Gareon Conley

Last updated

Gareon Conley
Gareon Conley.png
Conley with the Houston Texans in 2019
No. 21, 22
Position: Cornerback
Personal information
Born: (1995-06-29) June 29, 1995 (age 29)
Massillon, Ohio, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school: Massillon Washington (Massillon, Ohio)
College: Ohio State (2013–2016)
NFL draft: 2017  / Round: 1 / Pick: 24
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles:94
Pass deflections:29
Interceptions:4
Defensive touchdowns:1
Player stats at PFR

Gareon Conley (born June 29, 1995) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at Ohio State and was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft. He has also played for the Houston Texans and DC Defenders of the United Football League (UFL).

Contents

Early years

Conley attended Massillon Washington High School in Massillon, Ohio, where he played high school football. On defense, he was a cornerback, and on offense, he was a wide receiver. [1] As a senior, he had 25 tackles and an interception on defense and 50 receptions and 16 touchdowns on offense. Conley originally committed to the University of Michigan to play college football but later changed his choice to Ohio State University. [2] [3]

College career

After redshirting his first year at Ohio State in 2013, Conley played in all 15 games as a redshirt freshman in 2014, recording 16 tackles. He became a starter his sophomore year in 2015, starting all 13 games and finishing with 49 tackles and two interceptions. [4] [5] On November 29, 2016, Conley was named Second-team All-Big Ten Conference by the Coaches and Third-team by the media. [6] After the 2016 season, Conley decided to forgo his senior year and enter the 2017 NFL draft. [7]

Professional career

Pre-draft

Conley received an invitation to the NFL Combine and completed all the combine and positional drills. He also participated at Ohio State's Pro Day, but chose to only perform positional drills for representatives and scouts in attendance. NFL Draft experts and analysts projected Conley to be selected in the first round. [8] He was ranked the second best cornerback, behind Ohio State teammate Marshon Lattimore, by NFLDraftScout.com, ESPN, and NFL analyst Mike Mayock. He was also ranked the fourth best cornerback by Sports Illustrated . [9] [10] [11]

Just days prior to the 2017 NFL draft, a woman accused Conley of rape, claiming it had occurred earlier in the month in a hotel room in Cleveland. [12] [13] Conley, in a statement, strongly denied the allegations. [14] [15] It was speculated he may fall out of the first round of the draft due to the sexual assault claims. [16] [17] A grand jury ruled not to charge Conley on July 31, 2017. [18]

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
6 ft 0 in
(1.83 m)		195 lb
(88 kg)		33 in
(0.84 m)		9+1⁄2 in
(0.24 m)		4.44 s1.56 s2.58 s4.18 s6.68 s37 in
(0.94 m)		10 ft 9 in
(3.28 m)		11 reps
All values from NFL Combine [19]

Oakland Raiders

2017

The Oakland Raiders selected Conley in the first round (24th overall) of the draft. [20] The Raiders conducted their own investigation and administered a polygraph test to Conley. They chose to select him after he passed the polygraph test. [21] On July 28, 2017, Conley signed a four-year deal worth $10.467 million featuring a $5.752 million signing bonus. [22] He missed the season opener against the Titans due to a shin injury but returned in Weeks 2 and 3 before aggravating the shin injury. He was inactive for the next six games before eventually being placed on injured reserve on November 13, 2017. [23]

