Earl Ferrell is a career quality starter β a running back whose body of work places Ferrell in the top quarter of all players at the position historically. The Knox model values sustained contribution over flash, and Ferrell's career arc reflects exactly that kind of reliable professional-grade performance.
Earl Ferrell
A high-end running back defined as much by exceptional availability β almost never missed time as by their on-field impact (top 20% all-time). Coaches and teammates could count on them being available.
Career Value Β· VORP
VORP 95 Β· #1200 Β· High-ValueWorth 95 points of value above a freely-available replacement running back β top 27% of all 4,642 ranked at the position. 7 of 7 seasons cleared the replacement bar, by +13.6 on average.See board β
Seasons above replacement
7 cleared
Beat replacement (adds to VORP) Below it β adds 0, never a debit
50
Replacement
the KC-H bar
β
7
Seasons over
cleared the bar
Γ
+13.6
Avg surplus
peak +31
7 seasons Γ ~13.6 surplus β VORP 95
Combined Season Grid
The full season-by-season grids, joined on one timeline. Every selected stat family stays visible at onceβno tab hopping.
3 grids split in one view
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Rushing | Receiving | Defense | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | TD | Y/A | TD% | 1D | 1D% | Fmb | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD | Ctch% | Y/R | Y/Tgt | AirYd/T | 1D | Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty | |||||
| 1982 | β | ARI | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | 5 | 5 | β | β | β | 0.0 | 0.0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | β | β |
| 1983 | β | ARI | 16 | β | 7 | 53 | 1 | 7.6 | 14.3 | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | 10 | 9 | β | β | β | 0.0 | 0.0 | β | 0 | 1 | β | β | β |
| 1984 | β | ARI | 16 | β | 44 | 203 | 1 | 4.6 | 2.3 | β | β | β | β | 26 | 218 | 1 | β | 8.4 | β | β | β | 3 | 2 | β | β | β | 0.0 | 0.0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | β | β |
| 1985 | β | ARI | 11 | β | 46 | 208 | 2 | 4.5 | 4.3 | β | β | β | β | 25 | 277 | 2 | β | 11.1 | β | β | β | 1 | 1 | β | β | β | 0.0 | 0.0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | β | β |
| 1986 | β | ARI | 16 | β | 124 | 548 | 0 | 4.4 | 0.0 | β | β | β | β | 56 | 434 | 3 | β | 7.8 | β | β | β | 4 | 4 | β | β | β | 0.0 | 0.0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | β | β |
| 1987 | β | ARI | 11 | β | 113 | 512 | 7 | 4.5 | 6.2 | β | β | β | β | 23 | 262 | 0 | β | 11.4 | β | β | β | 1 | 1 | β | β | β | 0.0 | 0.0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | β | β |
| 1988 | β | ARI | 16 | β | 202 | 924 | 7 | 4.6 | 3.5 | β | β | β | β | 38 | 315 | 2 | β | 8.3 | β | β | β | 1 | 1 | β | β | β | 0.0 | 0.0 | β | 1 | 0 | β | β | β |
| 1989 | β | ARI | 15 | β | 149 | 502 | 6 | 3.4 | 4.0 | β | β | β | β | 18 | 122 | 0 | β | 6.8 | β | β | β | 2 | 2 | β | β | β | 0.0 | 0.0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | β | β |
| Career | β | 101 | β | 685 | 2,950 | 24 | 4.3 | 3.5 | β | β | β | 0 | 186 | 1,628 | 8 | β | 8.8 | β | β | β | 27 | 25 | β | β | β | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | β | β | |
Rushing
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Att | Yds | TD | Y/A | TD% | 1D | 1D% | Fmb | VAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 25 | ARI | 16 | β | 7 | 53 | 1 | 7.6 | 14.3 | β | β | β | 7.7 |
