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KaVontae Turpin

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KaVontae Turpin
refer to caption
Turpin in 2022
No. 9 – Dallas Cowboys
Position:Wide receiver / Return specialist
Personal information
Born: (1996-08-02) August 2, 1996 (age 28)
Monroe, Louisiana, U.S.
Height:5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:153 lb (69 kg)
Career information
High school:Neville
College:TCU (2015–2018)
Undrafted:2019
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 7, 2024
Receptions:26
Receiving yards:265
Receiving touchdowns:4
Rushing yards:130
Rushing touchdowns:1
Return yards:1,579
Return touchdowns:1
Stats at Pro Football Reference

KaVontae Lamon Turpin[1] (born August 2, 1996) is an American professional football wide receiver and return specialist for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at TCU.

Turpin joined the New Jersey Generals for the 2022 USFL season. He was the USFL MVP for the season. He played in the European League of Football for the Wroclaw Panthers from Poland in 2021.[2]

Early life

[edit]

Turpin went to Neville High School in his home town Monroe east of Shreveport, Louisiana.[3][4] As a senior, he had 1,928 all-purpose yards, including 904 rushing and 724 receiving, and 29 touchdowns. He received All-state, All-Northeast Louisiana and All-NELA Big School Offensive Player of the Year honors.

He was a three-star recruit and no. 12 prospect from all of Louisiana.[5] On January 25, 2015, he committed to TCU over another scholarship offer from Texas Tech.[6] He played varsity basketball as a guard, averaging 12.9 points per game between his junior and senior years.

College career

[edit]

2015 season

[edit]
See also: 2015 TCU Horned Frogs football team

Turpin accepted a football scholarship from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. As a true freshman, he started in five of 13 games. On October 5, he was named Big 12 Co-Offensive Player of the Week, after posting career-best totals of 6 receptions for 138 yards and four receiving touchdowns in the Horned Frogs' 50–7 win over the University of Texas. The four touchdown receptions were the most by a freshman in Big 12 history.[7] He injured his neck and shoulder in the seventh game against Iowa State University and missed the remainder of the contest.

Turpin had 7 receptions for 107 yards and one touchdown in the ninth game against Oklahoma State University.[8] In the twelfth game against Baylor University, he made a game-winning 8-yard catch in the second overtime. He finished the season with 45 receptions (freshman school record), 649 receiving yards (freshman school record), 8 receiving touchdowns (freshman school record), 1,675 all-purpose yards (led the team) and averaged 15.3 yards every time he touched the ball.[9]

He was second in the Big 12 and tied for 14th nationally with his 27-yard average in kickoff returns, the highest mark by a Horned Frog since Greg McCoy in 2011 (30.6). He was the only player in the nation to rank in the top 25 in both kickoff and punt returns. He was named freshman All-American by the FWAA and honorable-mention All-Big 12 selection as a return specialist.[10]

2016 season

[edit]
See also: 2016 TCU Horned Frogs football team

As a sophomore, Turpin was limited by injuries, appearing in eight games while registering 30 receptions for 295 yards and one receiving touchdown.[11] He averaged 16.2 yards on punt returns and 30.8 on kickoff returns. He was one of five players nationally with a punt return and kickoff return for a touchdown. On September 6, he was named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week after having an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown (sixth longest in school history) in the season opener against South Dakota State while also having 7 receptions for 62 yards, 177 all-purpose yards (82 punt returns, 62 receiving, 33 rushing).[12]

On September 12, he was named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week after totaling 169 return yards (33 punt, 136 kickoff), including a career-long 64-yard kickoff return with less than a minute to play in the game to put the offense in position for a potential game-winning field goal, while also tying a career-high with seven receptions for 126 yards and having a career-high best 295 all-purpose yards (136 kickoff returns, 33 punt returns, 126 receiving).[13] His 90-yard punt return for a score in the sixth game against the University of Kansas, tied for the second-longest in school history.

