Ryquell Armstead facts for kids
Armstead with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||
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| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | October 30, 1996 Bridgeton, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Millville (Millville, New Jersey) | ||||||||||
| College: | Temple (2015–2018) | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2019 / Round: 5 / Pick: 140 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| CFL status: | American | ||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
| Player stats at CFL.ca | |||||||||||
Ryquell Keeman Armstead, born on October 30, 1996, is an American professional football player. He plays as a running back. Ryquell played college football for Temple University and was chosen by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2019 NFL draft.
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Early Life and High School Football
Ryquell Armstead was born in Bridgeton, New Jersey, and grew up in Millville, New Jersey. He played high school football at Millville Senior High School. In his senior year, he ran for an amazing 1,488 yards. He also scored 18 touchdowns. One game was especially memorable: he rushed for a school-record 337 yards against Absegami High School.
College Career at Temple
Armstead played football for the Temple Owls for four seasons.
- Starting Out: In his first two years, he was a backup player. As a freshman, he gained 191 yards and scored two touchdowns.
- Sophomore Success: He got to play much more as a sophomore. He rushed for 919 yards and led his team with 14 touchdowns. That year, the Owls won the American Athletic Conference (AAC) championship!
- Overcoming Challenges: As a junior, he faced some injuries but still rushed for 604 yards and five touchdowns.
- Senior Standout: In his senior year, Armstead had a fantastic season. He rushed for 1,098 yards and scored 13 touchdowns. Even with some injuries, he was named first team All-AAC, which means he was one of the best players in the conference.
Ryquell finished his college career as one of Temple's top rushers. He is fourth in school history with 2,812 rushing yards and 34 rushing touchdowns.
Professional Football Journey
Ryquell Armstead has played for several teams in different football leagues.
Jacksonville Jaguars (First Time)
The Jacksonville Jaguars picked Armstead in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL draft. He signed his first professional contract with them in May 2019.
- NFL Debut: Ryquell played his first NFL game on September 8, 2019. He gained seven yards in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
- First Touchdown: On September 29, 2019, he scored his first career touchdown. It was a seven-yard catch from quarterback Gardner Minshew.
- Rookie Season: He finished his first year with 108 rushing yards and 144 receiving yards. He also scored two receiving touchdowns.
In 2020, Armstead faced significant health challenges due to COVID-19. He was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list multiple times and missed the rest of the season due to serious respiratory issues. The Jaguars released him in May 2021.
Moving to Other Teams
After leaving the Jaguars, Ryquell continued his professional journey:
- New York Giants: In May 2021, the New York Giants claimed him, but he was waived in June.
- New Orleans Saints: He joined the practice squad of the New Orleans Saints in October 2021. He was waived later that month.
- Green Bay Packers: In November 2021, he signed with the Green Bay Packers practice squad.
Jacksonville Jaguars (Second Time)
In December 2021, Armstead returned to the Jacksonville Jaguars' active roster. He was waived again in August 2022.
XFL and CFL Experiences
Ryquell then played in other professional football leagues:
- DC Defenders: In November 2022, the DC Defenders drafted him for the XFL. He played in 8 games, rushing for 218 yards, before being released in April 2023.
- Ottawa Redblacks: In June 2023, Armstead signed with the Ottawa Redblacks in the Canadian Football League (CFL). In the 2024 season, he played in 11 games. He gained 625 rushing yards and 284 receiving yards, scoring three touchdowns. He was released in September 2024.
- Saskatchewan Roughriders: In September 2024, Armstead joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders. In his first game with the Riders on September 20, he rushed for 207 yards on 25 carries. He was released by the Riders in April 2025.