| 1984 | 26 | ARI | 16 | β | 44 | 203 | 1 | 4.6 | 2.3 | β | β | β | 10.2 |
| 1985 | 27 | ARI | 11 | β | 46 | 208 | 2 | 4.5 | 4.3 | β | β | β | 8.9 |
| 1986 | 28 | ARI | 16 | β | 124 | 548 | 0 | 4.4 | 0.0 | β | β | β | 14.7 |
| 1987 | 29 | ARI | 11 | β | 113 | 512 | 7 | 4.5 | 6.2 | β | β | β | 11.8 |
| 1988 | 30 | ARI | 16 | β | 202 | 924 | 7 | 4.6 | 3.5 | β | β | β | 17.9 |
| 1989 | 31 | ARI | 15 | β | 149 | 502 | 6 | 3.4 | 4.0 | β | β | β | 13.7 |
| Career | 101 | 685 | 2,950 | 24 | 4.3 | β | β | β | β | 84.9 |
Receiving
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD | Ctch% | Y/R | Y/Tgt | AirYd/T | 1D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 26 | ARI | 16 | β | β | 26 | 218 | 1 | β | 8.4 | β | β | β |
| 1985 | 27 | ARI | 11 | β | β | 25 | 277 | 2 | β | 11.1 | β | β | β |
| 1986 | 28 | ARI | 16 | β | β | 56 | 434 | 3 | β | 7.8 | β | β | β |
| 1987 | 29 | ARI | 11 | β | β | 23 | 262 | 0 | β | 11.4 | β | β | β |
| 1988 | 30 | ARI | 16 | β | β | 38 | 315 | 2 | β | 8.3 | β | β | β |
| 1989 | 31 | ARI | 15 | β | β | 18 | 122 | 0 | β | 6.8 | β | β | β |
| Career | 85 | 0 | 186 | 1,628 | 8 | β | 8.8 | β | β | β |
Defense
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 25 | ARI | β | β | 10 | 9 | β | β | β | 0.0 | 0.0 | β | 0 | 1 | β | β | β |
| 1984 | 26 | ARI | β | β | 3 | 2 | β | β | β | 0.0 | 0.0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | β | β |
| 1985 | 27 | ARI | β | β | 1 | 1 | β | β | β | 0.0 | 0.0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | β | β |
| 1986 | 28 | ARI | β | β | 4 | 4 | β | β | β | 0.0 | 0.0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | β | β |
| 1987 | 29 | ARI | β | β | 1 | 1 | β | β | β | 0.0 | 0.0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | β | β |
| 1988 | 30 | ARI | β | β | 1 | 1 | β | β | β | 0.0 | 0.0 | β | 1 | 0 | β | β | β |
| 1989 | 31 | ARI | β | β | 2 | 2 | β | β | β | 0.0 | 0.0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | β | β |
| 1982 | 24 | ARI | β | β | 5 | 5 | β | β | β | 0.0 | 0.0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | β | β |
| Career | 27 | 25 | β | β | β | β | β | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | β | β |
KV-H Anatomy
KV-H 67 Β· Strong StarterA strong starter career by KV-H: a peak-driven profile that scores 67 of 100, era-normalized against rush yds/g peers across 7 scored seasons.
64
Sustained
career value
Γ.6
71
Peak
best 3 seasons
Γ.4
Γ1
Longevity
career length
Blend 66.8 Γ longevity 1 = KV-H 67Β· confidence 100%
What builds the career mark of 64
On-field 45.3
Availability 18.7
On-field production Staying available
Season-by-season quality (era-relative rush yds/g)
1983bestavg 64elite 701989
All-Time Standing
how this career measures against the all-time greats at the position14
Depth
of 100
Reached 16% of the all-time Rushing Yards leader β a rotational/depth all-time profile at the position.
16% of the all-time Rushing Yards leader16
0 categories β₯25% of the all-time leader0
A 0β100 scale where 100 = matched the all-time leaderat this position. Built only from visible encyclopedia data β career production vs. the all-time leader, plus efficiency (EPA) and comparable-player confidence β so it's a transparent context score, not a subjective rating. Tiers: Elite β₯ 85 Β· Strong β₯ 65 Β· Solid β₯ 45 Β· Depth < 45. Comparable-player confidence: 91%.
