Darren McFadden

Full Name :

Darren McFadden (born August 27, 1987 in North Little Rock, Arkansas) is the 2006 All-American starting tailback for the University of Arkansas and the 2006 Doak Walker Award winner as the nation's top running back, the first sophomore to ever win the award. He also finished runner-up in voting for the 2006 Heisman Trophy. He has two years of NCAA eligibility remaining.

McFadden attended Oak Grove High School in North Little Rock, where he was a Parade Magazine All-American in 2004, and was also named the Arkansas High School player of the year by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. During his time at Oak Grove, McFadden would occasionally line up at the quarterback position, a skill which he is using now at Arkansas in the "Wildhog" formation.

Throughout his 2 college years, McFadden has already eclipsed many records in University of Arkansas Razorback football, the largest perhaps being the most yards in a single season, accomplished in his sophomore year. In 2006 he won the Doak Walker Award, he also came in second for the Heisman award of 2006. As of November 4, 2007 he has become the all-time leading rusher in school history, with 4,076 yards in 34 career games. McFadden also owns the school record for most career games with at least 100 yards rushing, with 19.

2005
In 2005, his true freshman season, McFadden rushed for 1,113 yards and 11 touchdowns on 176 attempts, earning Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year honors. McFadden was an integral part of an Arkansas offense, that, although going 4-7, lost to top ranked teams such as Georgia and LSU only in the closing seconds of those games. Although being a backup for the first 2 games of the season, and even gathering interest from defensive coordinator Reggie Herring to become a safety, a position he also played in high school, McFadden stuck with his position at running back.

Throughout the season, McFadden transformed into the breakout star he would soon become, rushing for long touchdowns in several games. McFadden ended the season with the most yards a freshman running back had ever gained in an Arkansas uniform, and became one of only two Southeastern Conference players to rush over 1,000 yards as a freshman, the other being former Heisman Trophy winner University of Georgia running back Herschel Walker. McFadden continued through spring practice early the next year as the number one running back on the Razorback depth chart, a spot doubtful he will relinquish while still on the campus.

2006
In 2006, despite a slow start due to a dislocated toe from an off the field incident at a night club in Little Rock, McFadden rushed for a school-record 1,647 yards, scored 14 touchdowns, and threw for 3 more touchdowns on just 9 passing attempts, becoming a first-team All-American. Thanks to his efforts, Arkansas streaked to 10 straight wins, the SEC Western Division Championship, but lost to Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl on January 1, 2007.

On December 6, 2006, McFadden was named 1 of 3 finalists for the Heisman Trophy, along with Troy Smith (Ohio State University) and Brady Quinn (University of Notre Dame). The next day, McFadden became the first sophomore to win the Doak Walker Award, given annually to the nation's top running back. In the final 2006 Heisman vote, McFadden placed second behind Smith and several points in front of Quinn. McFadden is one of the leading contenders for the 2007 Heisman.

Standing at 6 feet 2 inches tall, weighing 215 pounds, and possessing 4.3 second speed in the 40-yard dash, McFadden recently surpassed Madre Hill as the record holder for most rushing yards in a season at the University of Arkansas. He is also the centerpiece of the "Wildhog" formation, an offensive formation wherein he usually lines up as quarterback. Since McFadden often played quarterback in high school, he is a threat to either throw (7 of 9 on passing and 3 touchdowns), or more often, to run the ball. In this formation he also often hands off to another player, usually fellow running back Felix Jones, thus making the formation a triple threat. The "Wildcat" formation, as practiced at Arkansas, is also known nationally by some as the "501", McFadden's hometown telephone area code and the subject of a tattoo on his arm. The formation has since been officially renamed as the "WildHog" for the 2007 season.

2007
Before the 2007 season, McFadden was believed to be one of the top NFL draft picks after the 2007 season if he declared for the 2008 NFL Draft. In Sports Illustrated's website, a photo gallery chronicling the best possible candidates in the 2008 draft was tipped as the number 1 pick. McFadden was also predicted to be a front-runner for many awards, including the Doak Walker, the Maxwell, the Walter Camp Player of the Year, and the Heisman.

McFadden began the 2007 season with five consecutive games in which he gained at least 120 yards. Highlighting these were a 195 yard effort against Alabama, a 151 yard game against Troy, and a 173 yard effort against Kentucky. After this stretch of games, McFadden looked to be a lock for the Heisman trophy, at the top of generally every watch list. But in the next three weeks, McFadden tallied only 43, 110, and 61 yards against Auburn, Ole Miss, and Florida International, respectively. After these three games, McFadden had gone from being at the top of the lists, to near the bottom, or in some cases, off.

