Mike Rucker

Last updated

Mike Rucker
Mike Rucker.jpg
Rucker with the Panthers
No. 93
Position: Defensive end
Personal information
Born: (1975-02-28) February 28, 1975 (age 49)
St. Joseph, Missouri, U.S.
Height:6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:275 lb (125 kg)
Career information
High school: Benton (St. Joseph)
College: Nebraska
NFL draft: 1999  / Round: 2 / Pick: 38
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Tackles:421
Sacks:55.5
Interceptions:1
Player stats at NFL.com  ·  PFR

Michael Dean Rucker (born February 28, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end for nine seasons with the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, and was selected by the Panthers in the second round of the 1999 NFL draft.

Contents

Early years

Rucker played both sides of the ball in high school including catching 15 passes for 300 yards as a tight end. He was the team's leading tackler with 168 stops, including 58 solos, leading Benton to a 28-8 three-year record. Rucker placed fourth in the state in the shot put as a junior and was the state champion in 1994, with a throw of 54–2. He went unbeaten in 10 meets during his senior season. Rucker lettered 10 times in high school, including three each in football and basketball and four in track. [1] He was a two-time all-state lineman, and made the All-America team his senior year. In addition, he also lettered in track & field four years, and was a state champion shot putter. He also earned three letters on the Benton High School basketball team.

College career

Rucker attended the University of Nebraska, where he played for the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team. He redshirted as a true freshman, and then collected his first sack the following season. He was a member of the national champion Cornhuskers team in 1995 and 1997. As a senior in 1998, he made second-team All-Big 12, despite missing much of the season because of injury. He finished his college days as Nebraska's fourth all-time tackler behind the line of scrimmage, with 40 stops.

Collegiate statistics

Mike RuckerTacklesInterceptionsFumbles
SeasonClassGPCmbSoloAstTfLSckIntYdsLngTDPDFFFRYdsTD
1995 Fr 101441022000000000
1996 So 13341717168000012200
1997 Jr 13412021168.5000041100
1998 Sr 13602832142.5000013000
Career4914969804821000066300

Notes - Statistics include bowl game performances.

Professional career

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+3⁄4 in
(1.95 m)		260 lb
(118 kg)		32+7⁄8 in
(0.84 m)		9+1⁄2 in
(0.24 m)		4.90 s1.71 s2.85 s4.33 s7.40 s33.5 in
(0.85 m)		9 ft 7 in
(2.92 m)		17 reps
All values from NFL Combine [2]

Rucker was drafted by Carolina in the second round (38th overall) of the 1999 NFL draft. [3] He collected three sacks his rookie year, playing in all 16 games. His first sack came against Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jeff Blake. He registered 2.5 sacks in his second season, and became a starter for the 2001 NFL season. He ended the season leading the team with 9 sacks. He was the NFL Defensive Player of the Month for September 2003, when he had 5 sacks, 21 tackles, 13 hurries and one batted pass during the first four games of the 2003 NFL season. He and fellow defensive end Julius Peppers were the only duo to register 10 sacks each. The following year, Rucker again won Defensive Player of the Month for September, becoming only the 11th player in history to win POTM honors for the same month in two consecutive years; former Panther Sam Mills won POTM in November 1995 and 1996. Rucker finished the season with 12 sacks, and earned his first berth in the Pro Bowl.

On December 17, 2006, in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Rucker suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in his left knee, causing him to miss the remainder of the 2006 season. [4] He returned for his final season in 2007, before announcing his retirement from the game on April 22, 2008.

NFL statistics

YearTeamGPTacklesFumblesInterceptions
CombSoloAstSackFFFRIntYdsAvgLngTDPD
1999 CAR 16302463.000000.0002
2000 CAR 16393362.510000.0001
2001 CAR 165543129.031000.0001
2002 CAR 166657910.041000.0007
2003 CAR 1458461212.010100.0005
2004 CAR 16383533.511000.0005
2005 CAR 15443597.542000.0003
2006 CAR 143925145.010000.0002
2007 CAR 164733143.012000.0003
Career [5] 1394163318555.5167100.00029

Other activities

Rucker, along with former teammates Mike Minter, Stephen Davis, and Muhsin Muhammad, are co-founders of Ruckus House, a child development and learning facility. One of Rucker's long-term goals for Ruckus House is to get one in every city which has an NFL team.

In 2005 Mike founded Vision Group Realty, a full service real estate brokerage firm, providing brokerage services to both buyers and sellers of residential and commercial real estate. The firm headquarters is located in Charlotte, NC, and services relocating clients locally, nationally and globally.

In the 2008 offseason, he traveled to Afghanistan to visit with troops along with Luis Castillo, Tommie Harris, and Sports Illustrated writer Peter King. Rucker made a video documentary of his experiences for NFL Network, stating that if he was not a pro football athlete, he could easily envision himself in the military.

