Derrius Guice
Derrius Guice (born June 21, 1997) is an American former professional football running back.[1] He played college football for the Louisiana State University Tigers, where he accumulated 3,074 rushing yards over three seasons, ranking fifth in school history.[2] Selected by the Washington Redskins in the second round, 59th overall, of the 2018 NFL Draft, Guice's professional career was marked by early promise overshadowed by injuries and off-field legal troubles.[1] Guice missed his entire rookie season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament sustained in preseason and appeared in only 11 games across 2019 and early 2020, rushing for 245 yards and two touchdowns while adding 79 receiving yards and one touchdown.[3] His tenure with Washington ended abruptly in August 2020 when the team released him hours after his arrest in Virginia on charges including one felony count of strangulation, three misdemeanor counts of assault and battery, and destruction of property, stemming from alleged domestic violence incidents between February and April of that year.[4] The charges were later resolved through a settlement, with misdemeanors dropped, though the NFL suspended Guice for the first six games of the 2021 season for violating its personal conduct policy.[5][6] Following his NFL exit, Guice has attempted comebacks in alternative leagues, including signing with the Vegas KnightHawks of the Indoor Football League in 2023, but has not secured a return to professional football at the major league level as of 2025.[7]Early life and education
Family background and upbringing
Derrius Guice was born on June 21, 1997, to Beulah Guice and Derrick Guice in Louisiana.[2][8] His immediate family resided in Baton Rouge, where his paternal grandparents, John Guice and Deborah Wallace, had relocated from Avoyelles Parish prior to his father's death.[9] Guice's father, Derrick, was fatally shot on October 26, 2003, at a Denny's restaurant in Baton Rouge during an escalated argument, when Guice was six years old.[10][11] The young Guice witnessed coverage of the crime scene on local news and overheard family discussions about the perpetrator, an experience that elicited anger rather than tears and prompted him to assume early responsibilities as the man of the house.[12][10] His mother, Beulah, became the primary provider, supporting the family through hard work amid financial hardship following the loss of their main earner.[13][11] The family lived in "the Bottom," a poverty-stricken neighborhood in Baton Rouge characterized by economic deprivation and limited opportunities.[14][13] Guice's upbringing in this environment, compounded by his father's absence, instilled a drive fueled by familial loyalty; he has described his aggressive playing style as a tribute to his murdered father and resilient mother, whom he remained in regular contact with as she continued residing in the area.[10][15]High school athletic career
Derrius Guice began his high school football career at McKinley Senior High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.[16] As a ninth grader, he transferred to Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, drawn by its history of producing NFL running backs such as Warrick Dunn and Michael Clayton, and seeking enhanced scholarship opportunities despite initial cultural adjustments and homesickness that prompted pleas to return to McKinley.[17][12] At Catholic High School, Guice emerged as a dominant running back, showcasing a powerful, aggressive style.[16] In his sophomore year, he rushed for over 800 yards and 12 touchdowns.[18] His junior season produced 1,101 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, earning him first-team all-state honors in Louisiana's 5A classification and all-metro recognition.[16] Guice's senior year in 2014 elevated his profile further, as he rushed for 1,341 yards and 21 touchdowns while standing at 5-foot-11 and 215 pounds, attributes that highlighted his physicality and speed.[16] Following the season, he participated in the 2015 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, where he earned MVP honors with a record 153 receiving yards and two touchdowns on just two catches, demonstrating versatility beyond rushing.[2][19]College career
Recruitment and freshman year
Guice, a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, attended Catholic High School, where he emerged as a top running back prospect in the class of 2015.[20] Rated as a five-star recruit by Rivals and a four-star prospect by 247Sports, ESPN, and Scout, he was ranked as the No. 2 running back nationally by Rivals and the No. 5 running back by the 247Sports Composite.[2] He received an early scholarship offer from LSU in April 2013 during his sophomore year and held additional offers from programs including Alabama, Louisiana Tech, and Southern Miss.[21] Selected for the 2015 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, Guice signed with LSU on May 31, 2014, ahead of the national signing period, committing to play for his hometown team.[20] [22] As a true freshman in 2015, Guice served as the primary backup to star running back Leonard Fournette, appearing in all 12 games but starting none.[23] He recorded 51 rushing attempts for 436 yards, averaging 8.5 yards per carry, and scored 3 touchdowns, demonstrating efficiency in limited opportunities behind a dominant starter.[24] [23] Notable performances included 161 rushing yards against USC, the sixth-highest total by a true freshman in LSU history, and a 9.1 yards-per-carry average through early-season games.[2] His burst on swing passes and practice showings highlighted his potential, though his role remained rotational amid Fournette's Heisman-contending workload.[25]Sophomore and junior seasons
