Tennessee Football: Looking back at the Volunteers career of Alvin Kamara
By Matt Melton
Even despite not beginning his collegiate career at Tennessee, Alvin Kamara is still one of the more remembered running backs in recent Volunteers history. A transfer who turned into one of the SEC’s top running backs while in Knoxville, here is a look back at the Tennessee Football career of Kamara.
Looking back at the Tennessee Football career of Alvin Kamara
As mentioned previously, Kamara did not originally begin his collegiate career at Tennessee, but rather in Tuscaloosa with rival Alabama. A highly-touted four-star prospect in the 2013 class, Kamara originally committed to the Crimson Tide out of Norcross High School in Georgia, coming to Alabama as arguably the No. 1 overall running back in that 2013 recruiting cycle.
Kamara would however spend only one season with the Crimson Tide in 2013 (did not play – redshirt), and would transfer to Hutchinson Community College in Kansas in 2014. After one season at Hutchinson, Kamara would commit to Tennessee as one of the headline names of the Volunteers 2015 class, coming to Knoxville as one of the top JUCO prospects in that class.
Kamara would go on to make an instant impact in Knoxville as well, rushing for 698 yards and seven touchdowns on 107 attempts in 2015. Ranking third in the SEC with a 6.5 YPC, Kamara would also catch a total of 34 passes for the Volunteers that season for a total of 291 yards and three touchdowns, while also making an impact on special teams where he returned a punt for a touchdown.
That success would carry over to the 2016 season as well with Kamara rushing for 596 yards and nine touchdowns on 103 attempts, as well as catching 40 passes for 392 yards and four more scores. Once again making an impact on special teams as well, Kamara’s 13 total touchdowns would also be a notable number, ranking third in the SEC that season among non-quarterbacks.
At seasons end, Kamara would declare for the 2017 NFL Draft where he was selected No. 67 overall by the New Orleans Saints, ending his Tennessee Football career. Looking back at his time overall with the Volunteers as well, Kamara would rush for a combined 1,294 yards and 16 touchdowns during his time in Knoxville, along with 683 yards and seven scores receiving.
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Since entering the NFL in 2017, Kamara has appeared in 73 games with the Saints, rushing for a total of 4,238 yards and 47 touchdowns on 912 attempts. A five-time Pro Bowler, Kamara has also caught 373 passes for 3,263 yards and 20 touchdowns during that span, and enters his sixth season with New Orleans in 2022.
