Trey Sermon isn’t a superstar by any stretch of the imagination. He isn’t a player who most NFL fans talk about a lot. Yet, the Indianapolis Colts running back could be in store for a breakout 2024 season.
In training camp this year, Sermon will compete for the No. 2 running back spot behind starter Jonathan Taylor. If he wins the job, the former third-round pick might emerge as a valuable contributor for the Colts.
Former Big Ten Star Could Have Breakout Season with the Indianapolis Colts
Career at Oklahoma
Trey Sermon’s college career began with the Oklahoma Sooners. He started three of his 14 games as a freshman. He was named the Big 12’s Offensive Freshman of the Year after rushing for 744 yards and five touchdowns.
Sermon rushed for 947 yards and 13 touchdowns as a sophomore. He also caught 12 passes for 181 yards.
2019 was Sermon’s last year at Oklahoma. Although his season was cut short after nine games due to injury, he still managed to start four times and average 7.1 yards per carry.
Star at Ohio State
Sermon transferred to Ohio State for his final collegiate season. In 2020, he produced 870 rushing yards, four touchdowns, and 12 receptions for the Buckeyes. Sermon had a whopping 331 rushing yards versus Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship Game. He broke Eddie George’s school record of 314 yards.
In the Buckeyes’ Sugar Bowl victory over Clemson, Sermon rushed for 193 yards and a touchdown. He also caught four passes for 61 yards. During the National Championship Game against Alabama, Sermon suffered an injury on the first play and never returned.
Future Impact Player for the Colts?
Sermon was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round (88th overall pick) of the 2021 NFL Draft. After one-year stints with the 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles, he signed with the Colts last year. Sermon played 14 games for Indy in 2023, recording 35 carries for 160 rushing yards.
Jonathan Taylor is the Colts’ starting running back this year. No one will debate that. But who will be his primary backup? Zack Moss, who did a great job in that role last season, is now with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Sermon will compete with Evan Hull and Tyler Goodson for the job. The Colts selected Hull in the fifth round of the 2023 draft. Unfortunately, he missed most of his rookie year due to a meniscus injury. Sadly, Goodson is known for dropping a fourth-quarter pass in Week 18 against the Houston Texans last season. The former Iowa star will look to bounce back and redeem himself in 2024.
Attempting to replace Moss will be a tough task. He rushed for a career-high 794 yards and five TDs a season ago as Taylor was in and out of the lineup.
Don’t be surprised if Sermon wins the No. 2 running back spot. While he hasn’t proven much as an NFL player, he showed flashes last season. Against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15, he had the best game of his career, rushing for 88 yards (5.1 yards per carry). Versus the Las Vegas Raiders, he had an amazing 27-yard run, which marked the longest of his career. A breakout season could be in the cards for Trey Sermon.
Main Photo: [Robert Scheer/IndyStar] – USA Today Sports
