 Norfleet at Michigan Stadium, September 2012 | |
| No. 23, 26 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Wide receiver, running back |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | February 8, 1993 |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
| Weight | 169 lb (77 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College | |
| High school | Martin Luther King (Detroit, Michigan) |
Dennis Sheldon Norfleet (born February 8, 1993) is a former American football player.
Norfleet played high school football at Detroit's Martin Luther King High School. As a senior in 2011, he rushed for 2,033 yards and 27 touchdowns. [1] [2] [3] [4] As a junior, he rushed for 254 yards against regional football power Brother Rice in the 2010 season opener. [5] A versatile player, he played at running back, slot receiver, defensive back, kick returner, punter and placekicker in high school. [6] Detroit King head coach Dale Harvel said of Norfleet, "What can I say? He does everything for us. He plays wherever we need him. Call him Jim Thorpe." [6]
In August 2011, the Detroit Free Press named Norfleet as the most exciting player in Michigan high school football, calling him "lightning quick and more powerful than many think." [7] Tom Markowski of The Detroit News added, "Pound for pound, if he's not the state's best football player, he's the most exciting." [6]
Norfleet was a three-sport star at Detroit King, also playing as a guard on the basketball team and running as a sprinter on the track team. [8] [9] He captured the state title in the 100-meter dash event at the 2010 State Class 2-A Meet, recording a personal-best time of 10.60 seconds. [10]
Norfleet initially committed in August 2011 to play for the University of Cincinnati Bearcats, but he switched his commitment on February 1, 2012, after receiving a late offer from Michigan. [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]
Norfleet was kicked off the team prior to the 2015 season and transferred to Division II Tuskegee. [16]
As a true freshman, Norfleet became Michigan's kickoff return specialist. [17] In his first game for Michigan, Norfleet led the Wolverines with 177 all-purpose yards, including a 33-yard kickoff return, against Alabama. [18] [19] After the loss to Alabama, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com wrote: "About the only positive for Michigan in the first half was the play of freshman kick returner Dennis Norfleet, who showed good instincts and speed." [20]
On November 10, 2012, Norfleet passed Steve Breaston to move into second place in Michigan's record book in both number of kickoff returns in a season and kickoff return yards in a season. [21] He trails only Darryl Stonum in Michigan's record book; Stonum returned 39 kickoffs for 1,001 yards for the 2009 team. [22] [23] Through the first 11 games of the 2012 season, Norfleet had returned 33 kickoffs for 768 yards, an average of 23.5 yards per return. [24]
Norfleet also returned two punts for 53 yards, including a 42-yard return against Illinois, for an average of 26.5 yards per return. [24] His 43-yard punt return against Illinois nearly resulted in a touchdown, but Norfleet ran into the punter and fell before scoring. [25] He saw little action as a running back during his time as a freshman. In his first carry as a running back, Norfleet ran for 14 yards against UMass on September 15, 2012. [24] [26]
In the spring of 2016, Norfleet participated in Michigan's Pro Day. [27]
Norfleet signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) on April 26, 2017 and was released shortly thereafter on May 1, 2017. [28] [29]