Russ Yeast

Russ Yeast's Biography

Craig Russell Yeast II is a highly celebrated American professional football safety with a burgeoning career in the National Football League (NFL). Yeast was born on May 8, 1999, and as of 2023, he plays for the Carolina Panthers of the NFL. His journey in football is a progressive development that has seen him play for the esteemed Louisville and Kansas State college football teams before making a transition to professional football.

Yeast became a part of the NCAA football consciousness in 2017, where he played impressively well at Louisville until the culmination of the 2020 football season. In 2021, he shifted his sporting allegiance to Kansas State. His role and contribution during his college football years were enough to get him noticed by many NFL scouts. He was highly revered for his tactical playing, game intelligence, and physicality.

In 2022, his exceptional talent drew the attention of the Los Angeles Rams, an NFL team that would give Yeast exposure to a higher level of football, resulting in his selection in the seventh round, 253rd overall, in the 2022 NFL draft. His initial time with the Rams saw him mainly focused on special teams during his rookie season. However, his tenacity and hard work did not go unnoticed. He earned an expanded role on defense in the final month of the season. This culminated in Yeast making his first NFL start in the Rams’ season finale against the Seattle Seahawks on January 8, 2023.

Unfortunately, his shining moment was short-lived as he had to exit the game due to a pulmonary contusion. The severity of his injury left him hospitalized overnight in Seattle. Despite the setback, it was evident Yeast had much to offer to the team with his skill and unwavering commitment to the game.

Yeast’s career saw a significant development during the following offseason in 2023, when he became the Rams’ starting free safety during training camp after the departures of former Rams safeties Taylor Rapp and Nick Scott. Despite this milestone, Yeast faced further professional challenges when he was replaced by veteran John Johnson in the midst of the season.

In 2024, Yeast battled significantly for a spot on the final roster as a backup. He saw a brief setback when waived by the Rams on September 14th, 2024. However, his career made a rebound when signed to the Carolina Panthers practice squad on September 18, 2024. Yeast proved his value and was swiftly promoted to the Panthers’ active roster a week later but was later released on October 8. He continued to stay in the game by re-signing to the practice squad two days later.

Yeast’s athletic disposition stems from an impressive sports lineage. His father, Craig Yeast, was a phenomenal receiver at the University of Kentucky and went on to shine professionally in the NFL and the Canadian Football League. Yeast’s mother, Tori Tillman Yeast, also left her mark in the sporting arena playing basketball at Kentucky. Yeast’s sister, Kiyah, further extending the family’s sporting legacy as a sprinter on the Louisville track team.