The Miami Hurricanes will compete for a National Championship when they face the Indiana Hoosiers in their home stadium tonight, and Mark Fletcher Jr. is sure to be key to their hopes of glory. Fletcher has enjoyed a career year for the Hurricanes, helping put them on the cusp of a first national title since 2001.
Fletcher Jr. shares a very famous namesake who made a significant impact at the NFL level, though he will have to go a long way to match the accolades of the great London Fletcher.
Is Mark Fletcher Jr. Related to London Fletcher?
London Fletcher played a remarkable 16 seasons as a linebacker after going undrafted out of John Carroll in 1998. He won the Super Bowl in his second season with the St. Louis Rams. He was named to the Pro Bowl four times and selected as a second-team All-Pro twice. Fletcher retired in 2013, having played in 256 consecutive games and registered 215 straight starts.
But anyone thinking Fletcher Jr.’s success at the running back position has anything to do with sharing bloodlines with the former Rams, Buffalo Bills, and Washington Commanders linebacker is mistaken.
The two are, in fact, not related.
Fletcher Jr. could still take inspiration from his namesake in terms of his remarkable longevity at a position where careers do not tend to last very long.
Indeed, Fletcher Jr. will obviously have his sights set on a long and productive career in the pros, with his performances for Miami indicating that it is a distinct possibility.
Fletcher Jr., who declared his intention to return to Miami for 2026, has enjoyed an excellent junior season for the Hurricanes, racking up 1,080 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground to this point. He has also added 132 yards and two touchdowns as a receiver. Fletcher Jr. ranks 35th of 269 backs in PFSN’s College Running Back Impact metric.
And he is peaking at the right time this season with his displays in the College Football Playoff. Fletcher Jr. gashed Texas A&M for 172 yards in the first round, averaging 10.1 yards per carry. He followed up that effort with a 90-yard display against Ohio State and a 133-yard showing in the defeat of Ole Miss, scoring the opening touchdown in the quarter-final win over the Buckeyes, a nine-yard reception from Carson Beck.
If he delivers again on the biggest stage in college football to help the Hurricanes end their long wait for a title, Fletcher Jr. will be a household name.