On November 3rd, 2007, McFadden tied the Southeastern Conference record with 321 yards rushing against the University of South Carolina. He also passed Emmitt Smith in the SEC all time rushing yards category.

On November 23, 2007, McFadden led Arkansas to a 50-48 3 overtime victory over the #1 ranked LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge, LA. McFadden rushed 32 times for 206 yards and 3 TD's, and completed 3 of 6 pass attempts for 34 yards and a passing TD.

McFadden is the third all-time in career rushing yards in the SEC (Southeastern Conference) with 4,485 yards, behind only Kevin Faulk of LSU (4,557), and Herschel Walker of Georgia (5,259) and is also currently tied for seventh place in the SEC with Charles Alexander of LSU for career TD's with 40. McFadden has 1,725 yards rushing on 304 carries and 15 TD's, plus he has thrown for 4 TD's, and has 1 TD reception. He leads the SEC and is third in the nation in rushing yards. He has also been named a finalist for the 2007 Doak Walker Award and the 2007 Maxwell Trophy, which is given to the most outstanding overall player in the nation.

McFadden is the most decorated player in school history, and holds many of the university rushing records, and is in a number of the SEC's all-time top 10 rushing spots.

After Arkansas lost 38-7 to Missouri (and fellow 2007 Heisman finalist QB Chase Daniel) in the January 1, 2008 Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, McFadden was expected by many to forgo his senior season and declared for the 2008 NFL Draft. Many early projections have him being taken in the first five picks, with some placing him as high as to be the first pick.

Enters into the NFL draft
On January 14th Mcfadden declared himself eligable for the NFL Draft and is pojected to go in the top 5 picks.

Combine
Former Arkansas running back Darren McFadden has been solidifying his status at the top running back in the 2008 NFL Draft.

McFadden, who came into the NFL combine predicted to be a top-five draft pick, ran a blazing unofficial 4.27 40-yard dash. His time was deemed a 4.33 officially, the second fastest time in the entire combine.

Did you know?

• Coach Jackson weighs in on array of topics
• Raiders head into final week with playoff hopes still alive for first time since 2002
• Oakland Raiders notebook: Once bright playoff hopes are now in trouble
• Oakland Raiders: Moving On
• Oakland Raider Rolando McClain charged with assault for allegedly shooting gun during fight
• Oakland Raiders Fans Look at Injuries: Yet Another Player Down?
• Raiders let Jackson address penalties
• Oakland Raiders fend off San Diego Chargers, move into first place in AFC West
• Oakland Raider Black Hole Fan Club works to change image
• Oakland Raiders' Denarius Moore Creeping to Top of Rookie Rankings
• Fans take: Will injuries hurt Oakland Raiders chances against Jets?
• Oakland Raiders NFL Report Card Week Two: Jason Campbell Gets a Passing Grade, Defense Struggles
• Oakland Raiders notebook: Wide receiver Derek Hagan surprisingly inactive for opener
• Oakland Raiders Roster Cuts: Trent Edwards, Shaun Bodiford, Matt Giordano Among Final Cuts
• Oakland Raiders defence springs leaks in pre-season
• Daily list: Oakland Raiders don't shy away from renegades
• Oakland Raiders training camp: Rookie WR Denarius Moore could start
• Oakland Raiders adjusting to life after Nnamdi Asomugha
• Raiders lock up LB Wimbley
• NFL Rumors: Will Randy Moss Be an Oakland Raider again in 2011?
• Training camp on the fly
• Getting to Know the Detroit Lions 2011 Opponents: Oakland Raiders
• Oakland Raiders May Have Landed Two of the Biggest Draft Steals in 2011
• Oakland Raiders' Rookie Taiwan Jones Gives Candid Interview
• Raiders' QB Jason Campbell is "Definitely the Guy"
• The Oakland Raiders Have What the New England Patriots Needed
• Silver and Black Stock Watch: Tight Ends
• Found the reason on why the Raiders were STIFF competition last year
• How prolonged work stoppage hurts Raiders
• Oakland still wheels, deals
• Oakland Raiders: Al Davis Still Leading the Way for the Silver and Black
• Next up for Raiders _ finding a D-coordinator
• Raiders owner Al Davis takes a shot at Detroit Lions' Calvin Johnson
• Raiders promote Hue Jackson to coach
• Could the Philadelphia Eagles Acquire Raiders Free Agent CB Nnamdi Asomugha?
• Raiders 'intrigued' with Josh McDaniels
• AFC South title in reach for Indy with win
• Oakland Raiders notebook: Team is cashing in on talents of rookie receiver Jacoby Ford