Jeremy Sprinkle

Last updated

Jeremy Sprinkle
WFT TE Jeremy Sprinkle.jpg
Sprinkle with the Washington Football Team in 2020
No. 87
Position: Tight end
Personal information
Born: (1994-08-10) August 10, 1994 (age 30)
Pine Bluff, Arkansas, U.S.
Height:6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:257 lb (117 kg)
Career information
High school: White Hall
College: Arkansas (2012-2016)
NFL draft: 2017  / round: 5 / pick: 154
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Games played:76
Receptions:37
Receiving yards:332
Receiving touchdowns:3
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Jeremy Sprinkle (born August 10, 1994) is an American former professional football tight end who played five seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the 2017 NFL draft. He played college football at the University of Arkansas. He spent the majority of his career in Washington and played one season for the Dallas Cowboys.

Contents

Early life

Sprinkle attended White Hall High School, where he was a two-way player at tight end and defensive end. [1] As a junior, he collected 10 receptions for 227 yards, 3 touchdowns, 73 tackles (25 for loss) and 15 sacks.

As a senior, he tallied 45 receptions for 841 yards, 6 touchdowns, 92 tackles and 14 sacks. He contributed to the team winning the 2011 5A Southeast Conference championship and reach its first state semifinal in 20 years. He received 2011 Arkansas Super Team and All-Southeast Arkansas honors.

He also practiced basketball and baseball.

College career

A 3-star recruit, Sprinkle accepted a football scholarship from the University of Arkansas over offers from Kansas, Louisville, Mississippi State, and Purdue, among others. [2] At Arkansas, he played under head coaches John L. Smith and Bret Bielema. [3] [4] [5]

As a redshirt freshman in 2013, fellow classmate Hunter Henry received most of the targets at the tight end position. He appeared in all 12 games with two starts, making four receptions for 68 yards. [6]

As a sophomore in 2014, he was the third-string tight end behind Henry and senior A. J. Derby. He appeared in all 13 games, registering seven receptions for 84 yards and a receiving touchdown. [7]

As a junior in 2015, even though Henry recorded a majority of the production as the starter, Sprinkle had 27 receptions for 389 yards and led all Southeastern Conference tight ends with six receiving touchdowns. [8] All of his touchdowns came over the final seven contests of the season. He had three touchdown catches against Mississippi State University, tying the school's single-game record. He made 4 receptions for 81 yards and one touchdown against Kansas State University.

As a senior in 2016, with the departure of Henry to the 2016 NFL draft, Sprinkle took over as the starter. He shared time with newcomer Austin Cantrell. He started 11 out of 12 games, making 33 receptions for 380 yards and fourtouchdowns (tied for second on the team). [9] He became the school's All-time leader for receiving touchdowns by a tight end with 11.

College statistics

YearSchoolConfClassPosGRecYdsAvgTD
2013 Arkansas SECFRTE446817.00
2014 Arkansas SECSOTE1278412.01
2015 Arkansas SECJRTE112738914.46
2016 Arkansas SECSRTE123338011.54
Career Arkansas7192113.011

Professional career

Pre-draft

On November 28, 2016, it was announced that Sprinkle had accepted his invitation to play in the 2017 Senior Bowl, along with Arkansas' punter Toby Baker. [10] On January 28, 2017, Sprinkle played in the Senior Bowl and caught one 18-yard pass from Pitts's Nathan Peterman. He was a part of Chicago Bears head coach John Fox's North team, who lost 16-15 to the South. [11]

Sprinkle was one of 19 tight ends who received an invitation to participate at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana. [12] Sprinkle performed the majority of drills and had a mediocre performance, finishing 14th among tight ends in the vertical jump and 10th in the 40-yard dash and broad jump. [13] On March 15, 2017, Sprinkle opted to participate at Arkansas' pro day, along with Cody Hollister, Dan Skipper, Jeremiah Ledbetter, and 13 other prospects. [14] Sprinkle chose to perform all of his combine drills after his showing at the combine was lackluster. He successfully had better times and measures in all of them.

At the conclusion of the pre-draft process, Sprinkle was projected to be a fourth or fifth round pick by NFL draft experts and scouts. He was ranked the fifth best tight end in the draft by NFL analyst Gil Brandt, the eighth best tight end by NFL analyst Mike Mayock, and the 11th best tight end prospect in the draft by NFLDraftScout.com. [15] [16] [17]

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 4+78 in
(1.95 m)
252 lb
(114 kg)
34+12 in
(0.88 m)
10+34 in
(0.27 m)
4.69 s1.67 s2.74 s4.53 s7.10 s29 in
(0.74 m)
9 ft 8 in
(2.95 m)
15 reps
All values from NFL Combine/Arkansas' Pro Day [18]

Washington Redskins / Football Team

Sprinkle in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2019. Ronald Darby (cropped).jpg
Sprinkle in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2019.

