A former backup linebacker who was pressed into duty at running back out of necessity at Wyoming and never looked back.
Sam Scott arrived at Wyoming as a three-star linebacker prospect and special teamer before a roster shortage at running back turned him into a rushing threat. He went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft and signed with the Jets on a contract with minimal guarantees, using standout pro day testing numbers to get his foot in the door.
Path to the league
Scott signed with Wyoming as a three-star linebacker recruit and spent his early career as a backup and special-teamer on defense. When the Cowboys were short on healthy bodies at running back late in his freshman year, he moved to offense for the team's bowl game, and the position switch stuck for the rest of his college career.
Career highlights
Over his final three seasons at Wyoming, Scott rushed for more than 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns while adding 34 receptions out of the backfield, production built on an unconventional path from linebacker to feature back. At his pro day he posted a 40.5-inch vertical jump, a 134-inch broad jump, a 6.83 three-cone drill and a 40-yard dash under 4.5 seconds, numbers that stood out among draft-eligible backs.
2025 season recap
Scott closed his Wyoming career as a full-time contributor in the backfield, continuing to add to his career rushing and receiving totals in a run-heavy Cowboys offense. He went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft and signed with the Jets as one of the team's first undrafted free agents, reportedly on a deal with only about $5,000 in guaranteed money.
Sources
- ESPN: Sam Scott player page
- ESPN: Sam Scott bio
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Running Back
- Group
- offense
- College
- Wyoming
- Hometown
- Omaha, NE, USA
- Age
- 23
- Status
- active
