CHARLOTTE — As grades from various publications trickled in on the heels of the free agency frenzy, the Panthers consistently received an A for a particular late addition; running back Rico Dowdle.

The Carolina running back room took a significant hit when Jonathon Brooks suffered an ACL tear late last season. He will be out for most of, if not all of, the 2025 season. Along with the release of Miles Sanders, there was no respite option for lead back Chuba Hubbard.

So general manager Dan Morgan agreed to terms with former Cowboys running back Dowdle to a one-year deal. The former undrafted free agent spent four seasons in Dallas and became a starter in 2024.

Get to know Dowdle with these fast five facts.

He's Coming Home

Dowdle is a Carolina boy through-and-through. He spent his childhood in Gaffney, South Carolina. In 8th grade, the Dowdle family moved to Asheville, where the running back attended high school.

He committed to South Carolina for college, and spent four years in Columbia (2016-2019), posting two seasons of 650-plus rushing yards. While with the Gamecocks, Dowdle also proved his prowess as a receiving threat out of the backfield, pulling in an average of 15.5 receptions per season, for an average of 120.8 receiving yards.

He Set a WNC Record

Dowdle's senior year of high school, he was switched to quarterback. The offense still operated under a rush-first mentality, using Dowdle as a duel-threat weapon. As a result, he set a Western North Carolina record for most touchdowns responsible for, with 63 total.

The quarterback ran for 51 touchdowns, added 11 passing TDs and even caught a pass for a score.

A.C.Reynolds Product

Dowdle set those records for A.C. Reynolds High School in Asheville, which has produced plenty of big names.

In a 12-year span, that school has been the home of country music artist Luke Combs, Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson, popular podcaster and entertainment personality Caleb Pressley, country music artist Chase Rice, and Dowdle.

Double Trouble?

Dowdle is coming off of his best career season in the pros. He posted 1,079 rushing yards (12th most in the NFL) last season, as well as hauling in 39 receptions for 249 yards, and had five total touchdowns.

In league history, there have only ever been seven duos of 1K-yard rushers sharing the same backfield. The last time it happened was in 2019, when the Baltimore Ravens had quarterback Lamar Jackson and veteran back Mark Ingram on the same team.

One of the seven duos were the Panthers' own Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams, in 2009.

With Dowdle's signing, he and Hubbard will have the chance to become the eighth duo, if the two can repeat their 2024 performances, as both crossed the threshold last season.

Get the YAC

According to Next Gen Stats, Dowdle averaged 3.5 yards after contact, good for fifth-most in the NFL amongst qualifying backs (min. 200 carries). Hubbard wasn't far behind, averaging 3.2 yards after contact.

Not only was Dowdle picking up extra yards, he was doing so consistently. According to Ian Hartitz of Fantasy Life, Dowdle reached 3-plus YAC on 51 percent of his carries, the highest rate in the league. Hubbard did so at 48.4 percent, fourth in the league.