Tony Randall Pollard was born on April 30, 1997 and is an American football running back for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Memphis, and was drafted by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Pollard attended Melrose High School, where he played high school football. As a senior, he was a two-way starter at wide receiver and cornerback on the high school football team. He helped the team reach the playoffs, while making over 1,200 receiving yards, 20 touchdowns and being named All-District 16-AAA.
Pollard accepted a football scholarship from the University of Memphis. As a redshirt freshman, he appeared in 13 games, of which he started seven. He registered 29 receptions for 298 yards (10.3-yard avg.), 31 carries for 159 yards (5.1-yard avg.) and three touchdowns. He finished among the national leaders in kickoff return average (28.1 yards). He had two returns for touchdown and was named the American Athletic Conference’s Special Teams Player of the Year.
As a sophomore, he posted 36 receptions for 536 yards (14.9-yard avg.) and 30 carries for 230 yards (7.7-yard avg.) and six touchdowns. He led the nation with a school-record 40-yard average per kickoff return (22 for 881 yards) and four returns for touchdowns. He repeated as the American Athletic Conference’s Special Teams Player of the Year.
As a junior, even though he shared the backfield with Darrell Henderson, he totaled 78 carries for 552 yards (7.1-yard avg.), 39 receptions for 458 yards (11.7-yard avg.), ten touchdowns with one kickoff return for a touchdown. In the 2018 Birmingham Bowl against Wake Forest, he recorded 318 all-purpose yards (209 on kickoff returns) and one rushing touchdown.
Pollard was considered one of the best kickoff return specialists in college football, tying a FBS record with seven career kick-return touchdowns, 87 kickoff returns (second in school history), 2,616 kickoff return yards (second in school history), 30.1 kick-return average (school record) and 4,680 all-purpose yards (second in school history).
On January 11, 2019, Pollard declared for the 2019 NFL Draft. Just six days later, on January 17, 2019, Pollard was added to the 2019 North Senior Bowl roster.
How fast does Tony Pollard run the 40?
Memphis RB Tony Pollard ran the 40-yard dash in 4.52 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine. Pollard weighs 210 pounds, so this is a decent time, but it’s not enough to move him into the Day 2 mix on the surface. However, Pollard does offer special teams and receiving value, which almost assuredly gets him drafted Day 3.
Will Tony Pollard become RB1?
Pollard is finally getting the chance to be the clear RB1 in Dallas and he offers the upside to finish as the top fantasy scorer among running backs in 2023.
