NFL Draft Profile: Seth McGowan

The 2026 NFL Draft is less than a week away. Personnel departments are locking in for the last weekend in April where the three-day mega-event in Pittsburgh will include 257 picks over seven rounds.

For the Kentucky football program, the Wildcats are scheduled to have a busy Day 2 and Day 3. There are a handful of players who could become draft selections. KSR is here to get the Big Blue Nation ready after being there every step of the way during the pre-draft process.

Before our yearly draft guide publishes on draft week at KSR+, profiles on every expected Kentucky draft pick will hit the world wide web in preparation for the biggest non-game event on the sports calendar.

A one-and-done transfer is up next.

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Player: Seth McGowan

• Height: 6002
• Weight: 223
• Age: 24.5
• Arm: 31 3/8″
• Hand: 9″
• 40-Yard Dash: 4.49
• 10-Yard Split: 1.60
• Short Shuttle: 4.40
• Vertical: 42 1/2″
• Broad Jump: 10’11″
• Bench: DNP
• Relative Athletic Score

Production

— 2020 (Freshman | Oklahoma): 8 games, 172 snaps, 79.9 PFF grade, 58 carries, 370 rushing yards, 6.4 yards per rush, 18 missed tackles forced, 20.7% explosive run rate, 13 receptions (14 targets), 201 receiving yards, 15.5 yards per reception, 3.53 yards per route run, 4 total touchdowns

— 2022 (Sophomore | Blinn College): DNP

— 2023 (Redshirt Sophomore | Butler Community College): 6 games, 39 carries, 125 rushing yards, 3.2 yards per rush, 4 rushing touchdowns

— 2024 (Redshirt Junior | New Mexico State): 12 games, 11 starts, 454 snaps, 80.9 PFF grade, 152 carries, 823 rushing yards, 5.4 yards per rush, 49 missed tackles forced, 15.8% explosive run rate, 23 receptions (37 targets), 277 receiving yards, 12 yards per receptions, 1.81 yards per route run, 6 total touchdowns

— 2025 (Redshirt Senior | Kentucky): 11 games, 10 starts, 397 snaps, 70.1 PFF grade, 165 carries, 725 rushing yards, 4.4 yards per rush, 35 missed tackles forced, 7.9% explosive run rate, 19 receptions (27 targets), 126 receiving yards, 6.6 yards per reception, 0.70 yards per route run, 12 total touchdowns

— Career: 31 games, 21 starts, 1,023 snaps, 375 carries, 1,918 rushing yards, 5.1 yards per rush, 102 missed tackles forced, 13.1% explosive run rate, 55 receptions, 604 receiving yards, 11 yards per reception, 1.56 yards per route run, 22 total touchdowns

Background

Seth McGowan was a top-200 prospect and a top-25 player in Texas in the 2020 high school recruiting cycle. The Mesquite (Texas) Poteet rushed for over 3,700 yards and 45 touchdowns during his prep career. McGowan had a legitimate blue-chip recruitment.

Georgia and Oklahoma got the tailback on campus for an official visit before a June commitment was recorded by Lincoln Riley‘s staff. Texas A&M and USC were also finalists in this high-profile recruitment.

McGowan enrolled at Oklahoma in the 2020-21 school year and earned playing time as a true freshman during the COVID-19 season. The young tailback appeared in seven games and rushed for 370 yards on 6.4 yards per rush. McGowan also chipped in 13 receptions for 201 yards. McGowan had a big performance in a Cotton Bowl win over Florida.

During spring practice ahead of the 2021 season, McGowan’s career at Oklahoma ended prematurely. The talented young tailback was dismissed from the Sooner program by Riley due to an armed robbery arrest. McGowan eventually plead guilty to larceny and was sentenced to a year of probation. The tailback has gone on record about the event.

That created a long journey back to college football.

McGowan sat out the 2021 season before enrolling at separate junior colleges in 2022 and 2023. The tailback then transferred to New Mexico State in 2024 where he rushed for 838 yards and chipped in 23 receptions while scoring six total touchdowns playing in the C-USA.

After entering the winter transfer portal, McGowan backed out after New Mexico State offered an NIL raise but that did not stop the tailback from entering free agency again in the spring and quickly committing to Kentucky. In Lexington, the tailback quickly earned the starting tailback spot and became one of the best players for the Wildcats. The tailback rushed for 387 yards and seven touchdowns over the first four games before injuries arrived in Week 5. McGowan left the Georgia game early and then had to make a hospital trip in the next game against Texas. After a one-game absence, McGowan returned to the lineup but did not look 100 percent the rest of the season.

McGowan entered the NFL Draft following the season after his long road back to power conference football.

Scouting Report

Seth McGowan is a downhill runner who does a good job of making one cut and finding daylight. The tailback does not have true breakaway speed and can be rundown from behind. This tailback does a good job keeping his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage and getting vertical. This leads to some broken tackles and splash runs. However, both those numbers dried up against SEC competition in 2025. The injuries had something to do with that.

The 24-year-old tailback flashes some contact balance on film. McGowan is also a real weapon as a receiver on screens, wheels, and swings out of the backfield. The tailback runs high and can take some shots at the second level. The film reminds many of Isiah Pacheco. McGowan owns good leg drive that can create yards after contact.

.@Sjmcg_28 taking off for twenty yards into the endzone for the TD.

📺 – ESPNNEWS pic.twitter.com/oIBhHL355N

— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) September 28, 2025

McGowan is an experienced tailback with good size who fits best in a gap-heavy downhill run scheme. The college football veteran can provide value as a receiver and put some good blocking reps on tape. Hard-nosed football player who plays with good effort and toughness.

This is a good-sized tailback with a well-rounded skill set who doesn’t do anything great but could fill a variety of roles. Potential third down value but the lack of explosiveness will be a concern for some teams.

Draft Window

• Dane Brugler (The Athletic): Rounds 6-7
• Lance Zierlein (NFL Media): Rounds 6-7

Seth McGowan helped his draft stock immensely over the last calendar year. The former Oklahoma tailback went from undrafted free agent to potential Day 3 pick. This veteran brings plenty to the table and has overcome some off-field adversity to put himself in this position.

The sixth round certainly feels like the start of the drafting window for McGowan. This tailback will be expected to compete for a third down role and will be among a deep group of players at the position when we get to this part of the draft.

McGowan is in position to become Kentucky’s fourth running drafted over the last eight years.