Sprinkle was selected by the Washington Redskins in the fifth round (154th overall) of the 2017 NFL draft. [19] [20] On May 11, 2017, Sprinkle signed his four-year rookie contract, worth US$2.67 million contract. [21] Throughout training camp, Sprinkle competed for a roster spot with Niles Paul and Derek Carrier. [22] Head coach Jay Gruden named him the fourth tight end on the depth chart to start the regular season, behind veterans Jordan Reed, Vernon Davis, and Niles Paul. [23]

He made his professional regular season debut and first career start during a Week 3 matchup against the Oakland Raiders after being inactive for the first two games. Sprinkle earned the start after Reed suffered a hamstring injury and was unable to play. [24] Although he was held without a catch, the Redskins went on to win 27-10. [25] Sprinkle was a healthy scratch from Weeks 6-8 after Reed returned from injury. [26] He was activated by the Redskins in Week 9 after Reed aggravated his hamstring injury. On November 19, 2017, Sprinkle caught his first career reception on a seven-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kirk Cousins during Washington's 34-31 loss at the New Orleans Saints. [27] Overall, he played in 11 games in his rookie season and recorded two receptions for 13 yards and a touchdown. [28]

In the 2018 season, he appeared in all 16 games with nine starts, posting five receptions for 41 yards, one touchdown and a 6-yard kickoff return. [29] In the 2019 season, he appeared in all 16 games with 13 starts, registering 26 receptions for 241 yards and one touchdown. [30] In the 2020 season, he appeared in 16 games and started six and contributed on special teams. [31]

Dallas Cowboys

Sprinkle with the Cowboys in 2021. Jeremy Sprinkle Cowboys DEC2021.jpg
Sprinkle with the Cowboys in 2021.

On April 7, 2021, Sprinkle signed as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys, with the intention of being used as a blocking tight end. [32] He was released on August 31, 2021, and re-signed to the practice squad the next day. [33] [34] He was promoted to the active roster on October 16. [35] He played in all 17 games - the fourth straight season he appeared in each game - and started four, seeing most of his time as the second-string tight end and on special teams. He totaled 3 receptions for 31 yards and 3 special teams tackles. [36]

On March 15, 2022, Sprinkle re-signed with the Cowboys. [37] In training camp, he fell on the depth chart behind rookies Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot. He was placed on injured reserve with an Achilles injury on August 23. [38] He was released with an injury settlement on August 26, 2022. [39]

Professional statistics

YearTeamGamesReceivingFumbles
GPGSRecYdsAvgLngTDFumLost
2017 WAS 1152136.57100
2018 WAS 1695418.215100
2019 WAS 1613262419.323110
2020 WAS 166166.06000
Career 5933343018.923310

Personal life

On December 27, 2016, Sprinkle was involved in a shoplifting incident during a Belk Bowl sponsored event in Charlotte, North Carolina. Players from Virginia Tech and Arkansas, who were playing in the upcoming Belk Bowl, were each given a Fossil watch, a $450 gift card, and 90 minutes to shop at a Belk store in the SouthPark Mall. [40] Sprinkle concealed eight items worth an estimated $260 from his bag and attempted to steal the items. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department responded to the incident. He was released later that night after being cited for unlawful concealment. He was suspended two hours before the 2016 Belk Bowl. [41] [42] [43]

Related Research Articles

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

Christopher Jason Witten is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for 17 seasons, primarily for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He currently is the head football coach at Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas. He played college football for the University of Tennessee, and was selected by the Cowboys in the third round of the 2003 NFL draft. Witten ranks second in all-time career receptions and receiving yards by an NFL tight end, trailing only Tony Gonzalez. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest tight ends of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Wycheck</span> American football player (1971–2023)

Frank John Wycheck was an American professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins. As a professional, Wycheck played 11 seasons for the Washington Redskins and the Tennessee Titans, where he threw the lateral pass in the Music City Miracle. He had also spent time as a professional wrestler. Wycheck was the color commentator on the Tennessee Titans Radio Network from 2005 to 2016, and from 2004 to 2017, Wycheck co-hosted a morning sports radio show on Nashville radio station WGFX.

Sean P. Ryan is a former American football tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL draft. He played college football at Boston College.

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

Vernon Leonard Davis is an American former football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins, earning first-team All-American honors in 2005. Davis was selected by the San Francisco 49ers with the sixth overall pick of the 2006 NFL draft. In 2009, he co-led the NFL in touchdown receptions and consequently earned his first of two career Pro Bowl selections.

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

Darren McFadden is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks and was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the first round with the fourth overall pick of the 2008 NFL draft. He also played three seasons for the Dallas Cowboys.

