice about who gets the goal-line look.
5'7", 183 lbs — one of the smallest backs in the NFL, yet 1,123 yards on a 4.8 YPC.
ComparisonMcLaughlin lists at 5'7", 183 lbs — among the smallest RBs in the league. Most backs his size are gadget players or full-time receivers (Deebo-style). McLaughlin is one of the rare ones still trusted between the tackles.
The career 4.8 YPC ranks 8th of 60 RBs with 200+ carries since 2023 — comfortably top quartile. He's not a star, but Denver has gotten 3 years of above-average per-carry production at the UDFA price tag.
Why it matters. At 5'7" and 183 lbs, McLaughlin is on the size floor for an NFL RB; backs that small usually wash out or get repurposed as receivers. Sustaining a top-quartile career YPC across 236 carries at that frame is the unusual part.
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