Height/weight: 6-1/217
Born: 12/17/1986 Miami, Florida
College: Central Florida
Drafted: Third round (64th overall) in 2008 by Detroit Lions
NFL Experience: 2nd year
NFL Statistics: Started 12 of 16 games as a rookie, rushed for 976 yards on 238 carries (4.1 yards/carry) and 8 touchdowns. Also caught 39 passes for 286 yards (7.3 yards/catch). Best game: 112 yards rushing on 24 carries in 31-22 loss to Carolina on Nov. 16, 2008.
College Accolades: First Team All-American. First Team All-Conference USA. Conference USA Co-Player of the Year. Doak Walker Award semifinalist. Eighth in Heisman voting.
College Stats: As a junior, rushed for 2,567 yards, 2nd-highest single-season rushing total in college history after Barry Sanders (2,628 yards, 1988). Set single-season record in FBS with 450 carries. Scored 30 TDs to lead nation in scoring in 2007.
Family: Father, Mario; Mother, Pam; Brother, Ced.
PERSONAL FILES
Wackiest prank?
One of the linemen put Icy Hot in Jerome Felton’s helmet before practice. But I told him just after he put his helmet on to take it off and rinse it out. That’s my fullback.
Nicknames?
24-K and Buc.
Tattoos?
I have like 25 of them. My favorite is on my stomach, “Momma’s Boy.”
Best defensive player I’ve faced:
Julius Peppers. The best linebacker was Patrick Willis.
Best offensive player I’ve played with:
Calvin Johnson.
My best play (so far):
The first play of the first game of my junior year at Central Florida was an 80-yard touchdown run against North Carolina State. I went on to have a pretty good year.
Closest friends in football:
Daunte Culpepper, Ernie Sims, Travis Fisher, Cliff Avril and Calvin Johnson of the Lions.
Favorite foods:
Homemade tacos, seafood in general, oxtail.
Favorite movies:
“Belly,” “City of God,” “Scarface.”
What’s in your iPod?
Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Keyshia Coles, Jamie Foxx.
Superstitions:
None.
Best qualities for a person to have:
Genuine, intelligent, sincere, loyal.
My hero is:
My mother. The strongest person I ever knew and the best leader I ever had.
