TXST Release
SAN MARCOS, Texas – Ismail Mahdi, the nation’s leader in all-purpose yards, was named to the 2023 CBS Sports/247Sports All-America team as a first team all-purpose player, CBS Sports announced on Wednesday.
A sophomore running back from Murphy, Texas, Mahdi became the third Bobcat in the program’s FBS history to earn a first team All-American distinction and first since Jeremiah Haydel (return specialist, ESPN) in 2020.
In his first season at Texas State, Mahdi totaled 2,014 all-purpose yards in the regular season and remains the only player in FBS this year to have more than 2,000 all-purpose yards. He leads the nation in that category as well as all-purpose yards per game (167.83).
Mahdi had a career-high 1,209 rushing yards, 529 kick return yards, and 276 receiving yards in 12 games this year. He also totaled 12 touchdowns and was only one of two players in the nation with 10+ rushing touchdowns, a receiving touchdown, and a kick return touchdown.
Mahdi is the fourth Bobcat in the program’s overall history to have 2,000 or more all-purpose yards in a season and first since Karrington Bush had a program-record 2,330 in 2008. Mahdi’s 2,014 all-purpose yards are Texas State’s FBS record for most in a single season.
Mahdi joins Haydel and Keenen Brown (tight end, 2018) as the three Bobcats to earn first team All-American honors since 2012 when Texas State joined the FBS ranks. Brown was tabbed as a first team All-American by PFF.
Mahdi and the Bobcats are preparing for Texas State’s bowl game – the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl in Dallas against Rice – on Dec. 26 (4:30 pm).
