Kam Chancellor
Encyclopedia
Kameron Darnel "Kam" Chancellor (born April 3, 1988) is an American football
safety
for the Seattle Seahawks
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Seahawks
in the 5th round of the 2010 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Virginia Tech
.
to Karen Lambert. He attended Matthew Fontaine Maury High School
where he played basketball and football
as a quarterback
and safety. As a senior in 2006, he recorded more than 2,000 passing
yards and 500 rushing
yards and led his team to a 10–2 record and an appearance in the Group AAA Division 5
playoffs. Chancellor was named the team's most valuable player
, and he was also placed on the All-Eastern District
first team and The Virginian-Pilot
All-Tidewater
second team. Rivals.com
assessed him as the 27th-ranked pro-style quarterback prospect in the nation and the 20th-ranked player in the state of Virginia. SuperPrep and The Roanoke Times
rated him the 21st-ranked player in the state. Scout.com
assessed Chancellor as a two-star recruit and he accepted a scholarship offer
from Virginia Tech
.
position prior to the start of the season
. He saw action that year as a true freshman in all 13 games, and recorded nine tackle
s, two passes broken-up, and one interception. In 2007
, he was moved to the rover position as the starter
and also played on special teams. He started in all 14 games and recorded 79 tackles, seven passes broken-up, three quarterback hurries, and one interception.
Before the 2008 season
, he was moved to the free safety position, his third position change in as many years at Virginia Tech. Chancellor started in all 14 games and recorded 52 tackles including 27 solo, two interceptions, five passes broken-up, seven pass deflections, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries.
After the season, he considered entering the 2009 NFL Draft
a year early, but decided to remain at Virginia Tech for his final season. The CBS Sports
-affiliated NFL Draft Scout considers Chancellor the third-ranked of the 126 free safeties available for the 2010 NFL Draft
and projects him as a third-round selection. The Hokies' defensive backs coach
, Torrian Gray
, said that Chancellor could be "the greatest safety in Virginia Tech history." Chancellor has said that he attempts to emulate the former Washington Redskins
safety Sean Taylor
, and said, "[He was a] big safety, the prototype guy for the position. I'm a big safety, too, and I've just always wanted to be just like him. I don't necessarily say I can be Sean Taylor before it's over, but I think I can be just as good."
early in the 5th round with the #133rd overall in the 2010 NFL Draft
. Chancellor did not start a game in his rookie season, however is predicted to begin the 2011 season as the team's starting strong safety, replacing recently unsigned veteran Lawyer Milloy
on the depth chart.
The Seattle Seahawks
announced the signing of ex-Green Bay Packer strong safety Atari Bigby
on August 16th. Bigby will be competing with Chancellor for the starting role. Chancellor started the first preseason game of the 2011 season against the San Diego Chargers
, in a 23-17 Seattle victory.
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...
safety
Safety
Safety is the state of being "safe" , the condition of being protected against physical, social, spiritual, financial, political, emotional, occupational, psychological, educational or other types or consequences of failure, damage, error, accidents, harm or any other event which could be...
for the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
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 Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
in the 5th round of the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 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...
. 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 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...
.
Early life
Chancellor was born on April 3, 1988 in Norfolk, VirginiaNorfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
to Karen Lambert. He attended Matthew Fontaine Maury High School
Matthew Fontaine Maury High School
Matthew Fontaine Maury High School, one of five city comprehensive high schools, is a high school located in historic Ghent area of Norfolk, Virginia...
where he played basketball and football
High 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....
as a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
and safety. As a senior in 2006, he recorded more than 2,000 passing
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
yards and 500 rushing
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
yards and led his team to a 10–2 record and an appearance in the Group AAA Division 5
Virginia High School League
The Virginia High School League is the arbiter of interscholastic competition among public high schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unlike similar organizations in many other states, private or religious schools are prohibited from joining. Non-public schools belong to other organizations,...
playoffs. Chancellor was named the team's most valuable player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
, and he was also placed on the All-Eastern District
AAA Eastern District
The AAA Eastern District is one of the four districts of the AAA Eastern Region of the Virginia High School League. The schools in the Eastern District compete with the schools in the AAA Beach District, the AAA Peninsula District, and the AAA Southeastern District...
first team and The Virginian-Pilot
The Virginian-Pilot
The Virginian-Pilot is a daily newspaper based in Norfolk, Virginia, and serving the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, southeastern Virginia, the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and northeastern North Carolina. The flagship property of Landmark Media Enterprises, The Pilot is Virginia's largest daily...