Career Aging Trajectory
vs. position group average Β· KV-H basisAmber = this player (normalized to own peak). Indigo = average RBs aging curve. Group peak age: 21. Source: StatVault KV-H era (1999+).
From Scrimmage Β· Career
Scrimmage Yds
4,578
2,950 rush Β· 1,628 recv
Total TDs
32
24 rush Β· 8 recv
Total Touches
871
685 carries Β· 186 rec
Yds / Touch
5.3
rushing + receiving
College stats are not imported for this profile yet.
StatVault has the verified college attribution (East Tennessee State), but no parsed college box-score table is present in this profile artifact. The section stays here so every profile has a consistent college-stats landing point without fabricating unavailable rows.
Reference Graph
Career teammates and draft class, derived from year-by-year rosters β every name is linked.
Top Teammates
Cedric MackDB7yRon WolfleyRB5yGreg LaFleurTE3yRob AwaltTE3yBenny PerrinFS3yDon HolmesWR3yTom TupaP2yJay NovacekTE2yDave AhrensOLB2yStump MitchellRB2yErnie JonesWR2yGreg CaterP2yVai SikahemaRB2yDanny PittmanWR2yPerry HarringtonRB2yGreg HorneP2yTony JordanRB2yMark RoyalsP1yWalter ReevesTE1yJessie ClarkFB1yLuis SharpeOT1yWilliam HarrisTE1yRicky MooreRB1yTony BakerRB1y
1982 Draft ClassΒ· this player went #125
Franchise Succession
the room, before and afterEarl inherited the Arizona Cardinals RB room from Stump Mitchell (1981β1989), and handed it to Ron Wolfley (1985β1990).
Similar Players
Statistical + physical similarity across every player in the database, position-relevant (0β100%).
Movementderived from season history
- 1989final season
Last recorded season with ARI
- 1982draft
Drafted by STL β Round 5, Pick 125
- 1982team change
Joined ARI (from STL)
Athletic & Unique Profile
verified measurements and curated source-tagged facts6'0" / 225 lb
Frame
Knox
StatVault's proprietary player intelligence, informed by full career data. How Knox works β
Historical Knox Β· KV-H
Era-normalized career quality β z-scored against 7-season peers. See all β
67
peak 71
Season Report CardsΒ· KV-H era-normalized per season
C+1983
C+1984
C+1985
B1986
B1987
A1988
B1989
Availability
Career durability β games played vs. scheduled, across 7 seasons.
91%
Era Translator
Rush Yds translated to the 2025NFL β each season's standing among its own-era peers, projected onto 2025's scoring environment. Modern-era (1999+) coverage.
| Season | Actual Rush Yds | Rush Yds/G | β 2025 Rush Yds | β 2025 /G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 53 | 3.3 | 169+116 | 9.9 |
| 1984 | 203 | 12.7 | 379+176 | 22.3 |
| 1985 | 208 | 18.9 | 478+270 | 28.1 |
| 1986 | 548 | 34.3 | 806+258 | 47.4 |
| 1987 | 512 | 46.5 | 1,144+632 | 67.3 |
| 1988 | 924 | 57.8 | 1,448+524 | 85.2 |
| 1989 | 502 | 33.5 | 879+377 | 51.7 |
Data: nflverse:draft_picks, nflverse:players, wikipedia:season-stats (CC-BY-SA, facts-only), nfl.com:official-stats (facts-only reference), nfl.com:official-stats (games-played, facts-only reference) Β· multi-source verified via the StatVault Oracle Β· updated 6/18/2026
Career Value Β· VORP
95 career value over replacement β #1200 all-time of 4,642. 13.6/season above a replacement-level RB.
Draft OutcomeSteal β
Pick #125 (Rd 5) Β· STL Β· 1982 Β· +33.5 vs expected KV-H
67actual
33.5 expected Β· Ξ+33.5
Fan Rating
Rate Earl Ferrell β All-Time
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