Lynn McGruder

Lynn McGruder
No. 73
Position:	Defensive tackle
Personal information
Born:	February 13, 1982 (age 42); Palestine, Texas
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	265 lb (120 kg)
Career information
High school:	Las Vegas (NV) Cheyenne
College:	Oklahoma
Undrafted:	2005
Career history
	Tampa Bay Buccaneers* (2005); Indianapolis Colts* (2005); Cincinnati Bengals* (2005); Washington Redskins* (2005); Tampa Bay Buccaneers* (2006); Detroit Lions* (2006); Seattle Seahawks* (2006); Amsterdam Admirals (2007);

Last updated July 03, 2024

Lynn McGruder (born February 13, 1982) is a former American football defensive tackle. He played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners where he earned a Communications major.

High school career

McGruder was regarded as one of the nation's top defensive linemen during his time at Cheyenne High School. He was the second-rated defensive line prospect in the West region by Prep Star, the sixth-best defensive lineman in the country by the National Recruiting Advisor and named to Prep Star's Dream Team. McGruder was listed in SuperPrep's top 25 defensive line prospects and named Gatorade Nevada Player of the Year as a senior. The first-team all-state choice totaled 65 tackles and 12 sacks during his senior season.

College career

McGruder originally chose the University of Tennessee over local Nevada-Las Vegas. He appeared in nine games as a reserve defensive tackle for the Volunteers in 2000. McGruder was credited with six tackles, a 2-yard sack and three quarterback pressures. McGruder had his scholarship revoked after he was charged with marijuana possession with the intent to distribute. The charge was later dismissed, but McGruder was forced to transfer to a new school.

He accepted an offer to attend the University of Oklahoma, sitting out during the 2001 season as a transfer student. In 2002, McGruder appeared in 10 games behind All-American Tommie Harris for the Sooners, collecting 20 tackles (13 solo) with a sack, four stops for losses and four pressures. He again played behind Harris in 2003, delivering 25 tackles (13 solo) with two sacks, four stops behind the line of scrimmage and four pressures.

With Harris having gone to the NFL, McGruder stepped into the starting lineup at weak-side defensive tackle in 2004, starting 11 of 13 games. He recorded 24 tackles (10 solo) with a pair of sacks, and six stops for losses and pressure. For his Sooner career, he totaled 69 tackles (36 solo), four sacks for -11 yards, 14 stops for losses of 31 yards, nine pressures and three pass deflections in 37 games. For his collegiate career, he appeared in 46 contests, making 75 tackles (38 solo), five sacks, 15 stops behind the line of scrimmage and 12 pressures.

Personal life

McGruder and Oklahoma wide receiver Mark Clayton assisted victims of a serious automobile mishap on a highway near the Oklahoma campus in the 2003 offseason. McGruder helped save a family of five when he pulled four of the victims through a door, then doused the fire with an extinguisher.^[1] He received the Big 12 Sportsman of the Year Award in 2003 and was nominated for the Football Writers Association's Most Courageous Award.

Related Research Articles

In gridiron football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before throwing a forward pass, when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and without clear intent, or when a passer runs out of bounds behind the line of scrimmage due to defensive pressure. This often occurs if the opposing team's defensive line, linebackers or defensive backs are able to apply pass pressure to quickly get past blocking players of the offensive team, or if the quarterback is unable to find a back to hand the ball off to or an available eligible receiver to catch the ball, allowing the defense a longer opportunity to tackle the quarterback.

Adam Jason Archuleta is an American former professional football player who was a safety for seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils, and was selected in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams with the 20th overall pick.

Teddy Lehman is an American former college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football for the University of Oklahoma, and was twice recognized as a consensus All-American. The Detroit Lions chose him in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft, and he also played for the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL, and the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League (UFL).

Marcus Rayshon Spears, nicknamed "Swagu", is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the LSU Tigers, earning consensus All-American honors. Spears was selected by the Cowboys in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He also played in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens.

Roy Lee Williams, is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners, earning unanimous All-American honors. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys eighth overall in the 2002 NFL draft, and played professionally for the Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals. He earned five straight Pro Bowl selections from 2003 to 2007. Williams was considered by some to be one of the most violent hitters in football during his playing career, and sometimes received criticism for his perceived “dirty” play-style. Williams is currently a sideline reporter for Oklahoma football games.

Victor Adeyanju is a former American football defensive end. He was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL draft. He played college football at Indiana.

Barry Joseph Cofield Jr. is a former American football defensive tackle who played ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected in the fourth round by the New York Giants in the 2006 NFL Draft and has also played for the Washington Redskins. He played college football at Northwestern University.

Parys Sharron Haralson was an American professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the 5th round in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers as a defensive end.

Eric Maurice Moore is a former American football defensive end. He was selected by the New York Giants in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL draft. He played college football at Florida State.

Victor Ikechukwu Abiamiri is a former American football defensive end. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame. He is of Nigerian descent.

Gerald Keith McCoy Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners, earning consensus All-American honors. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the third overall pick of the 2010 NFL draft. McCoy has been selected to the Pro Bowl six times, and was selected to one First-team All-Pro.

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

Ryan Reynolds is a former linebacker for the Oklahoma Sooners. He was a four-year standout in football and judo in high school, both at Lake Havasu High School in Arizona and at Bishop Gorman High School in Summerlin, Nevada, where he was recognized nationally.

Curtis Tremayne Lofton is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Oklahoma, and earned All-American honors. Lofton was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He also played for the New Orleans Saints and Oakland Raiders.

Brian Gale Robison is a former American football defensive end. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft and played for the team for 11 seasons. In 173 NFL games, he recorded 289 tackles, 60 sacks and one touchdown. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns. While at college, he also participated in track and field, competing in the shot put; in 2006, his senior year, he finished in second place in the shot put competition at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Abraham Winston Wright is a former American football defensive end. He was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL draft. He played college football at Colorado.

Matthew K. Shaughnessy is a former American football defensive end. He was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wisconsin.

Neville Gallimore is a Canadian professional football defensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma, and was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft.

Perrion Winfrey is an American football defensive tackle who is a free agent. He played college football at Iowa Western and Oklahoma, and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Jalen Redmond is an American football defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma, and was previously a member of the Carolina Panthers of the NFL and the Arlington Renegades of the United Football League (UFL).

David Stone is an American football defensive tackle for the Oklahoma Sooners.

References

↑ Kennedy, Greg (June 12, 2003). "Athletes aid family in wreck". The Daily Oklahoman . Retrieved March 3, 2021– via Newspapers.com.