Mike Rucker is a commentator on preseason games for the Carolina Panthers on the Panthers Television Network. [6]

Family

Rucker's younger brother, Martin was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2008 NFL draft, 111th overall.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julius Peppers</span> American football player (born 1980)

Julius Frazier Peppers is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end and linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels, where he was recognized as a unanimous All-American, and was selected by the Carolina Panthers second overall in the 2002 NFL draft, and also played for the Chicago Bears from 2010 through 2013 and the Green Bay Packers from 2014 to 2016. After rejoining the Panthers for the 2017 season, he retired after the 2018 NFL season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kris Jenkins</span> American football player (born 1979)

Kristopher Rudy-Charles Jenkins is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins. He was selected by the Panthers in the second round of the 2001 NFL draft. A two-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowl selection, Jenkins played seven seasons for the Panthers before being traded to the Jets in 2008.

Grant Alden Wistrom is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. Wistrom played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and was a two-time All-American. He was selected in the first round of the 1998 NFL draft, and played in the NFL for the St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deon Grant</span> American football player (born 1979)

Deon D'Marquis Grant is an American former professional football player who was a safety for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers football, was a member of Tennessee's national championship team and earned All-American honors. He was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft, and also played professionally for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks and New York Giants of the NFL. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Giants against the New England Patriots.

Alonzo Dwight Wallace is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers and Buffalo Bills. He played college football at the University of Maryland.

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

Dwan Sedaine Edwards is a former American football defensive tackle. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oregon State.

Chad Douglas Lavalais is a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons. He played college football for Louisiana State University (LSU), earned consensus All-American honors, and was a member of a BCS National Championship team. Thereafter, he played professionally for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Minter</span> American football player and coach (born 1974)

Michael Christopher Minter is an American football coach and former player. He is the former head football coach at Campbell University, a position he held for eleven seasons. Minter played professionally as a safety in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons, from 1997 to 2006, with the Carolina Panthers. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and was selected by the Panthers in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft.

Broderick Lee Thomas is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, earning unanimous All-American honors in 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Le Kevin Smith</span> American football player (born 1982)

Le Kevin Smith is a former American football defensive tackle of the National Football League (NFL), who played five seasons from 2006 to 2010. He was selected by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Smith was a member of the Patriots' 2007 16–0 team and recorded half a sack during Super Bowl XLII. He ended his NFL career in 2010 with the Denver Broncos. He played college football at Nebraska.

Ralph Davis Brown II is a former American college and professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He played college football for the University of Nebraska, and was a consensus All-American. He played professionally for the New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals of the NFL. He has biological children, but has given up his parental rights to them.

Sean Gilbert is an American football coach and former player. He is the head football coach for Livingstone College, a position he has held since 2020. Gilbert played professionally as a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Los Angeles Rams as the third overall pick of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at University of Pittsburgh.

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

Charles Johnson is a former American football defensive end who played 11 seasons for the Carolina Panthers in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Georgia and was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft.

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

Adam Eugene Carriker is a former American football defensive end. He was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Nebraska. He also played for the Washington Redskins.

Darion Conner is a former American / arena football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) and the Arena Football League (AFL). He played for eight seasons in the NFL, from 1990 to 1997 and seven seasons (1999–2005) in the AFL. He was drafted in the second round of the 1990 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. He played college football at Jackson State University. He is currently serving a 15-year prison sentence for DUI-manslaughter and vehicular homicide. However, in July 2008, an appeals court ruled that he would be given a retrial.

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

Ndamukong Ngwa Suh is an American football defensive tackle who is a free agent. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, where he earned All-American honors, and was selected by the Detroit Lions second overall in the 2010 NFL draft. He also played for the Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Philadelphia Eagles. He has played in three Super Bowls: Super Bowl LIII with the Rams, Super Bowl LV with the Buccaneers, and Super Bowl LVII with the Eagles.

Markeysia Donta Jones is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Nebraska. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 1995 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Steelers, Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears.

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

Zaire Anderson is a former American football linebacker who played for the Denver Broncos. He played college football at Nebraska.

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

Jeremy Cash is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Duke, and was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2016.

Jordon Riley is an American football defensive end for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at North Carolina, Garden City, Nebraska, and Oregon.

References

  1. ↑ "Mike Rucker - 1998 - Football".
  2. ↑ "1999 NFL Draft Scout Mike Rucker College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  3. ↑ "1999 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  4. ↑ "NFL injuries: Vick likely to play; Jags expect Drew healthy, unsure about Taylor". USA Today . December 18, 2006.
  5. ↑ "Mike Rucker Stats". ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Panthers TV adds new features". www.panthers.com. Archived from the original on May 11, 2009.
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.