Dameon Pierce is a running back for the Houston Texans. He played college football for Florida before being drafted in the 2022 NFL draft. The Texans are not one of the finest teams in the NFL for a while, and the upcoming season isn’t looking like it’s going to be much better—But Pierce has something unique that might just be what the Texans need to push higher.
This is a comprehensive profile on Pierce, an up-and-coming hotshot who holds a lot of promise not just for the Texans but for the NFL in the coming years.
Life
Pierce grew up in Georgia and, as a senior, rushed for 2,123 yards with 32 touchdowns. His high school finished with a respectable 6,779 rushing yards, and 92 touchdowns—Rating him four-star, which got him offers from seven schools.
Apart from the fact that he has a dog named Huncho, Pierce hasn’t shown much interest in life on social media, even after his signing with the NFL.
And did you know that he’s also a fan of making NFL prop bets? Pierce said, “Either [Jalen] Hurts on a QB sneak on the goal line, or Travis Kelce red zone TF.” on being asked for his favorites for a prop bet. Those are pretty neat predictions!
On that note, the Eagles are certainly in good form, and it just shows Pierce’s honesty when he comes out with his opinion. For example, the team has been set odds of -210 in their match against the New England Patriots (+175) and of -290 in their match against the New York Giants (+240).
College Career
Pierce’s collegiate performance improved gradually over the years. He rushed for 424 yards and two touchdowns in his freshman season. In sophomore season, he scaled his yards down to 305 but had four touchdowns to his name.
It’s also noteworthy at this point that Dameon Pierce played on special teams during his first couple of seasons.
He led the Gators with 503 rushing yards, four touchdowns, and catching 17 passes in his junior year. The senior season was even better, with Pierce scoring 13 touchdowns on 100 carries.
Throughout his four college years, he rushed for 1,806 yards with 23 touchdowns. His receiving yards were 422, with 5 touchdowns.
Professional Career
Pierce was the 107th overall pick for the 2022 NFL draft’s 4th round at the age of 22 as a backup for Marlon Mack. His NFL debut was against the Indianapolis Colts, where he had 11 carries for 33 rushing yards. The match was a 20-20 tie.
Dameon Pierce’s first touchdown in professional football came in Week 3 of the 2022 season against the Chicago Bears on a one-yard rush.
Sadly, he received an ankle injury in Week 13 against the Dallas Cowboys, and his season was cut off. In total, he finished with 939 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
Playstyle
Dameon Pierce has consistently displayed his talent as a versatile running back. He’s capable of both power running and agility to evade oncoming defenders. While he was playing college football for the Florida Gators, he earned remarkable playing time and even made some very notable contributions to the team’s overall defense.
His playstyle has improved significantly since his Gators days, and now, he is one of the core components of the Houston Texans. He might not be the team’s star player or key offense—But he’s critical for the team to stay in rhythm.
Pierce’s contributions to the Texans have made him one of the rising stars in the NFL. Professionally, he still has a long way to go as his stats lag compared to many others who were drafted in the same year and position—But he has shown a tenacity that cannot be overlooked.
He was called one of the NFL’s “most exciting rushers” for fantasy football by PFF. As one of the biggest ADP risers a season ago, Pierce proved to be a worthy pick for the duration he was healthy.
It’s also important to note that football is a team sport, and individual performance, except in very few cases, doesn’t amount to much if the overall team lacks strategy. The Texans have made some significant changes in the coaching staff, and it’s still unclear how exactly this will impact the team’s offense.
If all goes well, then we can easily see Pierce being an integral part of the offensive strategy. But if things backfire, then he might not get the time to shine properly, regardless of his potential or latent talent.
In Conclusion
Pierce had a pretty strong start in his first preseason match. He showcased his excellent talent with five rushes for 49 yards and two avoided tackles. This was nothing short of impressive for a rookie, and as expected, it secured him the starting job for the next games.
His performance in the next weeks was quite powerful. He dominated playing time on first and second downs before getting out of the season due to his ankle injury.
He can make big plays that set him apart from other rookie running backs. Sure, his receiving needs some work—But we have high hopes for Pierce, and we believe that the 2023 NFL season will be a huge boost to his professional stats.
You might also be interested in Texans’ Eddie George’s net worth.
