David Overstreet
Encyclopedia
David Arthur Overstreet (September 20, 1958 – ) was a running back
in the Canadian Football League
and National Football League
.
A native of Big Sandy, Texas
, Overstreet prepped at Big Sandy High School
, where one of his teammates was Lovie Smith
. Big Sandy won three consecutive Class B state championships 1973-75. After scoring 362 points in 1975—which is third all-time in Texas high school history behind Ken Hall of Sugar Land
and Robert Strait
of Cuero
—Overstreet played his college football
at the University of Oklahoma
.
He was drafted in the 1981 NFL Draft
by the Miami Dolphins
in the first round, 13th pick overall. A contract dispute with the Dolphins led him to sign with the Montreal Alouettes
, who, under the ownership of Nelson Skalbania
, tried to buy a big money winning team.
His first season (1981
) was successful, as he rushed for 952 yards and was the Alouettes rookie
of the year. His second season, with the newly renamed and dreadful Montreal Concordes, was plagued by injury, and he only gained 190 yards rushing.
He returned to the Dolphins in 1983, and showed much promise, rushing for 392 yards in 14 games with a 4.6 yards per carry average.
Overstreet was killed in a car accident in June 1984. He was driving northbound in his 1980 Mercedes on Texas State Highway 155, when his car swerved off the road about 10 miles northeast of Tyler
into gasoline pumps at a service station and exploded.
He was survived by his son David Overstreet Jr., who played safety at the University of Missouri
from 2003 to 2006.
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
and National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
A native of Big Sandy, Texas
Big Sandy, Texas
Big Sandy is a town in Upshur County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town's population was 1,288. A lake of the same name is cut nearly in half by U.S. Highway 80, the main thoroughfare of Big Sandy....
, Overstreet prepped at Big Sandy High School
Big Sandy High School
Big Sandy High School is a public, co-educational secondary school in the Big Sandy Independent School District in Upshur County, Texas. It is located in Big Sandy, Texas.-Athletics:The Big Sandy Wildcats compete in these sports -...
, where one of his teammates was Lovie Smith
Lovie Smith
Lovie Lee Smith is the head coach of the Chicago Bears professional football team of the NFL. Smith has been to the Super Bowl twice, as the defensive coordinator for the 2001 Saint Louis Rams and as the head coach for the Chicago Bears in 2006....
. Big Sandy won three consecutive Class B state championships 1973-75. After scoring 362 points in 1975—which is third all-time in Texas high school history behind Ken Hall of Sugar Land
Sugar Land, Texas
Sugar Land is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and Fort Bend County. Sugar Land is one of the most affluent and fastest-growing cities in Texas, having grown more than 158 percent in the last decade. In the time period of 2000–2007, Sugar Land also enjoyed a...
and Robert Strait
Robert Strait
Robert Strait is a former American football running back.Strait is considered one of the best high school football players in Texas history. While playing at Cuero High School from 1985–88, Strait rushed for 8,411 yards on a state-record 1,131 carries and scored 841 points...
of Cuero
Cuero, Texas
Cuero is a city in DeWitt County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,571 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of DeWitt County. It is also unofficially known as the "turkey capital of the world"...
—Overstreet played his college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
.
He was drafted in the 1981 NFL Draft
1981 NFL Draft
The 1981 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 28–29, 1981...
by the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the first round, 13th pick overall. A contract dispute with the Dolphins led him to sign with the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
, who, under the ownership of Nelson Skalbania
Nelson Skalbania
Nelson M. Skalbania is a Canadian businessman from Vancouver, British Columbia best known for signing a 17-year-old Wayne Gretzky to the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association....
, tried to buy a big money winning team.
His first season (1981
1981 CFL season
The 1981 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 28th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 24th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1981:...
) was successful, as he rushed for 952 yards and was the Alouettes rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
of the year. His second season, with the newly renamed and dreadful Montreal Concordes, was plagued by injury, and he only gained 190 yards rushing.
He returned to the Dolphins in 1983, and showed much promise, rushing for 392 yards in 14 games with a 4.6 yards per carry average.
Overstreet was killed in a car accident in June 1984. He was driving northbound in his 1980 Mercedes on Texas State Highway 155, when his car swerved off the road about 10 miles northeast of Tyler
Tyler, Texas
Tyler is a city in and the county seat of Smith County, Texas, in the United States. It takes its name from President John Tyler . The city had a population of 109,000 in 2010, according to the United States Census Bureau...
into gasoline pumps at a service station and exploded.
He was survived by his son David Overstreet Jr., who played safety at the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
from 2003 to 2006.