Drayton Florence
Encyclopedia
Drayton Florence, Jr. is an American football
cornerback
for the Buffalo Bills
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers
in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Tennessee-Chattanooga
and Tuskegee
.
Florence has also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars
.
in Ocala, Florida
, but spent his sophomore year at Richland Northeast High School
in Columbia, South Carolina
.
(2001–2002) after transferring from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
(1999–2000). He registered school-record three returns for touchdowns on interceptions at Tuskegee. As a senior, he was named first-team Division II All-America by the Associated Press
and American Coaches Association. He majored in social work.
and was the 2nd cornerback selected by Chargers that draft after Sammy Davis
. He is the highest drafted NFL player from Tuskegee University
in the NFL across Quentin Jammer
.
after a muffed punt by wide receiver Eric Parker at the San Diego 31 yard line, Florence committed a personal foul, head-butting Patriot TE
Daniel Graham
following a 3rd and long play. During the play, the Charger defense had stopped the Patriots for a 7 yard loss putting the ball at the Charger 37 yard line (apx. 53 yard field goal range). The result of the penalty was a Patriots first down on the Charger 18. The extension of the drive led to a Stephen Gostkowski
34 yard field goal
. The Patriots went on to win the game 24-21.
The NFL fined San Diego Chargers cornerback Drayton Florence $15,000 for the illegal hit he put on Houston Texans
Quarterback Matt Schaub
on Sunday October 28. On an interception return, Florence drilled Schaub from the blind side, and he was penalized 15 yards for unnecessary roughness. The league ruled that on a change of possession, Florence unnecessarily made helmet-to-helmet contact with Schaub, who suffered a concussion and missed the rest of the game.
to a six-year $36 million contract with $13 million in guaranteed money. After only one disappointing season with the team he was released on February 11, 2009.
. Florence has fought his way into the starting rotation under Head Coach Chan Gailey and the man responsible for drafting him, GM Buddy Nix. Florence has responded by leading the Bills in takeaways, including a fumble returned for a touchdown against the Bengals and an interception returned for a touchdown against Minnesota, two weeks apart.
On July 27th, 2011, Florence re-signed with the Bills for 3 years $15 million.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
for the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the 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...
. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
. 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...
at Tennessee-Chattanooga
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University, often referred to as UTC or simply "Chattanooga" , is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions in the University of Tennessee System; the others being in...
and Tuskegee
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee University is a private, historically black university located in Tuskegee, Alabama, United States. It is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund...
.
Florence has also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early years
Florence was an all-district selection at Vanguard High SchoolVanguard High School
Vanguard High School is one of eight high schools in Marion County, Florida. The school serves the northeast area of Ocala, Florida. Vanguard offers the International Baccalaureate program for students, which accepts pupils from outside districts and makes up about 25% of the student population....
in Ocala, Florida
Ocala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
, but spent his sophomore year at Richland Northeast High School
Richland Northeast High School
Richland Northeast High School is a public high school in Columbia, South Carolina. Richland Northeast, often abbreviated as RNE, RNH, or RNHS, was founded in 1978 to handle the excessive population of students at Spring Valley High School. Spring Valley is now Richland Northeast's largest rival...
in Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
.
College career
Florence attended Tuskegee UniversityTuskegee University
Tuskegee University is a private, historically black university located in Tuskegee, Alabama, United States. It is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund...
(2001–2002) after transferring from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University, often referred to as UTC or simply "Chattanooga" , is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions in the University of Tennessee System; the others being in...
(1999–2000). He registered school-record three returns for touchdowns on interceptions at Tuskegee. As a senior, he was named first-team Division II All-America by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
and American Coaches Association. He majored in social work.
2003 NFL Draft
Florence was drafted by the Chargers 46th overall in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
and was the 2nd cornerback selected by Chargers that draft after Sammy Davis
Sammy Davis (American football)
Sammy James Davis, Jr. is an American football cornerback. He is a free agent, as well as a businessman and owner of the Austin Capitals, a basketball team playing in the American Basketball Association. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers 30th overall in the 2003 NFL Draft...
. He is the highest drafted NFL player from Tuskegee University
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee University is a private, historically black university located in Tuskegee, Alabama, United States. It is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund...
| Pre-draft measureables | ||||||||||
| Ht | Wt | 40-yard dash | 10-yd split | 20-yd split | 20 ss | 3-cone 3 cone drill The 3 cone drill, or three cone drill, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the agility, quickness and fluidity of movement of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
Vert Vertical jump A vertical jump or vertical leap is the act of raising one's center of gravity higher in the vertical plane solely with the use of one's own muscles; it is a measure of how high an individual or athlete can elevate off the ground from a standstill.-Types of vertical jump:The vertical jump is... |
Broad | BP Bench press The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight... |
Wonderlic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-0¼ * | 198 lb * | 4.39 * | 1.53 * | 2.58 * | X * | X * | 35 in. * | 10'04" * | 18 * | X |
| (* represents NFL Combine NFL Combine The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general... ) |
||||||||||
San Diego Chargers
Initially drafted as a nickel back who could fill in at safety if needed, Florence had fought his way to become a legitimate starting cornerbackCornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
in the NFL across Quentin Jammer
Quentin Jammer
Quentin Tremaine Jammer is an American football player who currently plays cornerback for the San Diego Chargers of the NFL.- Early years :...
.
2007 playoffs
On Sunday, January 14, 2007 in the AFC Divisional Playoff game against the New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
after a muffed punt by wide receiver Eric Parker at the San Diego 31 yard line, Florence committed a personal foul, head-butting Patriot TE
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
Daniel Graham
Daniel Graham
Daniel Lawrence Grahamhttp://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GrahDa00.htm is an American football tight end for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
following a 3rd and long play. During the play, the Charger defense had stopped the Patriots for a 7 yard loss putting the ball at the Charger 37 yard line (apx. 53 yard field goal range). The result of the penalty was a Patriots first down on the Charger 18. The extension of the drive led to a Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski is a placekicker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League...
34 yard field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
. The Patriots went on to win the game 24-21.
The NFL fined San Diego Chargers cornerback Drayton Florence $15,000 for the illegal hit he put on Houston Texans
Houston 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...
Quarterback Matt Schaub
Matt Schaub
Matthew Rutledge Schaub is the starting quarterback for the Houston Texans. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia.-College career:...
on Sunday October 28. On an interception return, Florence drilled Schaub from the blind side, and he was penalized 15 yards for unnecessary roughness. The league ruled that on a change of possession, Florence unnecessarily made helmet-to-helmet contact with Schaub, who suffered a concussion and missed the rest of the game.
Jacksonville Jaguars
On March 1, 2008, Florence was signed by the Jacksonville JaguarsJacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
to a six-year $36 million contract with $13 million in guaranteed money. After only one disappointing season with the team he was released on February 11, 2009.
Buffalo Bills
On March 3, 2009, Florence was signed by the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Florence has fought his way into the starting rotation under Head Coach Chan Gailey and the man responsible for drafting him, GM Buddy Nix. Florence has responded by leading the Bills in takeaways, including a fumble returned for a touchdown against the Bengals and an interception returned for a touchdown against Minnesota, two weeks apart.
On July 27th, 2011, Florence re-signed with the Bills for 3 years $15 million.