Jaleel McLaughlin
From living in a car to leading the NCAA in rushing history for the Denver Broncos.
Jaleel McLaughlin is a dynamic American professional football running back for the Denver Broncos, born September 13, 2000. Rising from a childhood marked by poverty and homelessness in Marshville, North Carolina, he overcame significant odds to become the NCAA's all-time leading rusher. After playing college football for the Notre Dame Falcons and Youngstown State Penguins, McLaughlin entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2023. Despite initial skepticism due to his small stature of 5 ft 7 in, he secured a roster spot following a standout preseason and quickly made an impact with explosive plays, including a game-winning performance against the Washington Commanders.
Quick Facts
- Position
- Running back
- Current team
- Cleveland Browns
- Born
- 13 September 2000
- Birthplace
- Marshville, North Carolina, U.S.
- High school
- Forest Hills (Marshville)
- College
- Notre Dame College (2018–2019); Youngstown State (2020–2022)
- Former teams
- Denver Broncos (2023, 2025); Cleveland Browns (2026, present)
Lore & Background
McLaughlin's journey began in Marshville, where he battled homelessness after his mother lost her job. The family lived in hotels and motels before losing their grandmother's home upon her death from a heart attack. For several months, McLaughlin and his siblings slept in a car parked outside a McDonald's before moving in with a relative. At Forest Hills High School, he excelled in football, basketball, and track, yet received no Division I offers due to his size; teams only wanted him as a defensive back. He committed to the Notre Dame Falcons, one of the few schools allowing him to play running back. There, he shattered records immediately, setting a Division II single-game rushing record with 302 yards in his debut and breaking it again later with 340 yards against West Liberty.
Reader's Guide
McLaughlin was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2023 after going unselected in the draft. His rookie season saw him appear in all 17 games with three starts. He scored his first career touchdown on a five-yard rush against the Washington Commanders in Week 2. A standout performance came in Week 4, where he ran for 72 yards (averaging 10.3 per carry) and caught all three targets for 32 yards and another touchdown, earning the game ball. His rookie stats included 76 carries for 410 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown, alongside 31 receptions for 160 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. Although the Broncos initially decided not to tender him as a restricted free agent during the 2026 offseason, they re-signed him to a one-year, $1.145 million contract on March 13, 2026.
Did You Know?
- Despite averaging over eight yards per carry in high school, he received no offers from NCAA Division I teams due to his 5 ft 7 in height.
- He set the all-time college football rushing record by gaining exactly 227 yards against Missouri State when he needed 219 yards.
- As a freshman at Notre Dame College, he became the first true freshman ever to win All-American honors for the program.
- In Week 4 of his rookie NFL season, McLaughlin caught all three targets thrown to him while also rushing for a touchdown.
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