Blake Countess

Last updated

Blake Countess
Blake Countess (7769084700) (cropped).jpg
Countess with Michigan in 2012
No. 24, 32, 33, 36, 26
Position: Cornerback
Personal information
Born: (1993-08-08) August 8, 1993 (age 30)
Owings Mills, Maryland, U.S.
Height:5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High school: Our Lady of Good Counsel
(Olney, Maryland)
College: Michigan (2011–2014)
Auburn (2015)
NFL draft: 2016  / Round: 6 / Pick: 196
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles:57
Sacks:1.0
Pass deflections:3
Interceptions:2
Total touchdowns:2
Player stats at PFR

Blake Countess (born August 8, 1993) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football for Michigan, using three years of eligibility between 2011 and 2014. He was an All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection in 2013 after missing most of 2012 due to injury. His 2014 season was less successful and he used his final year of eligibility as a graduate transfer at Auburn in 2015. He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Contents

Early life

Countess attended Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney, Maryland. [1] As a junior in 2009, he totaled over 50 tackles and 20 pass break-ups. [2] In May 2010, he was nominated to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl high school football all-star game. [3] As a senior in 2010, Countess averaged 14.7 yards per catch, 35 yards per kickoff return, and 22.9 yards per punt return for Good Counsel. [4] Countess played both offense and defense for Good Counsel. His high school coach Bob Milloy noted: "What you're going to get from him is he's a lockdown corner, started both ways for me, and if you don't keep an eye on him, he'll run a punt or kickoff back. He's a very reliable, dependable kid, a good character person ... a good, solid citizen, great kid, and good football player." [5]

During the 2010 recruiting season, Countess was pursued by many top collegiate football programs including Notre Dame, Stanford, Penn State, Michigan, Tennessee, Arkansas, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Pitt, Georgia Tech, Purdue, Maryland, Cincinnati, Louisville, Duke, Illinois, Virginia, and Wake Forest. [2] [6] [7] [8]

In early December 2010, Countess was selected as an Army All-American. [9] At the U.S. Army All-American Bowl played on January 8, 2011, Countess did not allow a single pass completion to any receiver he covered, and the opposing quarterbacks chose not to throw many passes in his direction. [5]

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
NameHometownHigh school / collegeHeightWeight40‡Commit date
Blake Countess
DB 		Olney, Maryland Our Lady of Good Counsel H.S. 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)172.5 lb (78.2 kg)4.475Dec 17, 2010 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 4 stars.svg     Rivals: 4 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 80
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 20 (CB)   Rivals: 133, 10 (CB), 3 (MD)   ESPN: 14 (CB)
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "Michigan Football Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
  • "2011 Michigan Football Commits". Scout.com. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
  • "ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
  • "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
  • "2011 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved July 3, 2011.

On December 17, 2010, Countess announced his verbal commitment to attend the University of Michigan. [10] [11] He noted that, after visiting Ann Arbor, he "fell in love with Ann Arbor, the coaches, the school, the football legacy, the Big House, and it's just where I felt at home." [12] He was regarded as the top prospect in Michigan's 2011 recruiting class. [13] ESPN.com called him "a natural cover guy with good size and speed," and noted that he has "all the tools to be an outstanding player in college." [13] Three weeks after Countess committed to Michigan, the school's head coach Rich Rodriguez was fired. After the firing, Countess's high school coach noted that the move was unlikely to effect Countess's commitment. He noted that Countess was aware of rumors about Rodriguez being fired before giving his commitment and noted, "He said he picked Michigan because of the school." [5] He signed his letter of intent with Michigan in February 2011. [4]

College career

Countess with Michigan in 2013 CAF8014 (11158246293).jpg
Countess with Michigan in 2013

After a highly successful high school football career at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, Countess accepted a football scholarship from the University of Michigan where he played from 2011 to 2014. After graduating, he would decide to transfer to Auburn University to play out his final year of NCAA eligibility as a redshirt senior.

