Javarris James
Encyclopedia
Javarris James is an American football
running back
for the Indianapolis Colts
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football
at the University of Miami
.
He has also been a member of the New England Patriots
and Washington Redskins
. He is the younger cousin of NFL running back Edgerrin James
, who also played college football in Miami and later for the Colts.
in Immokalee, Florida
. As a freshman, James rushed for more than 800 yards and had 16 touchdowns. As a sophomore, he rushed 165 times for 1,145 yards and 14 touchdowns. He developed further as a junior, rushing 225 times for 1,658 yards and 28 touchdowns while leading the Indians to the state title. He suffered a knee injury during his senior year that kept him out of five games, but he returned to the lineup and still rushed for over 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns.
He was rated as the 13th best running back in the nation by Rivals.com
, who also rated him the 21st best overall player in Florida, while Scout.com
ranked him as the 35th best running back in the country. ESPN.com
ranked James as the 21st best running back in the nation, as well as the 144th best player in the country. The Miami Herald named James as No. 4 on their Top 25 list of the state's best players, while the Orlando Sentinel
rated him as the 11th best player in the state. James was named to the PrepStar 200 as the 18th best running back, and was also rated the second best running back on The Florida Times-Union
Super 75.
, South Florida, Nebraska
, and Oklahoma
. James chose to follow in the footsteps of his cousin, Edgerrin James
and play for Miami, where he wore the same #5 jersey his cousin wore during his days at Miami.
James, as a true freshman, played in the first game of the 2006 season
against rival Florida State
. Head coach Larry Coker
named James the starting running back by the fourth game of the season. James responded by rushing for 148 yards on 18 carries, an 8.2 yards per carry average, and a touchdown in his first college start against Houston
. The 148 yards were a school record for a freshman, topping Clinton Portis
's old mark of 147 yards. In recognition of his accomplishment, James was named the ACC
Rookie of the Week. James broke the 100-yard barrier again in his next start, as he ran for 111 yards and a touchdown against North Carolina
. James surpassed the 100-yard mark the third time in Miami's October 28 loss to Georgia Tech
, rushing for 112 yards on 19 carries. James suffered a hip pointer injury early in the first half of Miami's November 7 game against Virginia Tech
. He finished his freshman season with 175 rushing attempts for 802 yards, second most in school history for a freshman, and 4 touchdowns. He caught one receiving touchdown along with 200 total receiving yards over the course of the season.
As a sophomore, James was bothered by an ankle and neck injury all season long but started 12 games and managed to rush 159 times for 582 yards and 4 touchdowns, while catching 14 passes for 100 yards in his sophomore season. In 2008, as a junior, James played in nine games, starting only one, finishing with 286 yards on 62 carries and four touchdowns, missing four games due to injury. In 2009, his senior season, James started 5 of 12 games played, rushing for 492 yards and six touchdowns.
, James signed with the Indianapolis Colts
on April 30, 2010. On September 4, 2010, James was waived by the Colts during final cuts.
' practice squad. He was released on October 5, 2010.
on October 6, 2010.
on October 10, 2010. James scored two rushing touchdowns in the Colts' loss at the Philadelphia Eagles
on November 7, 2010.
for possession of marijuana. He was released a short time later after posting a $1,000 bond. He is also the cousin of former NFL RB Edgerrin James
.
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...
running back
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...
for the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South 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 signed by the Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2010. 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 the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
.
He has also been a member of the New England Patriots
New 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...
and Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. He is the younger cousin of NFL running back Edgerrin James
Edgerrin James
Edgerrin Tyree James is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts fourth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami....
, who also played college football in Miami and later for the Colts.
Early years
James attended Immokalee High SchoolImmokalee High School
Immokalee High School, located in Immokalee, Florida, is one of nine public high schools located in Collier County.- Athletics :Immokalee High School is one of the seven members of the Collier County Athletic Conference.- Fall Sports :* Cross Country...
in Immokalee, Florida
Immokalee, Florida
Immokalee is a census-designated place in Collier County, Florida, United States. The population was 19,763 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Naples–Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area. The settlement was originally known as Gopher Ridge...
. As a freshman, James rushed for more than 800 yards and had 16 touchdowns. As a sophomore, he rushed 165 times for 1,145 yards and 14 touchdowns. He developed further as a junior, rushing 225 times for 1,658 yards and 28 touchdowns while leading the Indians to the state title. He suffered a knee injury during his senior year that kept him out of five games, but he returned to the lineup and still rushed for over 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns.
