Callahan Bright

Last updated

Callahan Bright
No. 47
Position: Defensive tackle
Personal information
Born: (1987-01-16) January 16, 1987 (age 37)
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:340 lb (154 kg)
Career information
High school: Rosemont (PA) Harriton
College: Shaw
Undrafted: 2010
Career history
Career Arena League statistics
Tackles:10
Stats at ArenaFan.com

Callahan Bright (born January 16, 1987) is a former American football player. A standout defensive lineman in high school, his career derailed during college. [1] After one season at Division II Shaw University, Bright entered the 2010 NFL draft but was not selected. He had brief stints with various Arena Football League (AFL) teams, [2] and last played for the Wichita Wild. [3]

Contents

Early life

A native of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, in the Delaware Valley, Bright graduated from Welsh Valley Middle School, and then attended Glen Mills School in Thornbury for two years, a school for court-adjudicated youths. Bright said he was sent there because of “behavioral problems.” [4] As a junior, he transferred to Harriton High School in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, where he was an All-American defensive lineman, while also playing lacrosse and wrestling in the unlimited division at several freestyle tournaments. After recording 86 tackles and 14 sacks in his junior season, Bright was named to USA Today 's “2004 preseason Super 25 players”. [5]

Constantly drawing double- and triple-teams by opponents, Bright's dominance was noted by scouts. Tom Lemming of ESPN called him “the most dominating high school defensive lineman that I've seen in five years,” referring to Shaun Cody. [6] At the Elite College Combine in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Bright dominated in one-on-one drills, “tossing” five-star offensive lineman (and future first round NFL draft pick) Eugene Monroe “aside like a rag doll.” [1] [7] “He was so powerful. He always had great leverage and got under taller players, and he had one of the best bull rushes I've ever seen,” said Rivals.com analyst Mike Farrell. [1] Although initially invited to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, [8] he could not participate due to a suspension that also caused him to miss his final high school game. [1]

Regarded as a five-star recruit by Rivals.com, Bright was listed as the No. 2 defensive tackle prospect of a class that also included Jerrell Powe, Ndamukong Suh, and Dan Williams. [9] Only DeMarcus Granger of Kimball High School in Dallas was ranked in front of him. Recruited by dozens of schools, Bright narrowed his choices down to Miami, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Florida State, Texas A&M, Purdue—where his older brother Eugene played defensive end—and Southern California. He only took two official visits, to Florida State and Texas A&M, in December 2004. [10] During National Signing Day, Bright committed to Florida State on ESPN News . [11] Alongside wide receiver prospect Fred Rouse, Bright was considered to be the cornerstone of the Seminoles' 2005 recruiting class. [12]

College career

Apart from his official visit, Bright never stepped onto the FSU campus in Tallahassee, Florida. [11] Because of his 2.5 core grade point average, he needed to get at least an 820 on the SAT to meet the NCAA's minimum eligibility standards, which he did not. Ineligible for college football, Bright briefly attended Hargrave Military Academy, a prep school in Chatham, Virginia, along with fellow Seminoles recruits Matt Hardrick and Justin Mincey. [13] Bright was ranked as the No. 1 prep school prospect by Scout.com . [14] While the Seminoles had a “painfully thin defensive front,” [13] and were in dire need of a nose guard after the graduation of Brodrick Bunkley, his “onetime heir apparent” Bright did not manage to qualify academically. [15]

Opting for the junior college route, he enrolled at Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kansas, to play football. He went through practice in 2007 but left the school before the season began. The birth of his son altered his career, causing him to take a job as a garbage man in Radnor, Pennsylvania, so he could also take night classes at Delaware County Community College. [1] In July 2007, Bright was arrested in the delivery of marijuana to a Montgomery County police informant. Charged with a felony count of possession with the intent to deliver, Bright pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served and two years' probation. [2]