Michigan

Countess saw his first substantial playing time for the 2011 Michigan Wolverines football team in the fourth quarter of a 28–7 victory over San Diego State on September 24, 2011. [14] In less than one quarter, Countess accumulated seven tackles and broke up a pass in the endzone from quarterback Ryan Lindley. After the game, Michigan lineman Ryan Van Bergen noted that Countess has "a swagger about him." [15] [16] The following week, Countess again drew praise for forcing a fumble and leading the team in tackles in a 58–0 win over Minnesota. He received the Next Level Player of the Week award from Matt Bracken of The Baltimore Sun . [17] For the season, he earned 2011 Big Ten Conference All-Freshman team recognition from ESPN.com and BTN.com as well as 2011 TSN first-team All-Freshman and College Football News All-Freshman honorable mention honors. [18] [19] [20] [21]

Countess injured his anterior cruciate ligament in the season opener for the 2012 Michigan Wolverines football team against Alabama. [22] He returned as a redshirt sophomore to be a 2013 All-Big Ten first-team selection by the media and second-team selection the coaches. [23] However, the following year as a redshirt junior he only received honorable mention All-Big Ten recognition from the media. [24]

Auburn

On May 13, 2015, Countess announced his decision to transfer from Michigan. [25] After a brief recruiting process with various different schools, on May 26 he announced he would be a graduate transfer for the 2015 Auburn Tigers football team, [26] and his enrollment was official by May 28. He had also been recruited by Arizona, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. [27]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
5 ft 9+3⁄4 in
(1.77 m)		184 lb
(83 kg)		28+3⁄4 in
(0.73 m)		8+1⁄2 in
(0.22 m)		4.53 s1.46 s2.56 s4.15 s6.82 s36.5 in
(0.93 m)		10 ft 1 in
(3.07 m)		21 reps
All values from Auburn's Pro Day [28]

Philadelphia Eagles (first stint)

Countess with the Eagles in January 2021 03 Jan 2021 - Eagles WashingtonFootball0071 (50808441977) (cropped).jpg
Countess with the Eagles in January 2021

Countess was selected by the Eagles in the sixth round, 196th overall, in the 2016 NFL Draft. [29] On September 3, 2016, he was released by the Eagles. [30]

Los Angeles Rams

On September 6, 2016, Countess was signed to the practice squad of the Los Angeles Rams. [31] He was promoted to the Rams' active roster on November 18, 2016. [32]

In Week 3 of the 2018 season, Countess returned two kicks for 51 yards and recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown in a 35-23 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, earning him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. [33]

On March 12, 2019, the Rams tendered Countess as a restricted free agent. [34]

On May 2, 2019, the Rams waived Countess. [35]

Philadelphia Eagles (second stint)

On May 3, 2019, Countess was claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia Eagles. [36] He was waived on August 13, 2019. [37]

New York Jets

On October 15, 2019, Countess was signed by the New York Jets. [38]

On March 11, 2020, Countess was released by the Jets.

Philadelphia Eagles (third stint)

On December 16, 2020, Countess was signed to the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad. [39] He was elevated to the active roster on December 19 and January 2, 2021, for the team's weeks 15 and 17 games against the Arizona Cardinals and Washington Football Team, and reverted to the practice squad after each game. [40] [41] He signed a reserve/future contract with the Eagles on January 4, 2021, [42] and was released on March 9, 2021. [43]

On August 9, 2021, Countess re-signed with the Eagles. [44] He was placed on injured reserve on August 31, 2021. He was released on September 9, 2021.

Baltimore Ravens

On December 1, 2021, Countess was signed to the Baltimore Ravens practice squad. He was released on December 28.

