Matt Trannon
Encyclopedia
Matthew Horise Trannon is an American football
wide receiver
who is currently a free agent
. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football
as well as basketball at Michigan State
.
Trannon has also been a member of the Kansas City Chiefs
, Oakland Raiders
and Pittsburgh Steelers
.
(No. 18), and was the number six ranked power forward, and ranked as the nation's 34th best wide receivers by Rivals.com. He was named the top high school athlete in the nation by Prep Spotlight after starring in both football and basketball at Flint Northern High School
. In basketball he averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds, in football he caught 77 passes for 1100 yards and twenty touchdowns as a senior.
, including an appearance in the Final Four during 2004-2005. Trannon decided to forgo his senior year of basketball to prepare for the 2007 NFL Draft
.
, and also became MSU's all time receptions leader with 148 receptions. In addition, he was second on the team in receptions (44), receiving yards (502) and touchdown catches (3).
, Trannon signed with the Arizona Cardinals
. He was released on August 31, 2007 but was signed to the Cardinals
practice squad.
. However, he was waived on July 24.
of former NFL player Lonnie Young
.
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...
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 by the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent 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...
as well as basketball at Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
.
Trannon has also been a member of the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas 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...
, Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
.
Early years
He was ranked among the nation's top 20 prep basketball players by ESPN.comESPN.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...
(No. 18), and was the number six ranked power forward, and ranked as the nation's 34th best wide receivers by Rivals.com. He was named the top high school athlete in the nation by Prep Spotlight after starring in both football and basketball at Flint Northern High School
Flint Northern High School
Flint Northern High School, is a public secondary school located in Flint, Michigan. The original building was built in 1928, and the current site was erected in the 1970's. It is one of three high schools in the Flint Community Schools district along with Flint Northwestern High School and Flint...
. In basketball he averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds, in football he caught 77 passes for 1100 yards and twenty touchdowns as a senior.
Basketball
Trannon did not join the basketball team until he was a sophomore where he played in 17 games, averaging 6.9 minutes per contest averaged 1.2 points and 1.6 rebounds per contest. During his junior year he shot 68.8 percent (22-of-32) from the field, tops among teammates with at least 30 field-goal attempts. He has played in 2 NCAA TournamentsNCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
, including an appearance in the Final Four during 2004-2005. Trannon decided to forgo his senior year of basketball to prepare for the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
.
Football
Trannon started 11 games at wide receiver, ranked second on the team with 36 receptions for 405 yards and two touchdowns in his junior year. He caught 28 passes for 259 yards in 2003 caught passes in nine different games. During his senior year, he set the Michigan State single game reception record with 14 receptions against Eastern Michigan UniversityEastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
, and also became MSU's all time receptions leader with 148 receptions. In addition, he was second on the team in receptions (44), receiving yards (502) and touchdown catches (3).
Arizona Cardinals
Despite not being taken in the 2007 NFL Draft2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
, Trannon signed with the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was released on August 31, 2007 but was signed to the Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
practice squad.
Pittsburgh Steelers
On January 18, 2008 he signed with the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
. However, he was waived on July 24.
Bendigo Telstra Braves
Trannon signed as an 'import player' with the Bendigo Braves basketball team, based in Bendigo, Australia in 2009.Personal
He is the son of Katherine Trannon and cousinCousin
In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...
of former NFL player Lonnie Young
Lonnie Young
Lonnie Young was an American football defensive back who played twelve seasons in the NFL. He went to Beecher Senior High School, in Flint, Michigan. He was a classmate and teammate of future professional football player, Carl Banks, another esteemed Beecher alum. He is currently a scout for the...
.