Dean Connors is a Pass-Catching Back for Rice. Dean's 2024 season ranks in the 0th percentile nationally by opponent-adjusted EPA per play across 201 plays — a developing rate for the RB.
Third-down weapon out of the backfield. Routes, hands, and separation in coverage define this role as much as rushing.
Meaningful starter. Local collective + position-group deals.
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 |
| Dalvin Cook | Florida State | 2016 | 292 | 0.340 | 4.3 | 99.3 |
| Breece Hall | Iowa State | 2020 | 301 | 0.340 | 4.5 | 102.3 |
| Eno Benjamin | Arizona State | 2018 | 316 | 0.330 | 4.6 | 104.3 |
| Hassan Haskins | Michigan | 2021 | 280 | 0.380 | 4.8 | 106.4 |
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 | vsSam Houston | L14-34 | -6.9 | 12 | 52 | 4.3 | 1 | 9 | 30 | 0 | 0.31 |
| 2 | vsTexas Southern | W69-7 | — | 9 | 113 | 12.6 | 3 | 4 | 34 | 0 | 1.22 |
| 3 | @Houston | L7-33 | -8.2 | 11 |
Usage = share of team plays (CFBD has no true snap counts).
Car 17 · Rush Yds 40 · Avg 2.4 · Rush TD 0
| 32 |
| 2.9 |
| 1 |
| 5 |
| 17 |
| 0 |
| -0.06 |
| 4 | @Army | L14-37 | 9.2 | 9 | 51 | 5.7 | 0 | 8 | 31 | 0 | 0.18 |
| 5 | vsCharlotte | L20-21 | -15.3 | 14 | 121 | 8.6 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 0.32 |
| 7 | vsUTSA | W29-27 | 2.2 | 8 | 27 | 3.4 | 1 | 5 | 109 | 1 | 1.17 |
| 8 | @Tulane | L10-24 | 5.7 | 11 | 76 | 6.9 | 0 | 7 | 34 | 0 | -0.15 |
| 9 | @UConn | L10-17 | 1.5 | 20 | 46 | 2.3 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 0 | -0.39 |
| 10 | vsNavy | W24-10 | 3.5 | 18 | 105 | 5.8 | 2 | 4 | 34 | 0 | 0.24 |
| 11 | @Memphis | L20-27 | 9.6 | 14 | 55 | 3.9 | 0 | 6 | 22 | 0 | 0.01 |
| 13 | @UAB | L14-40 | -11.3 | 16 | 62 | 3.9 | 1 | 3 | 43 | 0 | -0.19 |
| 14 | vsSouth Florida | W35-28 | -2.3 | 17 | 40 | 2.4 | 0 | 4 | 91 | 1 | 0.02 |
