Every lover of American football knows and quite understands why the job of a running back is regarded as the toughest job on the field. For a running back, every minute counts, and to be able to hunt the ball down at the shortest minute possible, he must be agile, strong, and of course, fast in terms of speed. If you want to consider how these qualities work out, the likes of Wendell Smallwood of the Philadelphia Eagles would be just a perfect example. Here’s all you need to know about the American football player.
Wendell Smallwood Biography
The Philadelphia Eagles running Back was born on January 20, 1994, in the populous city of Wilmington, Delaware. His parents Wendell Smallwood and Nichelle Barber named him Wendell Lynn Smallwood Jr. and his zodiac sign is Capricorn.
While growing up, Smallwood Jr. was one of the die-hard fans of the Philadelphia Eagles with his favorite player being Dece Staley who at that time was running back for the Philadelphia Eagles. Even when Smallwood joined the Eagles, Staley was his position coach. Staley still works with the Eagles as an assistant head coach and as the team’s running back coach.
Smallwood went to Red Lion Academy in Bear, Delaware for his junior year before he was transferred to Eastern Christian Academy in Elkton, Maryland, for his senior year. While playing in high school, Rivals.com rated his performance and named him a three-star recruit who is willing to dedicate his energy and time to serving West Virginia University (WVU).
During his college years at West Virginia University, Smallwood played as a fresher and rushed for 221 yards on 39 carries with one touchdown in 12 games. He also made 9 starts in 13 games and had two touchdowns, 722 rushing yards on 148 carries as a sophomore. In addition to a successful football career in the University, Smallwood studied hard as a student. He majored in criminology with a minor in communications
As a kick returner, Smallwood returned 30 kickoffs for a total of 541 yards, and in his sophomore year, he made nine starts in 13 games with 722 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He finished 9th in the school’s history after rushing for 2,462 yards in his collegiate career. He, however, decided to abandon his senior season to join the 2016 National football league draft.
Wendell Smallwood NFL Career
Talking about his professional career, Wendell Smallwood made it to the NFL draft in 2016 and was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles n the 5th round with the 153rd overall pick, and in May 2016, he signed his very first contract with the team. It was not surprising how Smallwood was able to make his first career win in a very short while in a 34–3 win against the Pittsburgh-based football team known as the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 25, 2016. Shortly afterward, he returned to the Eagles to replace Ryan Mathews who at the time, had suffered an ankle injury. In a game against the Washington Redskins, Smallwood did not only make his first kickoff return touchdown, he also recorded the first NFL kickoff return touchdown of the season and finished his rookie season with 312 rushing yards and one touchdown.
Although he was placed on injured reserve in December 2016, Smallwood started his 2017 season with a good record and finished with 13 receptions, 174 rushing yards, 103 receiving yards, and one rushing touchdown. With his help, and of course the rest of the players, the Eagles earned their first championship in franchise history after scoring a 41-33 against the New England Patriots.
Salary and Net Worth
Wendell Smallwood’s career earnings for the first two seasons are believed to fall around $1.23 million. His contract of four years with the Eagles was worth $2,584,578 with $244,578 as a signing bonus and $244,578 guaranteed. His net worth is estimated at $15 million with an average annual salary of $646,145. In 2018, he is expected to earn a base salary of about $630,000, while carrying a cap hit of $691,144 and a dead cap value of $122,290.
Height, Weight, Body Measurements
Wearing Philadelphia Eagles’ shirt number 28, the Wilmington-born American running back has a height measurement of 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) and his body weight is 208 lb (94 kg). His well-built physical body gives clear proof that he does a lot of exercises to keep fit while in the training camp.
