Deep Dynasty Stashes: Trey Sermon

Photo: Mark J. Rebilas, USA Today Sports

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This is the seventh edition of this summer series. Other players covered:

Deep Dynasty Stashes: Malik Davis
Deep Dynasty Stashes: Nyheim Hines
Deep Dynasty Stashes: Jeremy Ruckert
Deep Dynasty Stashes: Jeff Wilson
Deep Dynasty Stashes: Trayveon Williams
Deep Dynasty Stashes: Tyrion Davis-Price

"Then I can't say enough about Trey." At every opportunity, Nick Sirianni mentions Trey Sermon. It is easy to laugh off Sirianni's praise in dynasty fantasy football. Sermon was a hot commodity in 2021 rookie drafts, getting steamed up draft boards after landing in a San Francisco system it was believed any back could excel in. That did not happen, and Elijah Mitchell quickly passed Sermon. As the season progressed, Sermon fell behind Jeff Wilson and JaMycal Hasty, finding himself off the roster when the team added Jordan Mason and Tyrion Davis-Price in the 2022 offseason.

"We saw it every day in practice. Just the consistency, the athleticism, his quickness, his physicality. He's a big, good-looking guy, and we value that style of running that he has, and we saw that every day."

The Eagles overhauled their backfield in the offseason, adding D'Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny to a backfield that included Kenny Gainwell and Boston Scott. They have rightfully dominated headlines. Sermon has been an afterthought. Landscapes shift quickly. The combined single-season career highs in rushing attempts for Swift, Penny, Gainwell, and Scott total 425. Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott combined for 424 attempts in 2022.

Sermon can quickly go from a complete afterthought to a primary role in one of the most explosive offenses in football.

The Resume

Sermon was a composite four-star recruit in high school, the 12th-ranked running back in the 2017 class. Lower-ranked players in that class included Jonathan Taylor and Travis Etienne.

He made an immediate impact at Oklahoma, finishing second on the team with 744 rushing yards in his freshman season. But he struggled to capitalize on that early excitement, finishing third in rushing behind Kyler Murray and Kennedy Brooks in his second season and fourth behind Jalen Hurts, Brooks, and Rhamondre Stevenson in year three before transferring for his final year.

The transfer initially looked like a huge mistake in his one season at Ohio St. First, the announcement the Big Ten would cancel the season because of Covid looked to rob him of his opportunity. When the season started, Sermon looked to be behind again, this time behind Master Teague. Then the light came on. Sermon flashed against Michigan St, with 112 yards on ten attempts. But in the Big Ten Championship Game, with Justin Fields struggling, he stepped up huge and delivered a school single-game record 331 yards. This performance carried into the College Football Playoff with 193 yards against Clemson.

The run stopped in the first carry of the National Championship Game against Alabama. Sermon broke his collarbone and had to be rushed to the hospital. His college career and the Buckeye's National Championship hopes were over.