KaVontae Turpin

Early life

Turpin went to Neville High School in his hometown of Monroe, Louisiana. As a senior, he had 1,928 all-purpose yards, including 904 rushing and 724 receiving, and 29 touchdowns. He received All-state, All-Northeast Louisiana and All-NELA Big School Offensive Player of the Year honors.

He was a three-star recruit and no. 12 prospect from all of Louisiana. On January 25, 2015, he committed to TCU over another scholarship offer from Texas Tech. He played varsity basketball as a guard, averaging 12.9 points per game between his junior and senior years.

2015 season

Turpin accepted a football scholarship from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. As a true freshman, he started in five of 13 games. On October 5, he was named Big 12 Co-Offensive Player of the Week, after posting career-best totals of 6 receptions for 138 yards and four receiving touchdowns in the Horned Frogs' 50–7 win over the University of Texas. The four touchdown receptions were the most by a freshman in Big 12 history. He injured his neck and shoulder in the seventh game against Iowa State University and missed the remainder of the contest.

Turpin had 7 receptions for 107 yards and one touchdown in the ninth game against Oklahoma State University. In the twelfth game against Baylor University, he made a game-winning 8-yard catch in the second overtime. He finished the season with 45 receptions (freshman school record), 649 receiving yards (freshman school record), 8 receiving touchdowns (freshman school record), 1,675 all-purpose yards (led the team) and averaged 15.3 yards every time he touched the ball.

He was second in the Big 12 and tied for 14th nationally with his 27-yard average in kickoff returns, the highest mark by a Horned Frog since Greg McCoy in 2011 (30.6). He was the only player in the nation to rank in the top 25 in both kickoff and punt returns. He was named freshman All-American by the FWAA and honorable-mention All-Big 12 selection as a return specialist.

2016 season

As a sophomore, Turpin was limited by injuries, appearing in eight games while registering 30 receptions for 295 yards and one receiving touchdown. He averaged 16.2 yards on punt returns and 30.8 on kickoff returns. He was one of five players nationally with a punt return and kickoff return for a touchdown. On September 6, he was named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week after having an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown (sixth longest in school history) in the season opener against South Dakota State while also having 7 receptions for 62 yards, 177 all-purpose yards (82 punt returns, 62 receiving, 33 rushing).

On September 12, he was named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week after totaling 169 return yards (33 punt, 136 kickoff), including a career-long 64-yard kickoff return with less than a minute to play in the game to put the offense in position for a potential game-winning field goal, while also tying a career-high with seven receptions for 126 yards and having a career-high best 295 all-purpose yards (136 kickoff returns, 33 punt returns, 126 receiving). His 90-yard punt return for a score in the sixth game against the University of Kansas, tied for the second-longest in school history.

2017 season

As a junior, he appeared in all 14 games with three starts, registering 41 receptions for 394 yards, one receiving touchdown, and 1,202 all-purpose yards. He returned a punt for a touchdown in win over the University of Kansas, returned a kickoff for a touchdown against Iowa State University and threw a touchdown in a win over West Virginia University, becoming only the fifth player in the previous 10 seasons with that stat line. He was named Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week against the University of Kansas for returning three punts for 95 yards and a touchdown. He was named first-team All-Big 12 kick and punt returner, a first-team AP All-Big 12 (all-purpose), honorable-mention All-Big 12 as a wide receiver and honorable-mention Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year.

2018 season

As a senior, Turpin played much of the season with a warrant out for his arrest from failure to appear to a domestic violence charge in New Mexico. Gary Patterson and the TCU Coaching staff were aware of the spring break arrest, but failed to investigate it and claim they did not know about the outstanding warrant. He was second on the team in receptions (29), receiving yards (410) and receiving touchdowns (three). He also returned a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns, and his punt-return average of 19.4 yards per attempt tied for the FBS lead. On September 10, he was named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week, after having a 78-yard punt return for a touchdown, making it the fourth of his career and a school record. On October 9, he returned a kickoff for a 98-yard touchdown against the University of Oklahoma, making it his sixth career return (four punts, two kickoffs) for a touchdown, which was also a school record.

Domestic violence charges

On October 23, he was dismissed from the team for two domestic violence charges. At the time, he was leading the nation by averaging almost 20 yards per punt return. He finished his college career as arguably the school's greatest returner: His four punt returns for a touchdown and six career special teams touchdowns were the most in TCU history.

Domestic violence charges

In 2019, Turpin pleaded guilty in a second family violence case against his former girlfriend which occurred in October 2018. He was cut from the TCU football program by Gary Patterson shortly after he was informed of this second battery charge against him. Despite Patterson and the TCU Coaching staff knowing about his previous assault, he was allowed to continue to play throughout the 2018 season until he committed the second offense against the same woman. As part of his plea agreement, he served two years deferred adjudication probation and completed a 27-week Partner Abuse Intervention Program.

Drug and weapon possession charges

On July 5, 2025, Turpin was charged by the Allen Police Department for marijuana possession (less than two ounces) and unlawful carrying of a weapon after he was pulled over for driving 97 miles per hour in a zone with speed limit of 70. He was released the next day after posting a $1,500 bail.