17–0
83Overall
RBBig Ten

Rashard Mendenhall

Illinois · Running Back · 2005-07

SPD
84
ELU
77
PWR
82

Game attribute ratings

Scouting Report

Mendenhall was a first-team All-American on at least one selector's team in 2007 and a first-team all-conference pick in 2007. Mendenhall was also named Big Ten Conference Graham–George Offensive Player of the Year in 2007.

Mendenhall's 2007 season ranks No. 1 in program history for rushing touchdowns.

Mendenhall was the No. 23 overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft.

In 17-0 that career earns a 83 overall, the 2nd-highest running back rating at Illinois since 1990 and No. 18 among all running backs of the 2005-2009 era.

Honors & Awards

  1. 2007
    • First-team All-American
    • Big Ten Conference Graham–George Offensive Player of the Year
    • First-team all-conference
  2. 2008
    • No. 23 overall pick, NFL Draft

Illinois Record Book

  • No. 1 in single-season rushing touchdowns (2007)
  • No. 2 in single-season rushing yards (2007)

Top-10 entries in the program's career and single-season lists.

Illinois Teammates

  1. 90Mikel Leshoure2008-10RB
  2. 86Jeremy Leman2003-07LB
  3. 74A.J. Jenkins2008-11WR
  4. 74Arrelious Benn2007-09WR
  5. 74Juice Williams2006-09QB
  6. 74Vontae Davis2006-08CB
  7. 72Brit Miller2005-08LB
  8. 69Will Davis2006-08EDGE
  9. 68Michael Hoomanawanui2009TE
  10. 68Pierre Thomas2003-06RB

Full Illinois all-time roster

Top Running Backs of the 2005-2009 Era

  1. 98Reggie BushUSC · 2003-05RB
  2. 96Adrian PetersonOklahoma · 2004-06RB
  3. 95Mark Ingram IIAlabama · 2008-10RB
  4. 93Darren McFaddenArkansas · 2005-07RB
  5. 91Toby GerhartStanford · 2006-09RB
  6. 91LaMichael JamesOregon · 2009-11RB
  7. 90C.J. SpillerClemson · 2006-09RB
  8. 90Shonn GreeneIowa · 2006-08RB

Best college running backs since 1990Best Big Ten players

Sources: Wikipedia (Rashard Mendenhall) and its All-America, all-conference, award and program statistical-leader pages; season statistics and NFL Draft data from CollegeFootballData.com. Ratings are 17-0's own estimates, graded within each era. How ratings work.