Bright eventually wound up at Shaw University located in Raleigh, North Carolina. He spent two years on the scout team before regaining his academic eligibility in 2009. In his only season of college football, he registered 48 tackles, 7.5 tackles for a loss and half a sack, which earning him selection to the CIAA All-Rookie team. [16] He then decided to bypass his senior year and to enter the 2010 NFL draft. [2]

Professional career

2010 NFL Draft

After preparing for the draft at All-Star Sports Training in Paisley, Florida, [1] Bright was invited to participate at NC State's pro-day, where he demonstrated his raw strength with 41 reps at the bench press, [17] which was only topped among 2010 draft prospects by Mitch Petrus (45). [18] According to Mike Mayock, there was “some interest in him as a late-draftable/preferred free-agent type.” [19]

While seen as a “prototypical nose guard for teams using the 3–4 defensive scheme,” Bright's background issues scared many teams off. [11] He was not selected by any team in the draft.

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeight 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 2+1⁄2 in
(1.89 m)		342 lb
(155 kg)		5.28 s1.88 s3.05 s4.90 s8.12 s27 in
(0.69 m)		8 ft 4 in
(2.54 m)		41 reps
All values from North Carolina State Pro Day (March 24, 2010). [17] [20]

Arena Football League

Bright then entered the Arena Football League (AFL), first signing with the Jacksonville Sharks and then, [21] over the course of a year and a half, he played for the Philadelphia Soul, New Orleans VooDoo and the Pittsburgh Power before signing with the Wichita Wild midway through the 2012 season. Playing in all seven of the Wild's remaining games last season, Bright tallied 33 total tackles, one and a half sacks and two forced fumbles.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darnell Dockett</span> American football player (born 1981)

Darnell Maurice Dockett is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end for 11 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Cardinals in the third round of the 2004 NFL draft. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Barron (American football)</span> American football player (born 1982)

Alex Benjamin Barron is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the St. Louis Rams with the 19th overall pick of the 2005 NFL draft. He played college football for Florida State University, and was a two-time consensus All-American.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kamerion Wimbley</span> American football player (born 1983)

Kamerion Wimbley is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker and defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2006 NFL draft with the 13th overall pick. He also played for the Oakland Raiders and Tennessee Titans before retiring in 2015. He played college football at Florida State University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brodrick Bunkley</span> American football player (born 1983)

Brodrick Bunkley is an American former professional football player who was a nose tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the 2006 NFL draft. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles. Bunkley also played for the Denver Broncos and New Orleans Saints.

Alonzo Jackson is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end for the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, and Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL).

Andre Wadsworth is a former football defensive end. He played College football for Florida State University, and earned All-American honors. He was selected in the first round of the 1998 NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Okam</span> American football player and coach (born 1985)

Franklin Nonyelu Okam, Jr. is an American football coach and former defensive tackle who is the former defensive line coach for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). Okam played college football at Texas and was selected by the Houston Texans in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL draft. He also was a member of the Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Omaha Nighthawks, New York Giants, and Carolina Panthers.

Everette D. Brown is an American football coach and former linebacker who is currently the assistant linebackers coach for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in second round of the 2009 NFL draft. Brown also played for the San Diego Chargers, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Redskins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodney Hudson</span> American football player (born 1989)

William Rodney Hudson is an American professional football center who is a free agent. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles, and was a two-time All-American. He was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft. He also played for the Oakland Raiders and Arizona Cardinals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharrif Floyd</span> American football player (born 1991)

Sharrif Kalil Floyd is an American professional football coach and former defensive tackle who is the assistant defensive line coach for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida Gators, earning All-American honors in 2012. Floyd was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft and retired in 2017 following a number of injuries, later becoming a coach.

