Isaac Guerendo (born June 28, 2000) is an American professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...

for the

San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...

of the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL). He played

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

for the

Wisconsin Badgers The Wisconsin Badgers are the College athletics in the United States, athletic teams representing the University of Wisconsin–Madison. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I ...

and

Louisville Cardinals The Louisville Cardinals (also known as the Cards) are the NCAA athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. The Cardinals teams play in the Atlantic Coast Conference, beginning in the 2014 season. While playing in the Big East Co ...

Early life

Guerendo was born in

Clayton, Indiana Clayton is a small town in Liberty Township, Hendricks County, Indiana, United States. The population was 908 at the 2020 census. History In 1829 a little town in Liberty Township was named "Clayville", honoring Henry Clay, the Kentucky stat ...

and attended Avon High School in

Avon, Indiana Avon is a town in Washington Township, Hendricks County, Indiana, Washington and Lincoln Township, Hendricks County, Indiana, Lincoln Townships, Hendricks County, Indiana, Hendricks County, Indiana, United States. The population was 21,474 at the ...

. In his junior season, Guerendo hauled in 19 receptions for 596 yards and six touchdowns. Guerendo had a breakout senior season bringing in 54 receptions for 1,258 yards and 16 touchdowns. As a senior, Guerendo was named the

Indianapolis Star Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County. Indianapolis is situated in the state's central till plain region along the west fork of ...

's Mister Football for wide receivers. Coming out of high school, Guerendo decided to commit to play

for the

College career

Wisconsin

In Guerendo's first season in 2019, he carried the ball once for one yard, while also making one catch for three yards, and returning one kickoff for 49 yards. In the COVID shortened 2020 season, Guerendo carried the ball 11 times for 36 yards. In week two of the 2021 season, he recorded his first career touchdown on an 82-yard run versus

Eastern Michigan Eastern Michigan University (EMU, EMich, Eastern Michigan or simply Eastern) is a public research university in Ypsilanti, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1849 as the Michigan State Normal School, it was the fourth normal school (teachers' ...

. Guerendo finished the 2021 season with 160 yards and a touchdown of 23 carries, while also racking up two receptions for six yards. In 2022 he rushed for 385 yards and five touchdowns on 64 carries, while also notching 17 receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown. After the conclusion of the 2022 season, Guerendo decided to enter the NCAA transfer portal. Guerendo finished his Wisconsin Badger career playing in 20 games carrying the ball 99 times for 582 yards and six touchdowns, while also notching 20 receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown. He graduated from Wisconsin in December 2022 with a bachelor's degree in personal finance.

Louisville

In 2023, Guerendo became a graduate transfer to the

University of Louisville The University of Louisville (UofL) is a public university, public research university in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. It is part of the Kentucky state university system. Chartered in 1798 as the Jefferson Seminary, it became in the 19t ...

, playing for the

for his final season of college eligibility. In Guerendo's Louisville home debut in week two of the 2023 season, he rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, while also hauling in four receptions for 47 yards. In week ten of the 2023 season, Guerendo had a career performance rushing for 146 yards and three touchdowns in a win over

Virginia Tech The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, commonly referred to as Virginia Tech (VT), is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States ...

. In the 2023 Holiday Bowl, Guerendo rushed for a career high 161 yards and three touchdowns, on 23 carries, but the Cardinals lost to

USC USC may refer to: Education United States * Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, Santurce, Puerto Rico * University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina ** University of South Carolina System, a state university system of South Carolina * ...

42–28. Guerendo finished the 2023 season with 810 yards and 11 touchdowns on 132 carries, while also making 22 receptions for 234 yards. After the conclusion of the 2023 season, Guerendo declared for the

2024 NFL draft The 2024 NFL draft was the 89th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible players. The draft was held at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza in Detroit on April 25–27, 2024. The draft had an attendanc ...

Professional career

Guerendo was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 4th round (129th overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft. In May, he signed a 4 year contract with the 49ers. After injuries to running backs

Christian McCaffrey Christian Jackson McCaffrey (born June 7, 1996) is an American professional American football, football running back for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Stanford Cardinal footbal ...

and Jordan Mason, he had some playing time, making his debut in week 2 against the

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...

in a 23–17 loss. He had his first rushing touchdown in week 8 against the

Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...

, along with 102 rushing and receiving yards.

Personal

Isaac was born in Indianapolis to Mario and Jennifer Guerendo. Mario is an emigrant from the

Central African Republic The Central African Republic (CAR) is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Chad to Central African Republic–Chad border, the north, Sudan to Central African Republic–Sudan border, the northeast, South Sudan to Central ...

, and Jen competed in track & field in high school.

References

External links

San Francisco 49ers bio

Louisville Cardinals bio

Wisconsin Badgers bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Guerendo, Issac 2000 births Living people Players of American football from Indiana Sportspeople from Hendricks County, Indiana American football running backs Louisville Cardinals football players Wisconsin Badgers football players San Francisco 49ers players American people of Central African Republic descent 21st-century African-American sportsmen