2017 season

[edit]
See also: 2017 TCU Horned Frogs football team

As a junior, he appeared in all 14 games with three starts, registering 41 receptions for 394 yards, one receiving touchdown, and 1,202 all-purpose yards.[14] He returned a punt for a touchdown in win over the University of Kansas, returned a kickoff for a touchdown against Iowa State University and threw a touchdown in a win over West Virginia University, becoming only the fifth player in the previous 10 seasons with that stat line. He was named Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week against the University of Kansas for returning three punts for 95 yards and a touchdown. He was named first-team All-Big 12 kick and punt returner, a first-team AP All-Big 12 (all-purpose), honorable-mention All-Big 12 as a wide receiver and honorable-mention Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year.[5]

2018 season

[edit]
See also: 2018 TCU Horned Frogs football team

As a senior, Turpin played much of the season[15] with a warrant out for his arrest from failure to appear to a domestic violence charge in New Mexico.[16] Gary Patterson and the TCU Coaching staff were aware of the spring break arrest, but failed to investigate it and claim they did not know about the outstanding warrant.[17] He was second on the team in receptions (29), receiving yards (410) and receiving touchdowns (three).[18][19] He also returned a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns, and his punt-return average of 19.4 yards per attempt tied for the FBS lead. On September 10, he was named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week, after having a 78-yard punt return for a touchdown, making it the fourth of his career and a school record.[20] On October 9, he returned a kickoff for a 98-yard touchdown against the University of Oklahoma, making it his sixth career return (four punts, two kickoffs) for a touchdown, which was also a school record.

Domestic violence charges

[edit]

On October 23, he was dismissed from the team for two domestic violence charges.[21] At the time, he was leading the nation by averaging almost 20 yards per punt return. He finished his college career as arguably the school's greatest returner: His four punt returns for a touchdown and six career special teams touchdowns were the most in TCU history.[5]

College statistics

[edit]
Legend
Bold Career high
Season GP Receiving Rushing Kick returns Punt returns
Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD Ret Yds Avg TD Ret Yds Avg TD
2015 13 45 649 14.4 8 20 116 5.8 0 27 729 27.0 0 17 181 10.6 1
2016 8 30 295 9.8 1 9 84 9.3 0 17 482 28.4 0 10 125 12.5 1
2017 14 41 394 9.6 1 11 86 7.8 2 15 462 30.8 1 16 260 16.3 1
2018 7 29 410 14.1 3 4 32 8.0 0 12 312 26.0 1 9 175 19.4 1
Career 42 145 1,748 12.1 13 44 318 7.2 2 71 1,985 28.0 2 52 741 14.3 4

College accolades

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Awards and honors

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National
Big 12 Conference
  • 2× Honorable-Mention Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year (2016, 2017)
  • Honorable-Mention Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year (2015)
  • First-Team AP All-Big 12 – All-Purpose (2017)
  • First-Team ESPN All-Big 12 – Punt Returner (2015)
  • First-Team All-Big 12 – Kick & Punt Returner (2017)
  • 2× Honorable Mention All-Big 12 – Return Specialist (2015, 2016)
  • Honorable Mention All-Big 12 – Wide Receiver (2017)
  • Preseason All-Big 12 – Return Specialist (2017)
  • Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week (1× 2015)
  • Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week (2× 2016, 1× 2017)

Records

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Big 12 Conference
  • 1st – Average yards per punt return (Big 12 Championship Game): 50.2
  • 1st – Receiving touchdowns (freshman game): 4
  • 4th – Average yards per kick return (career): 20.8
  • 5th – Average yards per punt return (career): 14.3
  • 6th – Punt return touchdowns (career): 4 (tied, Phillip Brooks)
Texas Christian University
  • 9th – Most receiving touchdowns (career): 13
  • 7th – Most receiving touchdowns (season): 8 (2015)
  • 1st – Highest average yards per reception (game): 86.0 (2015)
  • 2nd – Most punt return touchdowns (career): 4
  • 4th – Highest average yards per punt return (career): 14.2
  • 2nd – Highest average yards per punt return (game): 41.0 (2016)


  • 1st – Kick returns (career): 71 (tied, Cory Rodgers)
  • 1st – Kick return yards (career): 1,985
  • 1st – Combined kick and punt return yards (career): 2,726
  • 1st – Combined kick and punt return touchdowns (career): 6 (tied, Derius Davis)
  • 1st – Receptions (freshman season): 45
  • 1st – Receiving yards (freshman season): 649
  • 1st – Receiving touchdowns (freshman season): 8

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
5 ft 8+7⁄8 in
(1.75 m) 		158 lb
(72 kg) 		29+5⁄8 in
(0.75 m) 		7+3⁄4 in
(0.20 m)		 4.31 s 1.65 s 2.61 s 4.25 s 6.65 s 40.0 in
(1.02 m)		 10 ft 9 in
(3.28 m)		 2 reps
All values from Pro Day[22]

Frisco Fighters

[edit]

In 2019, Turpin was ruled ineligible to participate in TCU's Pro Day, forcing him to hold his own workout, where he put up a 40-yard dash time of 4.31 seconds.[23] After not being selected in the 2019 NFL draft and not getting an opportunity to play in two years because of off-the-field problems, he signed with the Frisco Fighters of the Indoor Football League in 2020. However, he never played a game with the team as the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

FCF Glacier Boyz

[edit]

Turpin joined the FCF Glacier Boyz for the 2021 inaugural season.[24] He posted 13 receptions for 223 yards and 4 receiving touchdowns over the 6-game season.

The Spring League

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In 2021, he signed with the Sea Lions of The Spring League (TSL). He appeared in 6 games and was tied for second in the league with 3 receiving touchdowns.

Panthers Wrocław

[edit]

In August 2021 season, the Panthers Wrocław of the European League of Football (ELF) based in Poland, signed him mid-season as a replacement for injured running back Mark Herndon.[25] There he won 3 out of 4 regular season games with an important win over the Hamburg Sea Devils, where he registered 293 yards of total offense and two touchdowns. He finished the regular season with 702 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns. In the semi-final on the road, Turpin and the Panthers lost 27 to 30 in a close game against the Sea Devils. On November 2, the franchise re-signed him for the 2022 season, but he instead opted to be eligible for the draft of the newly founded USFL.[26]

New Jersey Generals

[edit]
See also: 2022 New Jersey Generals season

Turpin was selected by the New Jersey Generals in the 13th round (103rd overall) of the 2022 USFL draft. He appeared in 10 games (seven starts), making 44 receptions (2nd) for 540 yards (1st), four receiving touchdowns (2nd), 23 carries for 129 yards, one rushing touchdown, 921 all-purpose yards (4th), 12 punt returns (3rd) for 184 yards (1st), and a touchdown (1st). He was named the league's Most Valuable Player of the inaugural USFL season.[27]

Dallas Cowboys

[edit]

On July 27, 2022, Turpin signed a three-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL.[28] On August 20, 2022, in the second pre-season game played at SoFi Stadium against the Los Angeles Chargers, Turpin scored two touchdowns: the first on a 98-yard kickoff return in the first quarter and the second on an 86-yard punt return in the second quarter, thus paving the way for a 32–18 Cowboys victory. Turpin also added one rush attempt for seven yards during the game.[29] Turpin was active for all 17 games during the regular season and both games during the postseason. He finished the regular season with one catch for nine yards, three rush attempts for 17 yards, and 508 kick return yards as well as 303 punt return yards.[30] On December 21, 2022, Turpin was named to the Pro Bowl.[31] In the postseason, Turpin added one catch for eight yards, 155 kick return yards, and seven punt return yards to those totals.[32][33]

On September 10, 2023, Turpin scored his first NFL touchdown against the New York Giants where he rushed for seven yards. The Cowboys won the game 40–0.[34]

In Week 12 of the 2024 season, Turpin had a 99–yard kick return touchdown that helped the Cowboys defeat the Washington Commanders, 34–26.[35]

Professional statistics

[edit]
Legend
Led the league
Bold Career best

FCF

[edit]
Regular season
Year Team Games Receiving Rushing Kickoff returns Punt returns
GP GS Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD Ret Yds Avg TD Ret Yds Avg TD
2021 GLA 4 4 11 197 17.9 4 — — —
FCF career 4 4 11 197 17.9 4 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0 0

