Legedu Naanee

Last updated

Legedu Naanee
Legedu Naanee pass interference.jpg
Naanee (left) during the 2009 NFL preseason
No. 40, 11, 17, 19
Position: Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1983-09-16) September 16, 1983 (age 41)
Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school: Portland (OR) Franklin
College: Boise State
NFL draft: 2007  / round: 5 / pick: 172
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:108
Receiving yards:1,232
Receiving touchdowns:4
Player stats at PFR

Legedu A. Naanee (pronounced LEG-a-doo Nah-NAY, born September 16, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver. He was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL draft. He played college football for the Boise State University Broncos. Naanee also played for the Carolina Panthers and the Miami Dolphins.

Contents

Early life

Naanee attended Franklin High School in Portland, Oregon and was a student and a letterman in football, basketball, and baseball. In football, he was a four-year starter earning awards at quarterback and defensive back. In basketball, he won All-League honors as a junior.

College career

Although Naanee received scholarship offers from many Pac-10 and Big 12 schools, such as Oregon and Oregon State, Naanee chose to play college football at Boise State University because they were the only major program to offer him a chance to play quarterback, a position he cherished and played in high school. After Jared Zabransky won the starting job in 2004, Naanee realized that if he wanted to play, it had to be at another position. [1]

Naanee filled in at receiver and although the transition and failure at quarterback was difficult, he said being able to "feel like you were part of things and contributing, that went out the window". He remarked, "maybe it was something that was meant to be, for me to go through something like that and then to switch." [1]

Professional career

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+1⁄4 in
(1.89 m)		225 lb
(102 kg)		4.41 s1.50 s2.53 s4.20 s6.73 s40 in
(1.02 m)		9 ft 11 in
(3.02 m)		19 reps
Shuttle and cone drill from Pro Day, all other values from NFL Combine. [2]

San Diego Chargers

With Naanee playing most of his football career at receiver, the Chargers selected Naanee with the 172nd overall selection in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL draft. [3]

Naanee was targeted by Norv Turner to become the next star for the Chargers to become his F-Back project, much like Delanie Walker and Michael Robinson were when Turner was the offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers. [4] The F-Back is much like the H-back in other offenses in the sense it is a hybrid position (WR/TE/FB) purposely versatile to take advantage of mismatches.

Naanee was the starting number two receiver for the Chargers behind Malcom Floyd for much of the 2010 season. This is due to a holdout by the usual starter Vincent Jackson. Naanee caught a touchdown pass in his first start of the 2010 season on a 59-yard pass from quarterback Philip Rivers in the season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Regarding his versatility, head coach Norv Turner said, "We're going to continue to move him. He's going to be a guy who's versatile enough to move around. That's going to help him be put in position to make some plays." [1] On December 6, 2009, Naanee completed a pass on a flea flicker to LaDainian Tomlinson. [5]

Arrest

He was arrested for public intoxication and resisting arrest at the scene of a homicide in Indianapolis on February 12, 2011. [6]

Carolina Panthers

Naanee signed with the Carolina Panthers on August 4, 2011. [7] He played the whole season as the number 3 receiver behind Steve Smith and Brandon LaFell. He caught 1 touchdown pass from Quarterback Cam Newton. At the end of the season the Panthers did not renew his contract.

Miami Dolphins

Naanee signed a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins on April 17. [8] He was cut on October 2, 2012 after posting only one catch for 19 yards in his four-game tenure with the team. [9]

Career statistics

YearTeamGPGSReceivingRushingFumbles
RecYdsAvgLngTDAttYdsAvgLngTDFumLost
2007 SD 1308698.6220--------------
2008 SD 1608648.0180-------------
2009 SD 1512424210.1232372.3100----
2010 SD 1092327116.15913-2-0.76011
2011 CAR 15104446710.6281--------------
2012 MIA 4111919.0190
Total69201081,23211.3594650.810011

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Chambers</span> American football player (born 1978)

Christopher J. Chambers is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers. He was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2001 NFL draft, and also played for the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Igor Olshansky</span> Ukrainian gridiron football player (born 1982)

Igor Olshansky is a former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oregon and was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2004 NFL draft. He also played for the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norv Turner</span> American football coach (born 1952)

Norval Turner is a former American football coach in the National Football League (NFL). An offensive assistant for the majority of his coaching career, Turner was the Dallas Cowboys' offensive coordinator during their consecutive Super Bowl victories in Super Bowl XXVII and Super Bowl XXVIII.

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

Ronald Fields is a former American football nose tackle. He was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL draft. He played college football at Mississippi State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A. J. Feeley</span> American football player (born 1977)

Adam Joshua Feeley is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oregon Ducks and was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round of the 2001 NFL draft. He played in the NFL for the Miami Dolphins and St. Louis Rams, as well as his two stints with the Eagles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curtis Conway</span> American football player (born 1971)

Curtis Lamont Conway Sr is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the USC Trojans and was selected by the Chicago Bears in the first round of the 1993 NFL draft. Conway also played in the NFL for the San Diego Chargers, New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Peelle</span> American football player and coach (born 1979)

Justin Morris Peelle is a former American football tight end and coach who is the tight ends coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Moore (American football)</span> American football player and executive (born 1984)

Matthew Erickson Moore is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins and Oregon State Beavers before signing with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2007. Moore was also a member of the Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Miami Dolphins.

