Dean Connors is a Pass-Catching Back for Rice. Dean's 2023 season ranks in the 75th percentile nationally by opponent-adjusted EPA per play across 154 plays — a above-average rate for the RB.
Third-down weapon out of the backfield. Routes, hands, and separation in coverage define this role as much as rushing.
Top-10 nationally. Multiple mid-to-large collective deals expected.
Tier is a model estimate based on position, school brand, performance rank, and usage — not a reported deal. NIL deals are private. For a real market valuation, see On3's NIL profile, which factors in social following and actual deal tracking.
Players from 2014–2024 matched on EPA efficiency, play volume, and adjusted value tier — not just one metric.
| Player | Team | Yr | Plays | WEPA/play | Line val | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saquon Barkley | Penn State | 2016 | 288 | 0.340 | 3.9 | 97.9 |
| Travis Etienne | Clemson | 2019 | 213 | 0.470 | 4.7 | 100.1 |
| Dalvin Cook | Florida State | 2016 | 292 | 0.340 | 4.3 | 99.3 |
| Clyde Edwards-Helaire | LSU | 2019 | 216 | 0.490 | 5.0 | 105.8 |
| James Flanders | Tulsa | 2016 | 266 | 0.390 | 4.9 | 103.7 |
Comps are statistical — efficiency, volume, and value tier all factor in. Style and conference context differ.
| Wk | Opponent | Result | Opp SP+ | Car | Rush Yds | Avg | Rush TD | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TD | EPA/play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | @Texas | L10-37 | 23.2 | 8 | 23 | 2.9 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | -0.17 |
| 2 | vsHouston | W43-41 | -7.8 | 8 | 48 | 6.0 | 0 | 7 | 82 | 0 | 0.45 |
| 3 | vsTexas Southern | W59-7 | — | 8 |
Usage = share of team plays (CFBD has no true snap counts).
Car 15 · Rush Yds 64 · Avg 4.3 · Rush TD 2
| 66 |
| 8.3 |
| 1 |
| 1 |
| 7 |
| 0 |
| 1.00 |
| 4 | @South Florida | L29-42 | -6.6 | 5 | 2 | 0.4 | 0 | 6 | 98 | 2 | 0.76 |
| 5 | vsEast Carolina | W24-17 | -12.8 | 5 | -1 | -0.2 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 0 | -0.14 |
| 6 | vsUConn | L31-38 | -15.6 | 7 | 42 | 6.0 | 0 | 7 | 88 | 0 | 0.54 |
| 8 | @Tulsa | W42-10 | -13.7 | 9 | 120 | 13.3 | 3 | 2 | 20 | 0 | 0.93 |
| 9 | vsTulane | L28-30 | 2.8 | 8 | 37 | 4.6 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0.20 |
| 10 | vsSMU | L31-36 | 10.1 | 7 | 77 | 11.0 | 1 | 7 | 33 | 1 | 0.65 |
| 11 | @UTSA | L14-34 | 5.4 | 8 | 34 | 4.3 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 0.19 |
| 12 | @Charlotte | W28-7 | -21.4 | 19 | 184 | 9.7 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.43 |
| 13 | vsFlorida Atlantic | W24-21 | -9.4 | 14 | 75 | 5.4 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 0.01 |
| 1 | vsTexas State | L21-45 | -1.6 | 15 | 64 | 4.3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0.05 |
