Packers Replace Israel Abanikanda on Practice Squad With Speedster

“Helping the team out any way I can,” he said after being drafted. “Out of the backfield, special teams, any way I can help the team win a Super Bowl. Wherever New England needs me to play, that's what I'm going to do. That's the kind of person and player I am.”

The Patriots traded Strong to the Browns before the 2023 season.

“I’m versatile,” he said after the trade. “My speed, my hands at the backfield block and just being an all-around back. Like I said, speed. Just showing them – break away and get to the edges and just do anything they need me to do with the ball in my hands.”

Strong had a good preseason this year with 114 rushing yards (6.3 average), highlighted by a 54-yarder against the Eagles, and five catches.

At South Dakota State, Strong dominated the FCS ranks. In four seasons, he rushed for 4,527 yards (7.2 average) and 40 touchdowns while adding 62 receptions for 581 yards (9.4 average) and three more scores. As a senior, he rushed for 1,686 yards (7.0 average) and 18 touchdowns while adding a career-high 22 receptions. He led FCS in rushing and also threw four touchdown passes.

Despite rushing for almost 4,000 yards during his final two seasons of high school in Little Rock, Ark., Strong was largely ignored by recruiters. But not by South Dakota State.

Then-running backs coach John Johnson “was on me hard, but I was kind of blowing him off – I wasn’t texting him back,” Strong told the Argus Leader. “I’d heard of (South Dakota State) but I wasn’t really into it. It just sounded really cold. But he came for an in-home visit and got me up here for a campus visit. I met some of the players, got out in the community and researched it with my parents and we decided it was the right place for me.”

Strong became the first SDSU running back to be drafted since fullback Joe Thorne was picked by the Packers in 1962.

Strong played at South Dakota State alongside tight end Tucker Kraft.

“He’s a special student-athlete,” SDSU coach John Stiegelmeier said. “In terms of how he compares to the (Zach) Zenners and the (Josh) Raneks and the Kyle Minnetts and the whole slew of guys – each one was different. Pierre has a unique running style. He hops out of tackles, he’s real smooth, he gets to top speed quick. We’ll see where he ends up but I’m just glad he’s on our football team.”

Strong will wear No. 22, which was last worn by another speedster, rookie receiver Matthew Golden.