Los Angeles Rams (second stint)

Countess signed to the Los Angeles Rams practice squad on January 12, 2022. Countess was elevated to the active roster and won Super Bowl LVI when the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals. [45]

New Jersey Generals

On January 26, 2023, Countess signed with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League (USFL). [46] He was placed on the team's injured reserve list on April 19, 2023. [47] He was placed on the retired list on October 4, 2023. [48]

NFL career statistics

YearTeamGamesTacklesInterceptionsFumbles
GPGSCombTotalAstSckPDIntYdsAvgLngTDsFFFR
2016 LAR 55202081.00000.00000
2017 LAR 161252360.011191919000
2018 LAR 1619720.02100.00000
2019 NYJ 600000.00000.00000
2020 PHI 203300.00000.00000
2021 BAL --------------
Career45375653161.032199.519000
Source: NFL.com

Related Research Articles

Jamar Dontarius Adams is a former American football safety. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Michigan. Adams has also played for the Philadelphia Eagles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austin Davis (American football)</span> American football player and coach (born 1989)

Austin Davis is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of the St. Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans. He played college football for the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, where he began his career as a walk-on, he redshirted the 2007 season and became the starter a year later. He ended the year with a combined total of 15 school records for both game and single-season marks and led the Golden Eagles to a bowl game victory in the 2008 New Orleans Bowl, being named to the freshman all-C-USA team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon Graham</span> American football player (born 1988)

Brandon Lee Graham is an American football defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Eagles in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft with the thirteenth selection in the draft and the first from the Big Ten Conference. He was an All-American college football player at the University of Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Le'Raven Clark</span> American football player (born 1993)

Le'Raven Clark is an American football offensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas Tech, and was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cody Parkey</span> American football player (born 1992)

Cody Parkey is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Auburn Tigers and was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He has also been a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears, Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, and Cleveland Browns. During a 2018–2019 Chicago Bears playoff game against his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles, Parkey missed a potential game-winning kick that became known as the Double Doink because it struck an upright and the crossbar before falling to the ground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corey Clement</span> American football player (born 1994)

Corey Joel Clement is an American football running back who is a free agent. He played college football at Wisconsin, and was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2017. He won Super Bowl LII with the team his rookie season, catching a touchdown in the game and helping execute the Philly Special.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T. J. Edwards</span> American football player (born 1996)

T. J. Edwards is an American football linebacker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Wisconsin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nate Gerry</span> American football player (born 1995)

Nathan Gerry is an American football linebacker who is a free agent. He played college football at Nebraska and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He has also been a member of the San Francisco 49ers and Washington Commanders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deontay Burnett</span> American football player (born 1997)

Deontay Burnett is an American football wide receiver for the Arlington Renegades of the United Football League (UFL). He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tennessee Titans in 2018. He played college football at USC. He has also been a member of the New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Houston Roughnecks.

Aziz Shittu Jr. is a former American football defensive tackle. He played college football at Stanford. He was a member of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017 when the team won Super Bowl LII. He has also played for the Dallas Cowboys. On April 11, 2020, Shittu joined the University of Colorado as a defensive graduate assistant coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lavert Hill</span> American football player (born 1998)

Lavert Hill is an American football cornerback for the St. Louis Battlehawks of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at Michigan. He helped Martin Luther King High School earn the 2015 Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 2 championship and played in the 2016 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He was recognized as the Lockheed Martin Air Defender of the Year as the nation's top high school defensive back. As a junior at Michigan, he was a 2018 All-Big Ten first-team selection by both the coaches and media. He is the younger brother of Lano Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travis Fulgham</span> American football player (born 1995)

Travis Fulgham is an American professional football wide receiver for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Old Dominion and was selected in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sua Opeta</span> American football player (born 1996)

Iosua Opeta is an American football guard for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for Weber State, he was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyler Johnson (American football)</span> American football player (born 1998)

Tyler Johnson is an American football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Minnesota, and was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He also briefly played for the Houston Texans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince Tega Wanogho</span> Nigerian-born American football player (born 1997)

Prince Tega Wanogho is a Nigerian-born American football offensive tackle who is a free agent. He played college football at Auburn and was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL draft.