2018

In Week 4 of the 2018 season, against the Cleveland Browns, Conley recorded a 36-yard pick-six off of Baker Mayfield for his first professional touchdown. [24] In week 11 against the Arizona Cardinals, Conley intercepted Josh Rosen's first pass of the game; the Raiders eventually won 23-21. [25] In week 15 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Conley suffered a concussion in the third quarter and was forced to miss the rest of the game as well as the following week's game against the Denver Broncos. [26] In the beginning of the season, Conley struggled in coverage and was a liability when tackling. He was eventually benched, but made vast improvements when he returned to the starting lineup. [27] During the second half of the season, Conley established himself as a shutdown cornerback. He held Tyreek Hill of the Kansas City Chiefs to 1 catch for 13 yards in week 13 and held Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers to 5 catches for 35 yards the following week. Raiders head coach Jon Gruden stated that "He’s a lot more confident now," and former Raiders cornerback Lester Hayes said, “That boy can play.” [28] Conley finished the season with 37 tackles, 15 passes defended, and 3 interceptions, including 1 pick six. He received an overall grade of 64.0 from Pro Football Focus in 2018, which ranked as the 68th highest grade among all qualifying corner backs. [29]

2019

In week 1 against the Broncos, Conley made 4 tackles before suffering a neck injury when teammate Johnathan Abram's leg hit him on the top of his helmet. Conley had to be taken off the field with a stretcher and as he was being carted off the field, he was able to give a thumbs up. He was later hospitalized, but was released from the hospital the same day. [30] [31] In week 5 against the Chicago Bears, Conley recorded an interception off Chase Daniel late in the fourth quarter which sealed a 24–21 win. [32]

Houston Texans

On October 21, 2019, Conley was traded to the Houston Texans in exchange for a third round pick in the 2020 NFL draft that was originally acquired from the Seattle Seahawks. [33] Conley made his debut with the Texans in week 8 against his former team, the Oakland Raiders. In the game, Conley recorded 4 tackles as the Texans won 27–24. [34]

In the divisional round of the playoffs against the Kansas City Chiefs, Conley recorded 5 tackles and sacked quarterback Patrick Mahomes once during the 51–31 loss. [35]

On April 29, 2020, the Texans declined the option on Conley's contract, making him a free agent in 2021. [36] He was placed on the active/physically unable to perform list at the start of training camp on July 31, 2020. [37] He was activated on August 10, 2020. [38] He was placed on injured reserve on September 7, 2020. [39]

DC Defenders

On December 26, 2023, Conley signed with the DC Defenders of the United Football League (UFL). [40] His contract was terminated on June 18, 2024, to allow him to sign with an NFL team. [41]

Dallas Cowboys

On June 18, 2024, Conley signed with the Dallas Cowboys. [42] On July 28, Conley was released by Dallas, after which he announced his retirement from football. [43]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnathan Joseph</span> American football player (born 1984)

Johnathan Lee Joseph is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the South Carolina Gamecocks and was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the 2006 NFL draft. Joseph also played for the Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, and Arizona Cardinals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vontae Davis</span> American football player (1988–2024)

Vontae Ottis Davis was an American professional football player who played as a cornerback for the Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts and Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini and was selected by the Dolphins in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft. He made two Pro Bowls in his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean Smith (cornerback)</span> American football player (born 1987)

Sean Lee Smith is a former American football cornerback. He was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2009 NFL draft. He also played for the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Utah.

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

Kareem Jackson is an American football safety for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Jackson was selected by the Houston Texans in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. He has also played for the Denver Broncos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shareece Wright</span> American football player (born 1987)

Shareece Lyndon Wright is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the USC Trojans, and was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft. He was also a member of the San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Oakland Raiders, and Houston Texans.

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

David Amerson is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at North Carolina State University and was selected by the Washington Redskins in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft. He was also a member of the Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, and Arizona Cardinals.

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

Bradley Roby is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He was selected by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. He played college football at Ohio State. He has also played for the Houston Texans and the New Orleans Saints.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A. J. Bouye</span> American football player (born 1991)

Arlandus Jacob Bouye is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCF Knights, and was signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2013. Bouye also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers.

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

Vernon Hargreaves III is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida Gators and was selected 11th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2016 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T. J. Carrie</span> American football player (born 1990)

Travis J. Carrie is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He played college football at Ohio after playing for De La Salle High School where he was an all-state cornerback, and was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL draft. Carrie has also played with the Cleveland Browns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcus Peters</span> American football player (born 1993)

Marcus Peters is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft and has also been a member of the Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Ravens, and Las Vegas Raiders. He played college football at Washington.

