Who Is Ollie Gordon II? The Dolphins' New Lead Running Back, Explained

Ollie Gordon II is a second-year Miami Dolphins running back who became the team’s clear lead back in Week 3 of the 2026 season after starter De’Von Achane went down with a season-ending torn ACL. Gordon arrived in Miami as a sixth-round pick out of Oklahoma State, where he won the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back in 2023. Here’s what to know about him, his college record, a 2024 arrest that’s followed him into the NFL, and how he suddenly became the centerpiece of Miami’s backfield.

Who Is Ollie Gordon II?

Ollie Gordon II is a 22-year-old running back entering his second NFL season with the Miami Dolphins. He was born January 15, 2004, in Fort Worth, Texas, and stands 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds. He played high school football at Trinity High School in Euless, Texas, before spending three seasons (2022-2024) at Oklahoma State University. Miami drafted him in 2025, and after a limited rookie season behind starter De’Von Achane, he’s now positioned as the Dolphins’ primary running back for the rest of 2026.

What Made Him a College Star at Oklahoma State?

Gordon had one of the most productive single seasons by a running back in recent college football history in 2023. He led the nation with 1,732 rushing yards and scored 21 rushing touchdowns (22 total) on 285 carries that season. For that performance, he won the Doak Walker Award (given annually to the top college running back) and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, earned unanimous All-American honors, and finished seventh in Heisman Trophy voting. Across his full three-year Oklahoma State career, Gordon carried the ball 537 times for 2,920 yards (a 5.4-yard average) and 36 touchdowns, adding 80 catches for 585 yards and 4 receiving touchdowns.

What Happened With His 2024 DUI Arrest?

Gordon was arrested and charged in mid-2024, but publicly available records reviewed for this story do not show a final resolution of the case. According to police records, he was pulled over in Moore, Oklahoma, on June 30, 2024, and charged with driving under the influence as a person under 21, transporting an open container of alcohol, failing to maintain a single lane, and speeding, with breath tests reportedly showing .10 and .11 BrAC (Oklahoma’s legal limit for drivers 21 and over is .08). Oklahoma State’s head coach said Gordon would not be suspended, and Gordon issued a public apology. The arrest and charges were widely and consistently reported at the time, but no plea, dismissal, or sentencing outcome has been confirmed in the records checked for this piece — so it should be described only as an arrest and set of charges, not a conviction.

How Did He End Up With the Dolphins?

Miami selected Gordon in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, with the 179th overall pick, using a selection acquired in a trade with Cleveland. He joined a backfield already led by Achane, entering the league as depth rather than a projected starter.

What Did He Do as a Rookie in 2025?

Gordon played a limited, complementary role in his first NFL season. He carried the ball 70 times for 199 yards (a 2.84-yard average) and 3 rushing touchdowns, adding 7 catches for 32 yards and 1 receiving touchdown, almost entirely as a change-of-pace option behind Achane.

Why Is Gordon Suddenly Miami’s Starting Running Back?

Gordon moved into the lead role because both running backs ahead of him on the depth chart were unavailable in the same week. In Week 3 of the 2026 season — a 24-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium — Achane suffered a non-contact knee injury on a cutback run in the first quarter. He was diagnosed the next day, Monday, September 28, 2026, with a torn ACL, according to reports citing sources within the league, ending his 2026 season. Meanwhile, fellow backup Jaylen Wright was already inactive that week with a stinger and foot injury. That left Gordon as the only healthy running back on Miami’s active roster.

How Did Gordon Perform Once He Took Over?

Gordon handled a full workload in relief and delivered Miami’s only offensive touchdown of the day. He carried the ball 17 times for 41 yards and a rushing touchdown, capped by a 3-yard scoring run that finished a 17-play drive to open the game, and added 3 catches for 14 yards. He briefly left the field with cramping in the third quarter before returning to finish the game.

What Are Gordon’s Numbers for the 2026 Season So Far?

Through three games of the 2026 season, Gordon has 20 carries for 48 yards and a rushing touchdown, plus 3 catches for 14 yards. Combined with his rookie year, he has totaled 90 career NFL carries for 247 yards and 4 total touchdowns across 2025 and 2026. Here’s how his workload has changed over time:

Is Gordon Locked In as Miami’s Starter Going Forward?

Not entirely settled — Jaylen Wright’s own health is still a factor. Wright missed Week 3 with a stinger and foot injury, and as of Monday, September 28, 2026, reports indicated he could be available again for Week 4, when Miami hosts the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, October 4, 2026, though the team had not issued a final active/inactive call for that game at the time of this writing. Miami’s remaining running back depth was on the practice squad, and no outside free-agent addition at the position had been confirmed as of this writing. Whatever role Wright reclaims, Achane’s season-ending injury means Gordon is set to remain Miami’s primary early-down and short-yardage back for the rest of 2026 — a much bigger job than the one he had when the season began.

Gordon’s path — Big 12 rushing champion at Oklahoma State, sixth-round pick playing a complementary role as a rookie, unexpected lead back a year later — shows how quickly an NFL depth chart can be rewritten by injuries. We’ll be watching how his workload and numbers develop as Miami’s season continues.