Brandon Jenkins is a former American football linebacker. He played college football for Florida State University as a defensive end. The Washington Redskins selected him in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dontari Poe</span> American football player (born 1990)

Dontari Poe is an American former football nose tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football at Memphis and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs 11th overall in the 2012 NFL draft. Though primarily a defensive lineman, at 6 ft 3 in and 346 lbs, he is also known for being the largest player to either rush or pass for a touchdown while also having a 100% pass completion percentage, passing touchdown, and rushing touchdown. He also played for the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Björn Werner</span> German American football player (born 1990)

Björn Werner is a German former professional player of American football who was a defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles, earning unanimous All-American honors in 2012. Werner was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft. He is co-owner and sports director of the Berlin Thunder of the European League of Football (ELF).

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

Timothy Lenord Jernigan Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles.

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

Eddie Goldman is an American professional football nose tackle for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State and was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft.

Tre' Jackson is an American former professional football player who was a guard in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles, earning unanimous All-American honors in 2014. He was selected by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL draft.

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

Rashan Abdul Gary is an American professional football defensive end for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). In 2015 Gary concluded his high school football career at Paramus Catholic High School in New Jersey as the No. 1 ranked recruit in college football's class of 2016. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines, and was drafted by the Packers in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jermaine Johnson II</span> American football player (born 1999)

Jermaine Curtis Johnson II is an American professional football linebacker for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Independence and Georgia before transferring to Florida State in 2021 where he was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Johnson was drafted by the New York Jets with the twenty-sixth overall pick of the 2022 NFL draft.

Joshua Zekiah Pryor is an American professional football defensive tackle for the Birmingham Stallions of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at Bowie State and was signed by the Washington Commanders as an undrafted free agent in 2023.

Fabien Abdual Lovett Sr. is an American professional football defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Florida State Seminoles. He was signed by the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent after the 2024 NFL draft.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Staples, Andy (February 24, 2010). "Former top recruit Callahan Bright seeks second chance in NFL". CNN. Archived from the original on February 28, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 Narducci, Marc (February 24, 2011). "Former Harriton star gets a shot with Soul". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on March 19, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Callahan Bright Rejoins the Wild for 2013 Season". Wichita Wild Football. January 16, 2013. Archived from the original on April 12, 2013. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  4. ↑ O'Brien, Rick (September 2, 2004). "Rams' behemoth Callahan Bright a dominant force Harriton's two-way tackle is also fast and versatile, able to play guard or even fullback". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Archived from the original on September 15, 2013.
  5. ↑ "2004 preseason Super 25 players". USA Today. May 20, 2005.
  6. ↑ Lemming, Tom (August 25, 2004). "Future's Bright for Pennsylvania DL". ESPN Insider .
  7. ↑ "Trying Not to Belong". Pittsburgh Sports Report. December 9, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Wrestling, gymnastics results; final USA today football rankings; East-West football team". Seattle Times . December 9, 2004.
  9. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved December 11, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. ↑ "Recruiting Football Team News, 247Sports".
  11. 1 2 3 Pompey, Keith (April 22, 2010). "Harriton's Bright hopes for shot at NFL draft". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on October 31, 2013.
  12. ↑ Megargee, Steve (February 27, 2012). "The Unlucky 13: Top classes that fizzled". Rivals.com.
  13. 1 2 "Questions at QB for Seminoles". Florida Times-Union. June 19, 2005.
  14. ↑ "Scout.com Postgraduate Top 40". Archived from the original on October 17, 2013. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
  15. ↑ Feldman, Bruce (March 8, 2006). "Ten toughest position vacancies". ESPN Insider.
  16. ↑ "Shaw's Callahan Bright Named to CIAA All-Rookie Team". IBCsports.com. November 5, 2009.
  17. 1 2 "Pro-Day 3-24: Central Michigan/North Carolina State/UConn/Nevada". Archived from the original on March 17, 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Arkansas' Petrus ties combine record in bench press". NFL.com. February 26, 2010.
  19. ↑ "OL prospects Asamoah, Saffold show promise". NFL.com. March 27, 2010.
  20. ↑ "Hall of Football".
  21. ↑ "Jacksonville Sharks Notebook: WR Dallas Baker says injury is just a sprain". Florida Times-Union. May 26, 2010.
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.