Josiah Scott is an American football cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Michigan State and was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raequan Williams</span> American football player (born 1997)

Raequan Williams is an American football defensive end who is a free agent. He played college football at Michigan State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grayland Arnold</span> American football player (born 1997)

Grayland Arnold Jr. is an American football safety who is a free agent. He played college football at Baylor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elijah Riley</span> American football player (born 1998)

Elijah Riley is an American football safety who is a free agent. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2020 following his college football career at Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tarron Jackson</span> American football player (born 1998)

Tarron Jackson is an American football defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Coastal Carolina.

References

  1. ↑ "All Americans". Our Lady of Good Counsel High School. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
  2. 1 2 Guimaraes, Eric (April 8, 2010). "Countess hearing from both Tigers and Gamecocks". Spartanburg Herald-Journal.
  3. ↑ Barr, Josh (May 3, 2010). "Three locals nominated for U.S. Army bowl". The Washington Post.
  4. 1 2 "Good Counsel defensive back Blake Countess signs with Michigan". The Washington Post. February 2, 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 Cunningham, Pete (January 17, 2011). "Michigan football cornerback recruit Blake Countess committed to the school, not necessarily the coach". AnnArbor.com.
  6. ↑ Barr, Josh (October 8, 2010). "Good Counsel DB Blake Countess plans visits to Ga. Tech, U-Md". The Washington Post.
  7. ↑ Skopil, Erik (June 4, 2010). "Blake Countess Still Exploring His Options". GoJackets.com.
  8. ↑ Skopil, Erik (May 17, 2010). "Countess Gaining lots of Attention". Fighting Gators.com.
  9. ↑ "Army All-American Bowl breakdown". ESPN.com. December 9, 2010.
  10. ↑ Bracken, Matt (December 19, 2010). "COUNTESS HEADED TO MICHIGAN: ARKANSAS, GEORGIA TECH, MARYLAND, N.C. STATE LOSE GOOD COUNSEL CORNERBACK". The Sun, Baltimore, Md. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  11. ↑ "Countess Unshakably Blue". GoBlueWolverine.com. December 17, 2010.
  12. ↑ "US Army All-American Bowl Blake Countess". YouTube. January 2011.
  13. 1 2 Newberg, Jamie (January 25, 2011). "Buckeyes lead Big Ten again". ESPN.com.
  14. ↑ Baumgardner, Nick (September 24, 2011). "With Troy Woolfolk on the sidelines, freshman Blake Countess shines in Michigan win". AnnArbor.com .
  15. ↑ Chengelis, Angelique S. (September 24, 2011). "Freshman Blake Countess impressive in Michigan's secondary". The Detroit News.[ permanent dead link ]
  16. ↑ Raftery, Kevin (September 24, 2011). "Notebook: SDSU gives 'tribute' to departed coaches, freshman Countess steps up for injured Woolfolk". The Michigan Daily .
  17. ↑ Bracken, Matt (October 3, 2011). "The Next Level: Countess steps up for Michigan". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  18. ↑ "Early impact: These freshmen were at the head of their class". Sporting News . December 13, 2011. Archived from the original on July 5, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  19. ↑ Rittenberg, Adam and Brian Bennett (December 13, 2011). "ESPN.com's Big Ten All-Freshman team". ESPN . Retrieved January 5, 2012.
  20. ↑ Dienhart, Tom (December 12, 2011). "BTN.com's 2011 Big Ten All-Freshman Team". Big Ten Network . Retrieved January 5, 2012.
  21. ↑ Cirminiello, Richard (December 9, 2011). "2011 CFN All-Freshman Defensive Team". College Football News . Scout.com. Archived from the original on January 7, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