In his sophomore season of 2016, Guice assumed the role of LSU's lead running back following Leonard Fournette's departure to the NFL, starting six games and appearing in all 12. He rushed for 1,387 yards on 183 carries, averaging 7.6 yards per attempt, and scored 15 touchdowns, leading the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in rushing yards despite sharing some carries with Darrel Williams.[26] His performance earned him first-team All-SEC honors and set LSU single-game records with 285 rushing yards and four touchdowns against Texas A&M on October 1, including a 75-yard touchdown run, as well as the school's longest rushing touchdown of 96 yards at Arkansas.[2] Guice's junior season in 2017 saw him play in 12 games with 11 starts, though he dealt with a left leg injury that limited his early-season production and forced him to miss one game. Despite the setback and a more distributed backfield workload, he amassed 1,251 rushing yards on 237 carries at 5.3 yards per attempt with 11 touchdowns, marking back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons—a feat achieved by only five players in LSU history alongside at least 10 rushing touchdowns each year.[27][2] Highlights included a 276-yard, one-touchdown effort against Ole Miss on October 21, his second career 250-plus yard game, contributing to LSU's 40-24 victory. He received second-team All-SEC recognition for his efforts.[26]Statistical performance and awards
Guice appeared in 35 games over three seasons at LSU from 2015 to 2017, primarily as a running back, with additional contributions on kick returns early in his career. His career rushing totals included 471 carries for 3,074 yards at an average of 6.5 yards per attempt and 29 touchdowns, while he added 32 receptions for 250 yards and 3 receiving touchdowns.[26] The following table summarizes Guice's per-season statistics:| Year | Games | Rush Att | Rush Yds | Rush Avg | Rush TD | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 (Freshman) | 12 | 51 | 436 | 8.5 | 3 | 5 | 20 | 0 |
| 2016 (Sophomore) | 12 | 183 | 1,387 | 7.6 | 15 | 9 | 106 | 1 |
| 2017 (Junior) | 11 | 237 | 1,251 | 5.3 | 11 | 18 | 124 | 2 |
| Career | 35 | 471 | 3,074 | 6.5 | 29 | 32 | 250 | 3 |
Professional career
2018 NFL Draft and pre-draft evaluation
Guice entered the 2018 NFL Draft as a highly regarded running back prospect from LSU, projected by analysts as a late first-round or early second-round selection due to his combination of power, vision, and burst.[31] In pre-draft mock drafts, he appeared in various late first-round spots, such as to teams like the Detroit Lions or Philadelphia Eagles, reflecting expectations of his value as a three-down back with starter potential.[32] [33] At the NFL Scouting Combine on March 2-3, 2018, Guice measured 5 feet 10 inches tall and 224 pounds, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds, recorded a 31.5-inch vertical jump, and completed 15 bench press repetitions at 225 pounds.[34] [35] Scouting reports praised Guice's physical running style, describing him as a "battering ram" with excellent contact balance, quick cuts, and the ability to punish defenders, drawing comparisons to Ray Rice for his compact build and elusiveness.[36] [31] Analysts highlighted his SEC-leading 1,349 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns in 2017 as evidence of his productivity against elite competition, positioning him as a potential workhorse back.[37] However, concerns included limited receiving production (only 18 career catches at LSU), inconsistent pass protection, and questions about long speed beyond his burst, which tempered some first-round hype.[38] On April 27, 2018, during the second round of the NFL Draft, Guice was selected by the Washington Redskins with the 59th overall pick, later than many projections amid swirling rumors of off-field character concerns that he publicly disputed as unfounded.[39] [40] The selection marked the Redskins' first second-round running back pick since 2006, with team officials viewing him as a complementary piece to enhance their ground game alongside veterans like Adrian Peterson.[41] Guice expressed surprise at his draft slide but emphasized his readiness to prove doubters wrong upon joining Washington.[40]Washington tenure and on-field contributions
Guice was selected by the Washington Redskins in the second round (59th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft.[1] His tenure began with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee during the preseason opener against the New England Patriots on August 9, 2018, sidelining him for the entire rookie season with no on-field contributions.[42] Guice returned in 2019, debuting in the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on September 8, where he recorded 10 carries for 18 rushing yards and three receptions for 20 yards, though he sustained a meniscus tear in his right knee during the game.[43] [44] This injury led to him missing the next 10 games while on injured reserve. He reemerged in Week 11 against the New York Jets on November 17, posting seven carries for 24 rushing yards and a 45-yard receiving touchdown on two targets.[43] In Week 12 versus the Detroit Lions on November 24, Guice had 10 carries for 32 rushing yards and one reception for six yards.[43] His most impactful outing occurred in Week 13 at the Carolina Panthers on December 1, with 10 carries for 129 yards—including a 60-yard run—and two rushing touchdowns, key to Washington's 29-21 win.[43] [1] Guice closed his active participation in Week 14 at the Green Bay Packers on December 8, gaining 42 rushing yards on five carries.[43] Across five games (one start) in 2019, Guice's on-field contributions totaled 42 rushing attempts for 245 yards (5.8 yards per carry) and two rushing touchdowns, plus seven receptions for 79 yards and one receiving touchdown.[1] [45]| Date | Opponent | Rush Att | Rush Yds | Rush TD | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/8/2019 | @ Eagles | 10 | 18 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 0 |
| 11/17/2019 | vs. Jets | 7 | 24 | 0 | 1 | 45 | 1 |
| 11/24/2019 | vs. Lions | 10 | 32 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| 12/1/2019 | @ Panthers | 10 | 129 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 0 |
| 12/8/2019 | @ Packers | 5 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |