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Kalel Mullings

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Kalel Mullings
Mullings with Michigan following the 2023 Big Ten Championship
Michigan Wolverines – No. 20
PositionRunning back
ClassSenior
Personal information
Born: (2002-10-04) October 4, 2002 (age 22)
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight239 lb (108 kg)
Career history
College
Bowl games
High schoolMilton Academy (Milton, Massachusetts)
Career highlights and awards

Kalel Mullings (born October 4, 2002) is an American football running back for the Michigan Wolverines. He won three consecutive Big Ten Conference titles and a national championship in 2023.

Early life and high school

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Mullings grew up in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, and attended high school at Milton Academy. In Mullings’ junior season, he rushed for 371 yards and 22 touchdowns,[1] while also notching 289 yard and four touchdowns through the air.[2]

In Mullings’ senior season, he rushed for 509 yards and 12 touchdowns, as well as 33 receptions for 358 yards and five touchdowns. He also returned a punt for a touchdown. On defense Mullings made 51 tackles, four sacks, and had three interceptions.[3] For his performance on the season, he was named the 2019 Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year.[4] Mullings was rated as a four-star recruit, and the No. 92 overall ranked high school player in the country in 2020.[5] Mullings committed to play college football at Michigan, over schools such as Clemson, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Stanford.[6][7]

College career

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Freshman and sophomore seasons (2020-2021)

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Mullings with Michigan in 2021

Mullings enrolled at the University of Michigan in 2020, playing in all six games on special teams and recording one tackle.[8] In 2021, Mullings appeared in 13 games on special teams and linebacker, registering 11 tackles.[9]

Junior season (2022)

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In 2022, Mullings made the switch from linebacker to running back mid season. This was in large part due to late season injuries to Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards. Mullings saw immediate action, helping fill the void.

In Michigan's season finale versus rival Ohio State, Mullings would convert a big third down pass for 15 yards to Luke Schoonmaker, and help the Wolverines extend their drive and take a two score lead to beat the Buckeyes.[10]

In the Big Ten Championship Game, Mullings rushed for his first two career touchdowns, helping Michigan win the Big Ten as they beat Purdue.[11] In the Fiesta Bowl, Mullings would rush for a 1-yard touchdown, but he would also have a costly fumble at the goal line recovered by TCU.[12]

Mullings finished the 2022 season with 14 carries for 31 yards and three touchdowns, also making 12 tackles.[13]

Senior season(s) (2023-2024)

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In 2023, Mullings’ first full season as a running back, he earned the third most carries on Michigan's national championship team. He finished the season with 36 carries for 222 yards and a touchdown. He also caught two passes for 32 yards, including a key 19 yard reception along the sideline in the 2024 Rose Bowl victory versus Alabama.[14]

In 2024, Mullings returned for a fifth season and was voted as an alternate team captain.[15] In his first game of the season versus Fresno State, Mullings was Michigan’s leading rusher with a career high 15 carries for 92 yards.[16][17][18] In week three versus Arkansas State, Mullings surpassed his career high again, rushing 15 times for 153 yards and two touchdowns.[19] Mullings continued to play a large role in week four against USC, where he once again tallied a new career high, rushing 17 times for 159 yards and two touchdowns; including a 63-yard rush and the game-winning, last-minute touchdown run on the final drive.[20][21] In week five against Minnesota, Mullings rushed for his third straight 100 yard game with two touchdowns, carrying the ball 24 times for 111 yards.[22] In doing so, Mullings was awarded the week five Big Ten co-offensive player of the week.[23]

In week eight against Illinois, Mullings had 19 rushes for 87 yards and a touchdown; his seventh rushing score of the season.[24] In week thirteen versus Northwestern, Mullings rushed twelve times for 92 yards and a career-high three touchdown runs.[25] In the last week of the season against Ohio State, Mullings carried the ball 32 times for 116 yards and a touchdown, leading Michigan to a 13-10 win over their arch-rival. He finished his career 4-0 against the Ohio State Buckeyes.[26]

Mullings finished the 2024 season as the Wolverines leading rusher, carrying the ball 185 times for 948 yards with 12 touchdowns, and was named a third-team All-Big Ten selection.[27] In December 2024, Mullings formally declared for the 2025 NFL draft and opted out of his final bowl game. In his five years at the University of Michigan, he won 49 games, three Big Ten championships, and was a national champion.[28] In total, Mullings appeared in 55 games on offense, defense and special teams, earning three career starts (two at running back and one at linebacker). He rushed for over 1,200 yards and scored 16 touchdowns.[29]

References

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  1. ^ Zuke, Ryan. "Linebacker Kalel Mullings adding a physical element to Michigan RB room". MLive.com. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  2. ^ Greenspan, Jared. "For Kalel Mullings, running back is nothing new". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  3. ^ Souza, Scott. "Milton Academy's Kalel Mullings Named Gatorade Player Of Year". Patch. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  4. ^ "H.S. FOOTBALL: Milton Academy's Mullings named Gatorade Player of Year". The Patriot Ledger. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  5. ^ "Kalel Mullings Recruiting Profile". Rivals.
  6. ^ Sang, Orion. "Michigan football recruiting: Linebacker Kalel Mullings commits". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  7. ^ McMann, Aaron. "Massachusetts' No. 1-ranked recruit just committed to Michigan". MLive.com. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  8. ^ "Kalal Mullings 2020 Game Logs". Sports Reference. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  9. ^ "Kalel Mullings 2021 Game Logs". Sports Reference. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  10. ^ Bricker, Grant. "Kalel Mullings QB1? Michigan RB throws jump pass to convert on 3rd down". Saturday Tradition. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  11. ^ Garcia, Tony. "Michigan races past Purdue with another second-half surge to claim second Big Ten title in a row". USA Today. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  12. ^ McMann, Aaron. "Michigan RB Kalel Mullings 'disappointed in myself' after goal-line fumble". MLive.com. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  13. ^ "Kalel Mullings 2022 Game Logs". Sports Reference. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  14. ^ "Kalel Mullings". University of Michigan.
  15. ^ "Michigan football's 4 captains for 2024 aim to follow blueprint for success". Mlive.
  16. ^ "Kalel Mullings becoming more than just a RB for Michigan". MLive.
  17. ^ "Kalel Mullings steals the show as Michigan's leading rusher against Fresno State". The Michigan Daily.
  18. ^ "Michigan v. Fresno State (2024)". ESPN.
  19. ^ "Michigan v. Arkansas State (2024)". ESPN.
  20. ^ "Michigan 27-24 USC (Sep 21, 2024) Game Recap". ESPN. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  21. ^ "Kalel Mullings' Late TD Lifts No. 18 Michigan to 27-24 win over No. 11 USC". FOX Sports.
  22. ^ "Michigan v. Minnesota (2024)". ESPN.
  23. ^ "Michigan, Oregon, Penn State and Ohio State Earn Weekly Football Honors". Big Ten.
  24. ^ "Michigan v. Illinois (2024)". ESPN.
  25. ^ "Michigan v. Northwestern (2024)". ESPN.
  26. ^ "Michigan v. Ohio State (2024)". ESPN.
  27. ^ "Big Ten Announces Football All-Conference Teams and Individual Awards". Big Ten Conference.
  28. ^ "Michigan football practice observations: RB Kalel Mullings declares for NFL draft". Detroit Free Press.
  29. ^ "Kalel Mullings". University of Michigan Athletics.
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