  22. ↑ Birkett, Dave (April 24, 2016). "NFL draft: Ex-Michigan DB Blake Countess takes winding path to pros". Detroit Free Press . Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  23. ↑ "Lewan, Funchess Earn Top Big Ten Position Awards". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. December 2, 2013. Archived from the original on December 7, 2013. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
  24. ↑ Satterfield, Derek (December 1, 2014). "Led By Ryan, Seven Wolverines Earn Big Ten Honors". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive . Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  25. ↑ Manzullo, Brian (May 13, 2015). "Blake Countess says he's transferring from U-M". Detroit Free Press . Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  26. ↑ Scarborough, Alex (May 26, 2017). "Blake Countess to transfer to Auburn". ESPN . Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  27. ↑ Marcello, Brandon (May 28, 2017). "Michigan transfer Blake Countess 'has chance to be phenomenal player' at Auburn". AL.com . Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  28. ↑ "Blake Countess, Auburn, CB, 2016 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  29. ↑ "2016 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  30. ↑ McPherson, Chris (September 3, 2016). "Eagles Trim Roster to 53 Players". PhiladelphiaEagles.com. Archived from the original on August 27, 2017.
  31. ↑ "Rams Sign Three to Complete Practice Squad". TheRams.com. September 6, 2016. Archived from the original on October 17, 2017. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  32. ↑ "Rams Promote DB Blake Countess To Active Roster, Place WR Nelson Spruce On I.R." November 18, 2016.
  33. ↑ Bergman, Jeremy (September 26, 2018). "Big Ben, Drew Brees among NFL Players of the Week". NFL.com.
  34. ↑ Simmons, Myles (March 12, 2019). "Rams tender restricted free agents, exclusive rights free agents". TheRams.com.
  35. ↑ Bouda, Nate (May 2, 2019). "Rams WAiving S Blake Countess".
  36. ↑ McPherson, Chris (May 3, 2019). "Eagles claim former draft pick Blake Countess off waivers". PhiladelphiaEagles.com. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  37. ↑ "Eagles' waive S Blake Countess; sign DT Aziz Shittu". Eagles Wire. USA Today. August 13, 2019.
  38. ↑ Alper, Josh (August 15, 2019). "Jets sign Blake Countess". Pro Football Talk. NBC Sports. Archived from the original on October 15, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  39. ↑ McPherson, Chris (December 16, 2020). "Eagles promote DB Elijah Riley from the practice squad; sign S Blake Countess to the practice squad". PhiladelphiaEagles.com.
  40. ↑ McPherson, Chris (December 19, 2020). "Roster Moves: Eagles elevate S Blake Countess and CB Jameson Houston from the practice squad for Sunday's game". PhiladelphiaEagles.com. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  41. ↑ McPherson, Chris (January 2, 2021). "Eagles elevate Blake Countess, Joe Ostman, and Prince Tega Wanogho for Sunday night's game". PhiladelphiaEagles.com. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  42. ↑ McPherson, Chris (January 4, 2021). "Eagles agree to terms with DT T.Y. McGill; sign nine players to reserve/futures deals". PhiladelphiaEagles.com.
  43. ↑ McPherson, Chris (March 9, 2021). "Eagles release S Blake Countess, DT Treyvon Hester". PhiladelphiaEagles.com. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  44. ↑ McPherson, Chris (August 9, 2021). "Roster Moves: Eagles activate Matt Leo; sign Blake Countess". PhiladelphiaEagles.com. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  45. ↑ "Super Bowl LVI - Los Angeles Rams vs. Cincinnati Bengals - February 13th, 2022". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  46. ↑ @USFLGenerals (January 26, 2023). "Free Agent Signing" (Tweet). Retrieved January 26, 2023– via Twitter.
  47. ↑ @USFLGenerals (April 20, 2023). "Free Agent Signing" (Tweet). Retrieved April 20, 2023– via Twitter.
  48. ↑ "Transfer Player to Retired List: CB Blake Countess". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved October 5, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.