TSL

[edit]
Regular season
Year Team Games Receiving Rushing Kickoff returns Punt returns
GP GS Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD Ret Yds Avg TD Ret Yds Avg TD
2021 SL 6 6 17 240 14.1 3 — — —
TSL career 6 6 17 240 14.1 3 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0 0

ELF

[edit]
Regular season
Year Team Games Receiving Rushing Kickoff returns Punt returns
GP GS Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD Ret Yds Avg TD Ret Yds Avg TD
2021 PAN 4 4 22 253 11.5 4 7 47 6.7 1 6 160 26.7 0 4 72 18.0 0
ELF career 4 4 22 253 11.5 4 7 47 6.7 1 6 160 26.7 0 4 72 18.0 0
Postseason
Year Team Games Receiving Rushing Kickoff returns Punt returns
GP GS Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD Ret Yds Avg TD Ret Yds Avg TD
2021 PAN 1 1 10 121 12.1 2 1 7 7.0 0 1 42 42.0 0 —
ELF career 1 1 10 121 12.1 2 1 7 7.0 0 1 42 42.0 0 0 0 0.0 0

USFL

[edit]
Regular season
Year Team Games Receiving Rushing Kickoff returns Punt returns
GP GS Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD Ret Yds Avg TD Ret Yds Avg TD
2022 NJG 10 7 44 540 12.3 4 23 129 5.6 1 3 68 22.7 0 12 184 15.3 1
USFL career 10 7 44 540 12.3 4 23 129 5.6 1 3 68 22.7 0 12 184 15.3 1
Postseason
Year Team Games Receiving Rushing Kickoff returns Punt returns
GP GS Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD Ret Yds Avg TD Ret Yds Avg TD
2022 NJG 1 1 3 20 6.7 0 2 3 1.5 0 — 1 78 78.0 1
USFL career 1 1 3 20 6.7 0 2 3 1.5 0 0 0 0.0 0 1 78 78.0 1

NFL

[edit]
Regular season
Year Team Games Receiving Rushing Kick returns Punt returns
GP GS Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD Ret Yds Avg TD Ret Yds Avg TD
2022 DAL 17 0 1 9 9.0 0 3 17 5.7 0 21 508 24.2 0 29 303 10.4 0
2023 DAL 16 0 12 127 10.6 3 11 110 10.0 1 10 292 29.2 0 13 79 6.1 0
2024 DAL 6 1 13 129 9.9 1 4 3 0.8 0 7 301 43.0 0 5 96 19.2 1
NFL career 34 0 13 136 10.5 3 14 127 9.1 1 32 834 26.1 0 47 478 10.2 1
Postseason
Year Team Games Receiving Rushing Kick returns Punt returns
GP GS Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD Ret Yds Avg TD Ret Yds Avg TD
2022 DAL 2 0 1 8 8.0 0 0 0 0.0 0 5 155 31.0 0 2 7 3.5 0
2023 DAL 1 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0 0 5 127 25.4 0 0 0 0.0 0
NFL career 3 0 1 8 8.0 0 0 0 0.0 0 10 282 28.2 0 2 7 3.5 0

Personal life

[edit]

Domestic violence charges

[edit]

In 2019, Turpin pleaded guilty in a second family violence case against his former girlfriend which occurred in October 2018. He was cut from the TCU football program by Gary Patterson shortly after he was informed of this second battery charge against him.[36] Despite Patterson and the TCU Coaching staff knowing about his previous assault, he was allowed to continue to play throughout the 2018 season until he committed the second offense against the same woman.[17] As part of his plea agreement, he served two years deferred adjudication probation and completed a 27-week Partner Abuse Intervention Program.[37]

Notes

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  1. ^ Selected as a return specialist
  2. ^ Selected as a wide receiver and punt returner
  3. ^ Selected as a kick returner
  4. ^ Selected as a all-purpose / return specialist