All-Tidewater
Tidewater region of Virginia
The Tidewater region of Virginia is the eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia formally known as Hampton Roads. The term tidewater may be correctly applied to all portions of any area, including Virginia, where the water level is affected by the tides...
second team. 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...
assessed him as the 27th-ranked pro-style quarterback prospect in the nation and the 20th-ranked player in the state of Virginia. SuperPrep and The Roanoke Times
The Roanoke Times
The Roanoke Times is the primary newspaper in Southwestern Virginia and is based in Roanoke, Virginia, United States. It is published by Landmark Media Enterprises...
rated him the 21st-ranked player in the state. 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...
assessed Chancellor as a two-star recruit and he accepted a scholarship offer
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
from 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...
.
College career
Chancellor enrolled at Virginia Tech in 2006 to study human development. He worked out as a quarterback before eventually being moved to the 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...
position prior to the start of the season
2006 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2006 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Frank Beamer...
. He saw action that year as a true freshman in all 13 games, and recorded nine tackle
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
s, two passes broken-up, and one interception. In 2007
2007 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2007 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season...
, he was moved to the rover position as the starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
and also played on special teams. He started in all 14 games and recorded 79 tackles, seven passes broken-up, three quarterback hurries, and one interception.
Before the 2008 season
2008 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2008 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represents Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach is Frank Beamer. Prior to the season, the Hokies were expected to be in a rebuilding mode, recovering after the...
, he was moved to the free safety position, his third position change in as many years at Virginia Tech. Chancellor started in all 14 games and recorded 52 tackles including 27 solo, two interceptions, five passes broken-up, seven pass deflections, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries.
After the season, he considered entering the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
a year early, but decided to remain at Virginia Tech for his final season. The CBS Sports
CBS Sports
CBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
-affiliated NFL Draft Scout considers Chancellor the third-ranked of the 126 free safeties available for the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 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...
and projects him as a third-round selection. The Hokies' defensive backs coach
Defensive backs coach
A defensive backs coach or secondary coach is a coach in charge of the safeties and cornerbacks in gridiron football. This position is very common in the CFL, NFL and college football programs. Some common titles are: safeties coach, cornerbacks coach, secondary coach, secondary/safeties coach,...
, Torrian Gray
Torrian Gray
Torrian Gray is a college football assistant coach. He currently coaches defensive backs for his alma mater, Virginia Tech.-College career:Gray was three times an all-Big East selection for the Virginia Tech Hokies...
, said that Chancellor could be "the greatest safety in Virginia Tech history." Chancellor has said that he attempts to emulate the former 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,...
safety Sean Taylor
Sean Taylor
Sean Michael Maurice Taylor was an American football free safety who played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Taylor was drafted in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Redskins...
, and said, "[He was a] big safety, the prototype guy for the position. I'm a big safety, too, and I've just always wanted to be just like him. I don't necessarily say I can be Sean Taylor before it's over, but I think I can be just as good."
Professional career
Kam Chancellor was drafted by the Seattle SeahawksSeattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
early in the 5th round with the #133rd overall in the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 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...
. Chancellor did not start a game in his rookie season, however is predicted to begin the 2011 season as the team's starting strong safety, replacing recently unsigned veteran Lawyer Milloy
Lawyer Milloy
Lawyer Marzell Milloy is an American football safety. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Washington....
on the depth chart.
The Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
announced the signing of ex-Green Bay Packer strong safety Atari Bigby
Atari Bigby
Atari David Bigby is an American football safety for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
on August 16th. Bigby will be competing with Chancellor for the starting role. Chancellor started the first preseason game of the 2011 season against 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 a 23-17 Seattle victory.