Derrick “Rodeo” Graham Jr. is a Baton Rouge native who grew up with a deep passion for football. As a running back, he committed to Southeastern on Feb. 2, 2022. He spent his first year playing behind first-string Carlos Washington Jr. and second-string Jessie Britt.
Graham had offers from the likes of Toledo, South Alabama, McNeese and LA Tech, but ultimately chose to play for the Green and Gold.
Graham played high school ball at University High in Baton Rouge, where he earned All-State and All-District honors. He averaged 5.1 yards per carry during his high school tenure and tallied nine total touchdowns. The longest rush of his career was an 82-yard house call when he was a sophomore at U-High.
“High school helped me before I came to Southeastern. We were LSU’s lab school, so the morning practices and drills were the same, so coming to college was an easy transition,” Graham said.
Graham has modeled his downhill, physical rushing attack after Pro-Bowl running backs Leonard Fournette, Christain McCaffery and Alvin Kamara. His quick speed and burst allow him to hit the open field and get into the secondary quickly.
Not only does he have a love for the game of football, but he also loves riding horses. The Baton Rouge native has been riding horses since he was five and competes in team roping.
Due to his love of riding horses, his teammates and coaches call him “Rodeo,” a nickname that was given to him early in life.
“My first coach gave me the nickname – once they saw me and started talking to me, they said they were going to start calling me ‘Rodeo,’ and it stuck ever since,” Graham said.
During his stay at SLU, he built a close relationship with Washington Jr. and Britt. The duo combined for 1,307 yards and 21 touchdowns this past season for the Lions and were key players during their Southland Conference title run.
“Me, Jessie and Carlos are all close. I talk to Jessie every day and send him films to watch. I also ask them for guidance, so they’re like my big brothers,” Graham said.
Off the field, the freshman running back is tasked with attending meetings and film sessions while still maintaining his grades. Although it is a challenging task, Graham said it is an ongoing process that he is getting used to.
In 2022, Graham had 78 rushing attempts for 334 yards and one touchdown as a third string. With Washington Jr. and Britt now graduated, the Green and Gold will lean on Graham to carry the rushing attack heading into the 2023 season.
His longest rush of the season came against McNeese, where he broke a run free for 45 yards as SLU narrowly won 28-27 to extend their six-game winning streak. Graham’s lone touchdown run came in a 70-6 blowout win against Central Connecticut State.
He also rushed for a career-high 74 yards on 11 attempts (6.7 yards per carry) vs. the Blue Devils.
Heading into the 2023 season, Graham will look to help Southeastern reach the FCS playoffs again and compete for another Southland Conference title. With great teammates and a supportive coaching staff, Graham’s time here at Southeastern should be extremely fruitful.
