Sony Michel was drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round (31st overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft.

PRONOUNCED

SO-nee mih-SHELL

CAREER TRANSACTIONS

• Sony Michel was drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round (31st overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft.

SEASONAL REVIEWS

2018 (13/8, 3/2)

• Was inactive due to injury for the season-opening victory vs. Houston (9/9).
• Made his NFL debut and rushed ten times for 34 yards while also adding a 7-yard reception on his first offensive play in the first quarter of the game at Jacksonville (9/16). Had a 15-yard run into the Jacksonville red zone on a third quarter drive that led to the Patriots first touchdown of the game. Also returned a squib kick by Jacksonville late in the first half for 22 yards.
• Made his first NFL start and contributed with 14 carries for 50 yards at Detroit (9/23). Also returned one kickoff for 18 yards.
• Started and rushed 25 times for a game-high 112 yards, including his first-career touchdown on a 10-yard scamper in the fourth quarter of the victory vs. Miami (9/30). Became the first Patriots rookie to rush for 100 yards since Brandon Bolden rushed for 137 yards at Buffalo on Sept. 20, 2012.
• Rushed 18 times for 98 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that put the game away for the Patriots in the victory vs. Indianapolis. Also added a reception for 12 yards and returned one kickoff 26 yards.
• Rushed 24 times for 106 yards and two touchdowns, marking his first-career two-touchdown performance in the victory vs. Kansas City (10/14). It was his third-straight game of 90-plus yards rushing, becoming just the fifth running back in Patriots history and first since Robert Edwards in 1998 to have three or more 90-yard games in his rookie season.
• Started and rushed four times for 22 yards while adding one reception for 13 yards before exiting the game due to injury in the second quarter of the win at Chicago (10/21).
• Missed the victory at Buffalo (10/29) and the win vs. Green Bay (11/4) due to injury.
• Returned after missing the previous two games to injury and rushed 11 times for 31 yards in the game at Tennessee (11/11).
• Started and rushed 21 times for a career-high 133 yards and a touchdown, while adding two receptions for 12 yards in the victory at the New York Jets (11/25).
• Made the start and rushed 17 times for 63 yards, while adding one reception for 7 yards in the win vs. Minnesota (12/2).
• Started and rushed 20 times for 57 yards at Miami (12/9).
• Rushed 13 times for 59 yards on the ground in the game at Pittsburgh (12/16).
• Was the leading rusher with 18 carries for 116 yards and a touchdown as part of a ground game that totaled 273 yards in the win vs. Buffalo (12/23). Also returned one kickoff for 11 yards.
• Started and finished with 14 carries for 50 yards in the win vs. the New York Jets (12/30).
• Rushed 24 times for 129 yards with three rushing touchdowns in the AFC Divisional Playoff win vs. L.A. Chargers (1/13). Became just the second rookie running back in Patriots history to score a postseason touchdown, and also had a career-long 40-yard run in the second quarter and added one reception for nine yards.
• Started and was a key factor on offense, rushing 29 times for 113 yards with two touchdown rushes in the AFC Championship victory at Kansas City (1/20).
• Started and rushed 18 times for 94 yards and scored the game’s lone touchdown on a 2-yard run in the fourth quarter that was ultimately the difference in the game in the Super Bowl LIII victory vs. the Los Angeles Rams (2/3).

COLLEGE

• Finished his career third on UGA’s all-time rushing list with 3,638 yards, having passed both Garrison Hearst and Todd Gurley.
• Ranks 16th among all-time rushers in SEC history.
• Notched eleven 100-yard games in his career.
• Finished his career with 33 rushing touchdowns.
• Named a team captain for his junior and senior seasons.
• Finished as the Bulldogs’ second-leading rusher with 1,227 yards on just 156 carries as a senior in 2017.
• Named Offensive MVP of the Rose Bowl with four touchdowns, tying a Bulldog bowl record for points scored and touchdowns. On his 75-yard rushing touchdown, Michel set a new Georgia bowl record for longest rushing touchdown and eclipsed 1,000 yards on a season for the second time. Also scored the game-winning touchdown in double overtime, setting a new career-high of 181 yards on just 11 carries.
• Played in 12 games as a junior, making two starts, and finished as the team’s No. 2 rusher with 840 yards on 152 carries (5.5 avg.). Was also the Bulldogs fourth-leading receiver with 20 catches and 110 yards.
• Played in 13 games with six starts and was voted team’s offensive MVP as a sophomore. Ran for 1,161 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 219 attempts; 13th time a Bulldog rushed for 1,000 yards in a season. Also tallied 26 receptions for 270 yards and three scores.
• Played in eight games as a freshman, making one start and posted 410 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns on 64 carries.

PERSONAL

• Was a 2013 American Family Insurance USA Today All-USA First Team and All-USA Florida Team. Also named USA Today Florida Football Player of the Year and a member of Florida’s Class 5A All-State First Team.
• Majored in communication studies at Georgia.
• Played in the U.S. Army All-American Game.
• Rushed for 1,833 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior.

EXTRA POINTS

Sony Michel and Isaiah Wynn are the first college teammates picked in the first round in New England history. They are the first college teammates to be picked in the first round by the same team since 2005 when CB Carlos Roders (9th overall) and QB Jason Campbell (25th overall) out of Auburn were drafted by Washington.