It’s never ideal to be cut by a professional sports team, but it might be the break that Izzy Abanikanda needed.
The New York Jets released Abanikanda — a 5-foot-10, 215-pound running back from Brooklyn, N.Y. — from the active roster Monday afternoon, clearing the way for fellow running back Kene Nwangwu.
It’s a tough break for Abanikanda, but there’s a chance he can now land in a better situation — as he was sitting behind Breece Hall and Braelon Allen in New York. And if he isn’t claimed, he’s a prime practice squad candidate.
Abanikanda hasn’t played in a game yet this season, but he recorded 22 carries for 70 yards and seven receptions for 43 yards as a rookie last season. The Jets selected Abanikanda in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Abanikanda was an All-ACC, All-American running back at Pitt in 2022, serving as perhaps the best all-purpose weapon in college football, finishing fourth in all-purpose yards (1,805 yards) and second in all-purpose yards per game (164 yards) in college football last season. And he led the nation in total touchdowns (21).
He rushed for 1,431 yards and 20 touchdowns, averaging six yards per attempt and added 146 receiving yards and 228 kickoff return yards. It was a campaign with few historical rivals. It ranks as the eighth-best single-season effort in Pitt history, and his 320 yards and six touchdowns against Virginia Tech broke and tied, respectively, single-game program records.
In his Pitt career, Abanikanda rushed 390 times for 2,177 yards and 28 touchdowns, caught 38 passes for 354 yards and three touchdowns and returned 19 kickoffs for 434 yards and a touchdown.
His 28 career touchdowns also rank eighth in team history, while he’s just one of four Pitt players to rush for at least 20 touchdowns in a single season.
It’s a tough situation for Izzy Abanikanda, but he’s a young, talented runner who has impressed in his opportunities in preseason. He should land on his feet somewhere.