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

Felix Jones Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks, earning consensus All-American honors in 2007. He was selected by the Cowboys in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft.

Alfredo Roberts is an American football coach and former tight end in the National Football League (NFL), who serves as the tight ends coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played for the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at the University of Miami.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Preston Carpenter</span> American football player (1934–2011)

Verba Preston Carpenter was an American professional football player. He played as an end, halfback, tight end, and kick returner over eleven seasons for five different teams in the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL). Carpenter played college football at the University of Arkansas for the Razorbacks.

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

Martellus Demond Bennett is an American former professional football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. He played college football for the Texas A&M Aggies football and was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft. Bennett was a member of five teams during his career, most notably the Chicago Bears, with whom he earned Pro Bowl honors, and the New England Patriots, with whom he won Super Bowl LI. After retiring, Bennett became a children's author and published books under his publication company The Imagination Agency. He is the younger brother of former defensive end Michael Bennett.

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

Zachary Adam Ertz is an American professional football tight end for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Stanford Cardinal, earning unanimous All-American honors in 2012 before being selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft. Ertz played nine seasons with the Eagles, making three Pro Bowls and winning Super Bowl LII with them. He holds the NFL record for most receptions in a season by a tight end and has also been a member of the Arizona Cardinals and Detroit Lions. His wife Julie is a former member of the United States women's national soccer team.

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

Amari Cooper is an American professional football wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, winning the Biletnikoff Award winner as the nation's top receiver and earning unanimous All-American honors in 2014. Widely considered the top wide receiver prospect of the 2015 NFL draft, Cooper was selected with the fourth overall pick by the Oakland Raiders.

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

Jordan Reed is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida Gators and was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the third round of the 2013 NFL draft. With the Redskins, he was considered to be among the best at his position before multiple injuries led to him being released. He played his final season for the San Francisco 49ers in 2020 before retiring due to concussion-related health issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Gragg</span> American football player and coach (born 1990)

Christopher Le'Edward Gragg is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for three seasons with the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Gragg played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks and was selected by the Bills in the seventh round of the 2013 NFL draft.

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

Hunter Henry is an American professional football tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks, earning unanimous All-American honors in 2015. Henry was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft. He was a member of the Chargers for five seasons before joining the Patriots in 2021.

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

Rayne Dakota Prescott is an American professional football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs, twice earning first-team All-SEC honors, and was selected by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft. Prescott ranks sixth all-time in completion percentage with at least 1,500 pass attempts, and is ninth in the NFL's all-time regular season career passer rating.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Collins (American football)</span> American football player (1994–2023)

Alex Collins was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks and was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL draft with the 171st overall pick. He spent two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens in 2017 and 2018 before re-signing by Seattle in 2020. He played one season with the Memphis Showboats of the United States Football League (USFL).

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

Ezekiel Elijah Elliott, nicknamed "Zeke", is an American professional football running back for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, earning second-team All-American honors in 2015. Elliott was selected by the Cowboys fourth overall in the 2016 NFL draft. In eight seasons in the NFL, he was a three-time Pro Bowl, two-time All-Pro selection, and led the league in rushing yards in 2016 and 2018. After being released by the Cowboys after the 2022 season, Elliott played the 2023 season for the New England Patriots before re-signing with the Cowboys in 2024.

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

Eli Lamar Rogers is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football for the Louisville Cardinals. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austin Allen (quarterback)</span> American football player (born 1994)

Austin Allen is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks and was their starting quarterback from 2016 to 2017. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Belk Bowl</span> College football game

The 2016 Belk Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game played on December 29, 2016. The game featured the Arkansas Razorbacks of the Southeastern Conference and the Virginia Tech Hokies of the Atlantic Coast Conference. It was the first appearance in the Belk Bowl for both teams.