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

Kendall Christopher Fuller is an American football cornerback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Virginia Tech and was selected by the Washington Redskins in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft. Fuller also played for the Kansas City Chiefs, recording a game-sealing interception in Super Bowl LIV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Johnson (cornerback)</span> American football player (born 1992)

Kevin Johnson is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and was selected by the Houston Texans in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven Nelson</span> American football player (born 1993)

Steven Nelson is a former American football cornerback who played nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oregon State, and was drafted in the third round of the 2015 NFL draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. He has also played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans.

Eli Apple is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He played college football at Ohio State, where he was a part of the team that won the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship, and was selected by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft. He has also played for the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, and Miami Dolphins.

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

Kendall Sheffield is an American football cornerback for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State, and selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round in the 2019 NFL draft.

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

Sidney Jones IV is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He played college football at Washington.

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

Rasul Douglas is an American football cornerback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at West Virginia, and was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft. He has also been a member of the Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, and Green Bay Packers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Okudah</span> American football player (born 1999)

Jeffrey Chidera Okudah is an American football cornerback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State, where he was a unanimous All-American in 2019 before being selected by the Detroit Lions third overall in the 2020 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Houston Texans season</span> 19th season in franchise history; final one under Bill OBrien

The 2020 season was the Houston Texans' 19th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their seventh and final season under head coach Bill O'Brien. Following their week 10 loss to the Cleveland Browns, they failed to match/improve their 10–6 record from last year and failed to win 10 or more games for the first time since the 2017 season. They were eliminated from playoff contention after a Week 14 loss to the Chicago Bears and suffered their first losing season since 2017. This was also the first season since 2012 that DeAndre Hopkins was not on the roster, as he was traded to the Arizona Cardinals in the offseason. This was the Texans' final season with Deshaun Watson as the starting quarterback, as he would sit out the next season amidst sexual misconduct allegations as well as demanding to be traded. Watson's final game as a Texan was on January 2, 2021, a 38–41 loss to the Tennessee Titans, and would be traded to the Cleveland Browns a year later, on March 18, 2022.