The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football franchise which competes in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team's headquarters, stadium and training facilities are all co-located in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Dolphins' team was founded by attorney-politician Joe Robbie and actor-comedian Danny Thomas. The Dolphins began play in the American Football League (AFL) in 1966. South Florida had not had a professional football team since the days of the Miami Seahawks, who played in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) East Division in 1946 before becoming the first incarnation of the Baltimore Colts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Diego Chargers</span> American football team (1961–2017)

The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating back to Los Angeles, where the franchise played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now known as the Los Angeles Chargers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Weddle</span> American football player (born 1985)

Eric Steven Weddle is an American former professional football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. He played college football for the Utah Utes, where he earned consensus All-American honors in 2006, and was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2007 NFL draft. During his nine seasons with the Chargers, Weddle received three Pro Bowl and two first-team All-Pro selections. Weddle spent his next three seasons as a member of the Baltimore Ravens, earning Pro Bowl honors in each and extending his total selections to six. He retired after playing for the Los Angeles Rams in 2019, but returned two years later to join the Rams on their playoff run, which culminated with a victory in Super Bowl LVI. Following the championship, he retired a second time.

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

Dante Santiago Rosario is an American former professional football tight end. He was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL draft. He played college football at Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Coryell</span> American football offense with a greater emphasis on passing than on running

In American football, Air Coryell is the offensive scheme and philosophy developed by former San Diego Chargers coach Don Coryell. The offensive philosophy has been also called the "Coryell offense" or the "vertical offense".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob Hester</span> American football player (born 1985)

Jacob Troy Hester is an American former professional football player who was a fullback in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft. He played college football for the LSU Tigers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 San Diego Chargers season</span> NFL team 49th season

The 2008 season was the San Diego Chargers' 39th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 49th overall. While they completed the regular season with only an 8–8 record, they nonetheless captured their third consecutive AFC West championship. In the first round of the playoffs, the Chargers upset the Indianapolis Colts 23–17. But they were eliminated the following week during their divisional round game on the road against the eventual Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers 35–24.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stevie Johnson</span> American football player (born 1986)

Steven John Johnson Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Johnson was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL draft and also played for the San Francisco 49ers and San Diego Chargers. He played college football at Kentucky. Despite never making the Pro Bowl, Johnson was the first Bills receiver to post back-to-back seasons with over 1,000 yards receiving, and has been considered one of the best draft steals in franchise history.

The 2009 season was the San Diego Chargers' 40th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 50th since becoming founding members of the American Football League. The Chargers improved upon their regular season record of 8–8 in 2008 and won their division for the fourth straight year and fifth time in six seasons. They finished the regular season with a 13–3 record, the second best winning percentage in franchise history but were upset in the Divisional Playoffs by the New York Jets. It was also Norv Turner's best regular season record as head coach. Also, this was the end of an era as future Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson joined the New York Jets following the season, ending his 9-year tenure as a Charger. As of 2024, this represents the most recent AFC West title for the Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers.

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

Adrian Phillips is an American professional football safety who is a free agent. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns and joined the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2014. During the 2018 season, he earned Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors. Phillips joined the Patriots in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Max McCaffrey</span> American football player and coach (born 1994)

Maxwell James McCaffrey is an American former wide receiver and coach who is an offensive assistant for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Duke Blue Devils and signed with the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2016. A member of the McCaffrey football family, he is the son of Ed and the eldest brother of Christian, Dylan, and Luke.

Braxton Berrios is an American professional football wide receiver and return specialist for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Miami (FL). He was a star athlete at Leesville Road High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he played quarterback and wide receiver. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL draft.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Jay Posner, SignOnSanDiego.com > San Diego Chargers – For Chargers rookie, good comes from new position
  2. ↑ "Legedu Naanee, DS #30 WR, Boise State". NFLDraftScout.com. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007.
  3. ↑ "2007 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  4. ↑ 2006 49ers Draft Review and Analysis
  5. ↑ "Chargers vs. Browns - Box Score - December 6, 2009 - ESPN".
  6. ↑ "San Diego Chargers' Legedu Naanee, former Franklin High star, arrested after incident with police". oregonlive. February 16, 2011. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Panthers add WR Naanee". FOXSports.com. August 5, 2011. Retrieved September 22, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Miami Dolphins sign WR Legedu Naanee | the Daily Dolphin". Archived from the original on April 19, 2012. Retrieved April 17, 2012.
  9. ↑ Walker, James (October 2, 2012). "Dolphins add WR Gaffney, cut Naanee". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 18, 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.