References

  1. Groomes, Barry (November 17, 2011). "Recruiting: Lakeside's Holley and White Hall's Sprinkle on same field Friday night". hootens.com. Archived from the original on December 18, 2018. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  2. https://n.rivals.com/content/athletes/jeremy-sprinkle-20009?view=pv
  3. Swofford, Bobby (April 29, 2017). "Jeremy Sprinkle Drafted By The Redskins". Fort Smith/Fayetteville News. Archived from the original on December 18, 2018. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  4. "Weight room, dad credited for Sprinkle's improvement". The Baxter Bulletin. July 15, 2016. Retrieved December 17, 2018.[ permanent dead link ]
  5. "Jeremy Sprinkle College Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 18, 2018. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  6. "2013 Arkansas Razorbacks Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 18, 2018. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  7. "2014 Arkansas Razorbacks Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 18, 2018. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  8. "2015 Arkansas Razorbacks Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 18, 2018. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  9. "2016 Arkansas Razorbacks Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 18, 2018. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  10. Shadid, Trent (November 28, 2016). "Arkansas TE Jeremy Sprinkle accepts Senior Bowl invite". SEC Country. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  11. Jones, Matt (January 29, 2017). "How Arkansas players fared in the Senior Bowl". wholehogsports.com. Archived from the original on September 14, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  12. "2017 NFL Combine Results". Pro Football Reference . Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  13. Lyles, Harry (March 5, 2017). "NFL Combine results 2017: Full tight end numbers". SBnation.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  14. Langlois, Brandon (March 16, 2017). "Hogs Host Annual Pro Day". ArkansasRazorbacks.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  15. "Jeremy Sprinkle, DS #11 TE, Arkansas". nfldraftscout.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  16. Brandt, Gil (April 17, 2017). "Hot 150: Gil Brandt's top prospects for 2017 NFL Draft (51-100)". NFL.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  17. Mayock, Mike (April 25, 2017). "Mike Mayock's 2017 NFL Draft top 100 prospect rankings". NFL.com. Archived from the original on December 8, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  18. "NFL Draft Profile: Jeremy Sprinkle". NFL.com. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  19. "Notes On Redskins Fifth-Round Pick Jeremy Sprinkle". Redskins.com. April 29, 2017. Archived from the original on May 2, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  20. Jones, Mike (April 29, 2017). "Redskins add tight end Jeremy Sprinkle in fifth round". Washington Post. Archived from the original on April 30, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  21. "Spotrac.com: Jeremy Sprinkle contract". Spotrac.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  22. Finley, J. P. (August 22, 2017). "Redskins Playbook: Niles Paul forcing a fourth tight end roster spot?". NBCSports.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  23. "Washington Redskins Depth Chart Archive". www.ourlads.com. Archived from the original on December 18, 2018. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  24. Manalastas, Russell (October 31, 2017). "Injury outlook for Jordan Reed, Chris Hogan". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  25. "Oakland Raiders at Washington Redskins - September 24th, 2017". Pro Football Reference . Archived from the original on November 18, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  26. "Announcement Of Inactives (10.15.17)". Redskins.com. October 15, 2017. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  27. "Washington Redskins at New Orleans Saints - November 19th, 2017". Pro Football Reference . Archived from the original on January 29, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  28. "Jeremy Sprinkle 2017 Game Log". Pro Football Reference . Archived from the original on December 18, 2018. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  29. "Jeremy Sprinkle 2018 Game Log". Pro Football Reference . Archived from the original on July 6, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  30. "Jeremy Sprinkle 2019 Game Log". Pro Football Reference . Archived from the original on July 6, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  31. "Jeremy Sprinkle 2020 Game Log". Pro Football Reference . Archived from the original on July 6, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  32. Eatman, Nick (April 7, 2021). "Cowboys Add Free-Agent TE Jeremy Sprinkle". DallasCowboys.com. Archived from the original on April 7, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  33. Phillips, Rob (August 31, 2021). "Cowboys Make 28 Moves; Roster Cut Down To 53". DallasCowboys.com. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  34. Phillips, Rob (September 1, 2021). "QB Ben DiNucci Among Practice Squad Additions". DallasCowboys.com. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  35. Ryle, Tom (October 16, 2021). "Cowboys roster moves: Two signed from practice squad, one waived, Tyron Smith expected to play". Blogging the Boys. SB Nation. Archived from the original on July 6, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  36. "Jeremy Sprinkle 2021 Game Log". Pro Football Reference . Archived from the original on July 6, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  37. Burnett, Cameron (March 15, 2022). "Cowboys, reserve TE Jeremy Sprinkle agree on one-year deal". Cowboys Wire. USA Today. Archived from the original on January 30, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  38. Eatman, Nick (August 23, 2022). "Cowboys Cut Kicker; Roster Trimmed Down to 80". DallasCowboys.com. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  39. Bouda, Nate (August 26, 2022). "Cowboys Release TE Jeremy Sprinkle From IR With Settlement". NFLTradeRumors.co. Archived from the original on January 3, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  40. "Arkansas' Jeremy Sprinkle sorry after being suspended for shoplifting at bowl sponsor". ESPN.com. December 30, 2016. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  41. "Sprinkle Suspended From Belk Bowl". KLRT - FOX16.com. December 29, 2016. Archived from the original on November 27, 2020. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  42. Ashoff, Edward (December 30, 2016). "Razorbacks' Jeremy Sprinkle tried to take more items than allowed". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on January 27, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  43. Murphy, Tom; Jones, Matt (December 29, 2016). "Jeremy Sprinkle suspended for Belk Bowl after cited in shoplifting case". Arkansas Online. Archived from the original on November 28, 2018. Retrieved July 3, 2023.