He was rated as the 13th best running back in the nation by Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
, who also rated him the 21st best overall player in Florida, while Scout.com
Scout.com
Scout.com is an integrated sports publishing company that produces both an Internet and print product. Scout has more than 2.1 million visitors...
ranked him as the 35th best running back in the country. ESPN.com
ESPN.com
ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
ranked James as the 21st best running back in the nation, as well as the 144th best player in the country. The Miami Herald named James as No. 4 on their Top 25 list of the state's best players, while the Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Sentinel
The Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...
rated him as the 11th best player in the state. James was named to the PrepStar 200 as the 18th best running back, and was also rated the second best running back on The Florida Times-Union
The Florida Times-Union
The Florida Times-Union is a major daily newspaper in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. Widely known as the oldest newspaper in the state, it began publication as the Florida Union in 1864. Its current incarnation started in 1883, when the Florida Union merged with another Jacksonville paper, the...
Super 75.
College career
James was heavily recruited by Miami, USC, FloridaFlorida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
, South Florida, Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
, and Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. James chose to follow in the footsteps of his cousin, Edgerrin James
Edgerrin James
Edgerrin Tyree James is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts fourth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami....
and play for Miami, where he wore the same #5 jersey his cousin wore during his days at Miami.
James, as a true freshman, played in the first game of the 2006 season
2006 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 2006 Miami Hurricanes football team represented the University of Miami during the 2006 college football season. The team's head coach was Larry Coker.-Preseason:...
against rival Florida State
Florida State Seminoles
The Florida State Seminoles are the men's and women's sports teams of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. Florida State participates in the NCAA's Division I . FSU joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1991, and competes in the Atlantic Division in any sports split into a...
. Head coach Larry Coker
Larry Coker
Larry Edward Coker is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at the University of Texas at San Antonio, whose Roadrunners football team begins play in 2011. From 2001 to 2006, Coker served as the head coach at the University of Miami...
named James the starting running back by the fourth game of the season. James responded by rushing for 148 yards on 18 carries, an 8.2 yards per carry average, and a touchdown in his first college start against Houston
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...
. The 148 yards were a school record for a freshman, topping Clinton Portis
Clinton Portis
Clinton Earl Portis is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
's old mark of 147 yards. In recognition of his accomplishment, James was named the ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
Rookie of the Week. James broke the 100-yard barrier again in his next start, as he ran for 111 yards and a touchdown against North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels football
The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...
. James surpassed the 100-yard mark the third time in Miami's October 28 loss to Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, rushing for 112 yards on 19 carries. James suffered a hip pointer injury early in the first half of Miami's November 7 game against Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...
. He finished his freshman season with 175 rushing attempts for 802 yards, second most in school history for a freshman, and 4 touchdowns. He caught one receiving touchdown along with 200 total receiving yards over the course of the season.
As a sophomore, James was bothered by an ankle and neck injury all season long but started 12 games and managed to rush 159 times for 582 yards and 4 touchdowns, while catching 14 passes for 100 yards in his sophomore season. In 2008, as a junior, James played in nine games, starting only one, finishing with 286 yards on 62 carries and four touchdowns, missing four games due to injury. In 2009, his senior season, James started 5 of 12 games played, rushing for 492 yards and six touchdowns.
First stint with the Colts
After going undrafted in the 2010 NFL Draft2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
, James signed with the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
on April 30, 2010. On September 4, 2010, James was waived by the Colts during final cuts.
New England Patriots
On September 6, 2010, James was signed to 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...
' practice squad. He was released on October 5, 2010.
Washington Redskins
James was signed to the practice squad of the Washington RedskinsWashington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
on October 6, 2010.
Return to the Colts
On October 7, 2010, the Colts signed James off the Redskins' practice squad to their active roster. He made his NFL debut as a reserve in the Colts' Week 5 game against the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
on October 10, 2010. James scored two rushing touchdowns in the Colts' loss at 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...
on November 7, 2010.
Personal life
On June 9, 2011, James was arrested in Fort Myers, FloridaFort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
for possession of marijuana. He was released a short time later after posting a $1,000 bond. He is also the cousin of former NFL RB Edgerrin James
Edgerrin James
Edgerrin Tyree James is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts fourth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami....
.