Rashad Jennings

For the American expatriate basketball player, see Rashad Jones-Jennings.
Rashad Jennings
No. 23 New York Giants
Position: Running back
Personal information
Date of birth: (1985-03-26) March 26, 1985
Place of birth: Forest, Virginia
Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight: 231 lb (105 kg)
Career information
High school: Lynchburg (VA) Liberty Christian Academy
College: Liberty
NFL draft: 2009 / Round: 7 / Pick: 250
Career history
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 7, 2015
Rushing yards: 3,179
Rushing average: 4.1
Rushing TDs: 20
Receptions: 156
Receiving yards: 1,104
Receiving TDs: 1
Player stats at NFL.com

Rashad Andre Jennings (born March 26, 1985) is an American football running back for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). Drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft, Jennings played for the Oakland Raiders in 2013 before signing with the Giants. Jennings played college football at Liberty.

High school career

Jennings began his high school career at Jefferson Forest High School in his hometown, Forest, Virginia. As a fifth string running back, he didn't play in a game until the last game of his junior year. As a self-described "270 lb. chubby kid with asthma and glasses", Jennings finally played after the first four running backs ahead of him on the depth chart went down with injuries. Even before putting in Jennings, his coach attempted to play a wide receiver at running back. On his first handoff he ran the ball in for a 30-yard touchdown. After a 40-yard rushing touchdown and scoring 2 more touchdowns on defense, Jennings was approached by a scout from the University of Tennessee who had come to see the starting running back. After inquiring about his grades and discovering Jennings had a 0.6 GPA, the scout said "Son, you have potential... Get your grades right!"

After the encouragement, Rashad and his brothers decided it would be best for him to transfer to Lynchburg Christian Academy. His older brothers offered to coach the football team since he couldn't afford the tuition at the time. At LCA, he would begin to shed some weight and take to learning after having to repeat his junior year. In his junior and senior year, he was a two-time All-VISAA Division II selection while totaling 3,287 yards and 56 touchdowns, including 1,978 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns as a senior, while also lettering twice in basketball.[1]

College career

Jennings began his college career at Pittsburgh in 2005, only the fourth true freshman running back to start there. However, Jennings transferred to Division I-AA Liberty, in spring 2006, to be closer to his family. Though Jennings was suspended for the first two games of the 2007 season due to an internal violation, he excelled at Liberty, setting a Big South Conference record with 3,633 yards, 42 TDs and an averaged 5.7 yards per carry.[2]

Professional career

2009 NFL Combine

Pre-draft measurables
Ht Wt 40-yd dash 10-yd split 20-yd split 20-ss 3-cone Vert Broad BP
6 ft 1 in 231 lb 4.59 s 1.53 s 2.59 s 4.20 s 6.79 s 34 in 10 ft 0 in 29 reps
All values from NFL Combine

Jacksonville Jaguars

After being coached by the Jacksonville Jaguars' staff during the 2009 Senior Bowl, Jennings was drafted by Jacksonville in the seventh round (250th overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft. He scored his first career touchdown in Week 9 against the Kansas City Chiefs, rushing for 28 yards. After a promising rookie season, Jennings' 2011 was cut short by injuries—after suffering a concussion in the Jaguars' first preseason game,[3] and his knee injury two weeks later, Jennings was placed in injured reserve before the regular season began.[4]

Due to a contract holdout by starter Maurice Jones-Drew, Jennings was named the starting running back for the team's 2012 regular season opener against the Minnesota Vikings. Jones-Drew returned to the starting lineup the following week Jennings resumed his role as a backup until a shoulder injury on December 24, 2012 landed him on injured reserve for the second consecutive year.

Oakland Raiders

Jennings was signed by the Oakland Raiders on April 10, 2013.[5]

Jennings started the 2013 season backing up starter Darren McFadden. McFadden spent much of the 2013 plagued by injuries forcing Jennings to start eight games in his place. Jennings, a career backup, exceeded expectations as a starter and saw his best rushing game of the season on week 11 against Houston where he rushed 22 times for 150 yards (6.8 ypc) and one touchdown on the end of an 80 yard rush. Jennings finished the season with 733 yards on 163 carries and six touchdowns.

New York Giants

On March 12, 2014, Jennings signed a four-year, $14 million contract including $3 million guaranteed with the New York Giants.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Rashad Jennings Incredible Journey to the NFL".
  2. ↑ Mark Berman (2008-11-08). "Jennings earns attention". Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  3. ↑ Vito Stellino (2011-08-22). "Rashad Jennings, Clint Session return to practice after concussions". Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  4. ↑ Tania Ganguli (2011-09-04). "Jaguars lose Rashad Jennings for year, deal for cornerback". Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  5. ↑ Raiders Add RB Rashad Jennings
  6. ↑ Giants to sign Rashad Jennings, Schwartz, Schofield

External links

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