Preacher Pilot
| Born: |
January 22, 1941 Kleberg County, Texas, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Died: | January 2, 1991 (aged 49) Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Halfback |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) |
| Weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| College | New Mexico State |
| High school | Kingsville HS |
| AFL draft | 1963 / Round: 14 / Pick: 112 |
| Drafted by | Kansas City Chiefs |
| NFL draft | 1963 / Round: 5 / Pick: 63 |
| Drafted by | San Francisco 49ers |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1964–1966 | Indianapolis Warriors / Fort Wayne Warriors / Montreal Beavers |
| 1966 | Norfolk Neptunes |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
James Isaac "Preacher" Pilot Jr. (January 22, 1941 – January 2, 1991) was an American football player. He played for the New Mexico State Aggies football team from 1961 to 1963. He led the country in rushing yardage in both 1961 with 1,278 yards and in 1962 with 1,247 yards. He was the first player since Tom Harmon to lead the country in rushing yardage in consecutive years. He also led the NCAA major colleges in scoring with 138 points (13.8 points per game) in 1961.
Pilot grew up in Kingsville, Texas. He initially attended the University of Kansas on a basketball scholarship and, after one year, transferred to New Mexico State. He was inducted into the New Mexico State Athletics Hall of Fame. He died in 1991 at age 49 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.