References

  1. ↑ Bournival, Brad (October 16, 2012). "Mr. Everything". ESPN. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  2. ↑ Bournival, Brad (November 21, 2016). "Ohio State football: Once a Michigan commit, Gareon Conley now a captain for Buckeyes". Beacon Journal . Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  3. ↑ Bournival, Brad (December 7, 2016). "Gareon Conley commits to Ohio State". espn . Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  4. ↑ Rabinowitz, Bill (October 6, 2016). "Ohio State's Gareon Conley prefers the background when not starring on the field". Times Reporter. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
  5. ↑ Florjancic, Matthew (September 30, 2016). "Last man standing! Gareon Conley aims to be Ohio State's leader in secondary". WKYC. Retrieved May 1, 2017.[ permanent dead link ]
  6. ↑ "2016 Big Ten Individual Award Winners" (PDF). www.grfx.cstv.com. Big Ten Conference. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 29, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  7. ↑ Lesmerises, Doug (January 12, 2017). "Marshon Lattimore, Malik Hooker, Gareon Conley head to the NFL from Ohio State's greatest secondary". cleveland.com. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  8. ↑ "*Gareon Conley, DS #2 CB, Ohio State". nfldraftscout.com. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  9. ↑ Burke, Chris (April 24, 2017). "2017 NFL draft rankings: Top prospects by position". si.com. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Ranking the 2017 draft's Top 100 prospects". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  11. ↑ Mayock, Mike (April 12, 2017). "Mike Mayock's 2017 NFL Draft position rankings 3.0". NFL.com . Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  12. ↑ Becker, Jake (April 25, 2017). "Gareon Conley, Ohio State corner and projected first-round NFL draft pick, accused of rape in Cleveland". New York Daily News . Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  13. ↑ DaSilva, Cameron (April 26, 2017). "NFL Draft prospect Gareon Conley reportedly accused of rape". FoxSports.com . Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Gareon Conley: Rape allegation 'not true'". espn. April 27, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  15. ↑ Schwab, Frank (April 25, 2017). "Ohio State CB Gareon Conley denies rape allegation, reportedly won't attend NFL draft". Yahoo.com . Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  16. ↑ Robinson, Charles (April 27, 2017). "Expecting slide for CB Gareon Conley in NFL draft, teams press for details in sexual assault allegations". Yahoo.com. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  17. ↑ Kilgore, Adam (April 26, 2017). "NFL teams will judge Gareon Conley while police are still investigating". Washington Post . Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  18. ↑ Knoblauch, Austin (July 31, 2017). "Raiders' Gareon Conley will not be charged in rape case". NFL.com. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  19. ↑ "NFL Events: Combine Player Profiles - Gareon Conley" . Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  20. ↑ "2017 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Raiders select CB Gareon Conley with 24th pick". NFL.com . April 27, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  22. ↑ "Gareon Conley agrees to rookie deal with Raiders". NFL. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
  23. ↑ Williams, Charean (November 13, 2017). "Raiders place Gareon Conley on IR". ProFootballTalk.NBCSports.com.
  24. ↑ "WATCH: Raiders CB Gareon Conley's records his first Pick-6". USA Today. September 30, 2018. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
  25. ↑ Zimmerman, Kevin (November 18, 2018). "The 5: Explanations for the Cardinals' blown opportunities vs. the Raiders". arizonasports.com. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  26. ↑ Schneidman, Matt (December 16, 2018). "Bengals 30, Raiders 16: Takeaways from another ugly loss". mercurynews.com. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  27. ↑ Sanchez, Jose (January 23, 2019). "Oakland Raiders 2018 season grades: CB Gareon Conley". justblogbaby.com. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  28. ↑ Gutierrez, Paul (December 11, 2018). "Gareon Conley finally impressing and possibly answering Raiders' offseason needs". ESPN . Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  29. ↑ "Pro Football Focus: Gareon Conley". profootballfocus.com. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  30. ↑ "Raiders beat Broncos 24-16 in 1st game after Brown's release". ESPN . September 9, 2019. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  31. ↑ DelVecchio, Steve (September 10, 2019). "Gareon Conley shares positive health update after leaving game on stretcher". www.yardbarker.com. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  32. ↑ "Josh Jacobs rallies Raiders past Bears 24-21". ESPN . October 6, 2019. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  33. ↑ Patra, Kevin (October 21, 2019). "Raiders trade CB Gareon Conley to Houston Texans". NFL.com. Archived from the original on October 23, 2019.
  34. ↑ "Watson's 3 TD passes lead Texans over Raiders 27-24". ESPN . October 27, 2019. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
  35. ↑ "Chiefs rally from 24-0 hole to beat Texans 51-31 in playoffs". ESPN . Associated Press. January 12, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  36. ↑ Wilson, Aaron (April 29, 2020). "Texans not picking up Gareon Conley's fifth-year club option". Houston Chronicle.
  37. ↑ "Texans announce roster moves". HoustonTexans.com. July 31, 2020. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  38. ↑ "Texans announce roster moves". HoustonTexans.com. August 10, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  39. ↑ "Texans Announce Roster Moves (9-7-2020)". HoustonTexans.com. September 7, 2020.
  40. ↑ "Five players sign letters of intent with XFL". XFL.com. December 26, 2023. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  41. ↑ "UFL Transactions". UFLBoard.com. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  42. ↑ "Cowboys sign 2 XFL standouts Conley, Harvey". DallasCowboys.com. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  43. ↑ "Cowboys Release Gareon Conley; Conley Plans To Retire". profootballrumors.com. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
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.