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Plunkett, Jamie (October 22, 2018). "TCU standout WR/KR KaVontae Turpin arrested for alleged assault of a family member". Frogs O' War. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  2. ^ Clinton, Bryan (June 22, 2022). "Former TCU WR KaVontae Turpin Wins USFL MVP". Heartland College Sports. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  3. ^ Hunsucker, Adam (December 24, 2014). "Neville's Turpin no longer Louisiana's best kept secret". The News-Star. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  4. ^ Demirdjian, Chris (December 22, 2022). "Neville High School alum, Cowboys star, KaVontae Turpin makes NFL Pro Bowl". KTVE. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "KaVontae Turpin". TCU Horned Frogs Athletics. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  6. ^ "KaVontae Turpin – Football – TCU Athletics". 247sports.com. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  7. ^ "Turpin Named Big 12 Player of the Week". TCU Horned Frogs Athletics. October 5, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  8. ^ "Texas Christian at Oklahoma State Box Score, November 7, 2015". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  9. ^ "KaVontae Turpin 2015 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  10. ^ "Turpin Named Freshman All-American". TCU Horned Frogs Athletics. January 11, 2016. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  11. ^ "KaVontae Turpin 2016 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  12. ^ "Hill and Turpin Receive Big 12 Honors". TCU Horned Frogs Athletics. September 6, 2016. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  13. ^ "Turpin Repeats on Big 12 Weekly Honor". TCU Horned Frogs Athletics. September 12, 2016. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  14. ^ "KaVontae Turpin 2017 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  15. ^ "2018 Football Schedule". University of Texas Athletics. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  16. ^ Vaglio, Robbie; Post, Colin (October 22, 2018). "UPDATE: Turpin was arrested in March for assault of a family member". TCU360.com. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
  17. ^ a b Vaglio, Robbie (October 23, 2018). "UPDATE: TCU should have known about Turpin's New Mexico battery charge". TCU360.com. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
  18. ^ "2018 TCU Horned Frogs Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  19. ^ "KaVontae Turpin 2018 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  20. ^ "Turpin Named Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week". TCU Horned Frogs Athletics. September 10, 2018. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  21. ^ "TCU WR Turpin dismissed from team". Sports Illustrated. October 23, 2018. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  22. ^ "2019 Draft Scout Kavontae Turpin, Texas Christian NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  23. ^ Davison, Drew (March 29, 2019). "TCU football: Inside KaVontae Turpin's personal pro day". Star-Telegram.com. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  24. ^ Knox, Kristopher (February 12, 2021). "FCF 2021 Week 1 Rosters, Schedule, Live Stream and Format". BleacherReport.com. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  25. ^ Malchow, Alex (August 9, 2021). "ELF: Wroclaw Panthers add WR/KR KaVontae Turpin". AmericanFootballInternational.com. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  26. ^ Malchow, Alex (November 2, 2021). "ELF: Wroclaw Panthers re-sign WR/KR Kavontae Turpin". AmericanFootballInternational.com. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  27. ^ "USFL Awards 2022: Generals WR Kavontae Turpin Named MVP". FOX Sports. June 22, 2022. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  28. ^ Fisher, Mike (July 27, 2022). "Cowboys EXCLUSIVE: Dallas to Sign USFL MVP KaVontae Turpin – Sources". SI.com. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
  29. ^ "Turpin Time: Rookie Returner Dominates Chargers". Dallas Cowboys. August 21, 2022. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  30. ^ "KaVontae Turpin 2022 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  31. ^ "When Jerry Jones told KaVontae Turpin he made the Pro Bowl, Turpin feared he was getting cut". December 23, 2022.
  32. ^ "Wild Card – Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – January 16th, 2023". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  33. ^ "Divisional Round – Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers – January 22nd, 2023". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  34. ^ Schultz, Adam (September 12, 2023). "Cowboys KaVontae Turpin Reacts to First TD: 'I Needed That!'". SI.com. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  35. ^ "Cowboys' KaVontae Turpin feels like 'fastest person on this planet' after kick return TD in win vs. Commanders". cbssports.com. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  36. ^ "Former TCU Football Player KaVonte Turpin Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Girlfriend". NBCDFW.com. April 29, 2019. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  37. ^ Williams, Charean (July 28, 2022). "Cowboys sign USFL MVP KaVontae Turpin, cut Nick Ralston". NBC Sports. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
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