The running back position is one of the most demanding positions in the entire sport. It’s a battle of attrition sometimes, with injuries forcing rock-toters into prominent roles.
For Sincere McCormick, that has been the case as he has been hanging on the fringe of the Las Vegas Raiders’ roster. In three years, he has been a member of the franchise every season, but on-field duties have been far and few between.
Sincere McCormick’s Path to the NFL
Sincere McCormick is a Long Beach, California native who made his name as a running back at Judon High School in Converse, Texas. While he wasn’t a high-profile acquisition, he made his way to the University of Texas-San Antonio, where he spent three years as the primary running back.
McCormick’s Time at UTSA
Immediately playing a pivotal role for his collegiate team, McCormick had 983 rushing yards in his freshman season, averaging 5.6 yards per carry, earning the Conference USA Freshman of the Year Award.
His sophomore year, however, was even better. Rushing for 1,467 yards (good for second in the entire Division I FBS), he won the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year Award while making second-team All-American. Additionally, he was also a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award.
His junior year with UTSA was just as good, as he compiled 1,479 rushing yards (fifth in Division I FBS) while leading the team to a 12-1 record. Arguably the best game of his career came on the day he took the field for the final time for UTSA. In the Conference USA Football Championship game, McCormick had 204 yards and three touchdowns, earning MVP honors in the process.
Still, the lack of national attention to the Conference USA led the youngster to going undrafted in the 2022 NFL Draft. However, as an unrestricted free agent, he signed on with the Las Vegas Raiders on May 4, 2022.
McCormick’s Short NFL Career So Far
McCormick’s journey has been one of perseverance on the professional stage. Just three weeks after signing with the Raiders, McCormick went on injured reserve, an unfortunate sign of things to come.
Since then, he’s been waived, re-signed, and put on the practice squad for nearly two years. But his time is finally coming. Three years after first coming into the league, McCormick has gotten the chance to showcase his talents. And the immediate results are overwhelmingly positive.
The 2024 season did not look like it would be different for him. His spot on the practice squad was set in stone, with Zamir White and Alexander Mattison designed to share a bulk of the RB duties for the Raiders in light of Josh Jacobs’s departure. Additionally, 10-year veteran Ameer Abdullah seemed like a good bet to get third-string responsibilities.
However, an explosive training camp got the coaches talking. And with injuries taking out both White and Mattison, McCormick got some extended run. Now, he’s locked in as the starting running back when the Raiders take the field against the Atlanta Falcons for Week 15’s MNF.
While White and Mattison were averaging a paltry 2.8 yards and 3.3 yards per carry, respectively, McCormick blew them out of the water. In his three games, he would tally 175 yards, averaging 5.5 yards per carry.
Despite a loss last weekend, McCormick had arguably the best game of his career — 78 yards on 15 carries. After losing Jacobs, who already has over 1,000 yards on the year, Las Vegas was in search of a permanent option at the RB position.
With McCormick’s emergence, Antonio Pierce and Co. may have found their man.
