Dereck Faulkner
Encyclopedia
Dereck Leonard Faulkner (born May 6, 1985 in Landstuhl, Germany) is a professional American and Canadian football
wide receiver
who is currently a free agent
. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles
in 2007. He played college football
for the Hampton Pirates.
Faulkner has also been a member of the BC Lions
.
at Moorestown High School
, where he was a First Team All-State wide receiver. He also earned All-County, All-Conference Accolades as well as All-South Jersey Honors after catching 40 passes for 898 yards (22.5 avg) and nine touchdowns his senior season. Super Prep rated him among the top 100 players on the East Coast. He chose Hampton University
over the University of Iowa
.
Jerome Mathis
, Faulkner still finished second on the team with 20 receptions for 249 yards and 1 touchdown
in 10 games.
17 of those catches resulted in first downs, with 12 of those coming on third down plays. A strained calf muscle limited Faulkner to 9 games in 2005. He still contributed to the team by pulling in 24 catches for 427 yards and 3 touchdowns, finishing third on the team, showing his prowess as the team clutch third-down receiver. He helped convert 12 third-down plays finishing with a total of 22 first down receptions. He suffered a broken right fibula during practice in the fourth week of the season and only played in 13 games over his last two seasons at Hampton. He finished his career with 74 catches for 1,011 yards.
, his childhood favorite Eagle being All-Pro wide receiver Mike Quick
, who also is a family friend. Quick was very positive when he heard the news about Faulkner going to the Eagles. He was quoted as saying:
on April 8, 2009. He was released on May 13, 2009.
at Virginia State University
.
Dereck is a member of Omega Psi Phi
fraternity (Gamma Epsilon chapter).
Gridiron football
Gridiron football , sometimes known as North American football, is an umbrella term for related codes of football primarily played in the United States and Canada. The predominant forms of gridiron football are American football and Canadian football...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 2007. He played 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...
for the Hampton Pirates.
Faulkner has also been a member of the BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
.
Early years
Faulkner played high school footballHigh school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
at Moorestown High School
Moorestown High School
Moorestown High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Moorestown Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Moorestown Township Public Schools...
, where he was a First Team All-State wide receiver. He also earned All-County, All-Conference Accolades as well as All-South Jersey Honors after catching 40 passes for 898 yards (22.5 avg) and nine touchdowns his senior season. Super Prep rated him among the top 100 players on the East Coast. He chose Hampton University
Hampton University
Hampton University is a historically black university located in Hampton, Virginia, United States. It was founded by black and white leaders of the American Missionary Association after the American Civil War to provide education to freedmen.-History:...
over the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
.
College career
Faulkner immediately earned playing time as a true freshman at the "X" receiver position. Despite playing behind current All-Pro Kick Returner current Houston TexansHouston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
Jerome Mathis
Jerome Mathis
Jerome Alvon Mathis is a professional American and Canadian football wide receiver and kick returner who currently is a free agent. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football for Hampton.Mathis has also been a member of the Washington...
, Faulkner still finished second on the team with 20 receptions for 249 yards and 1 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
in 10 games.
17 of those catches resulted in first downs, with 12 of those coming on third down plays. A strained calf muscle limited Faulkner to 9 games in 2005. He still contributed to the team by pulling in 24 catches for 427 yards and 3 touchdowns, finishing third on the team, showing his prowess as the team clutch third-down receiver. He helped convert 12 third-down plays finishing with a total of 22 first down receptions. He suffered a broken right fibula during practice in the fourth week of the season and only played in 13 games over his last two seasons at Hampton. He finished his career with 74 catches for 1,011 yards.
Philadelphia Eagles
Despite not being drafted after a good career and a great work-out, Faulkner still fulfilled a childhood dream by being signed by the team he grew up cheering for, the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, his childhood favorite Eagle being All-Pro wide receiver Mike Quick
Mike Quick
Michael Anthony Quick is a former American football wide receiver who played his entire career with the Philadelphia Eagles .-Playing career:...
, who also is a family friend. Quick was very positive when he heard the news about Faulkner going to the Eagles. He was quoted as saying:
Faulkner was quoted saying:
"It was a quick decision, but it was a strong decision."
Faulkner was released by the Eagles as of August 27, 2007.
"I think this was the right decision for me. They didn't draft any wide receivers this year, and they only signed one other UDFA undrafted free agent wide receiver, so I'll have a good shot to show them I can play on the level of the receivers they have now."
British Columbia Lions
Faulkner was signed by the BC LionsBC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
on April 8, 2009. He was released on May 13, 2009.
Personal
Faulkner majored in Business Management and hopes to become a sportscaster when his playing days are over. His father was a linebackerLinebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
at Virginia State University
Virginia State University
Virginia State University is a historically black and land-grant university located north of the Appomattox River in Chesterfield, in the Richmond area. Founded on , Virginia State was the United States's first fully state-supported four-year institution of higher learning for black Americans...
.
Dereck is a member of Omega Psi Phi
Omega Psi Phi
Omega Psi Phi is a fraternity and is the first African-American national fraternal organization to be founded at a historically black college. Omega Psi Phi was founded on November 17, 1911, at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. The founders were three Howard University juniors, Edgar Amos...
fraternity (Gamma Epsilon chapter).