Lamont Green

Lamont Green (born July 10, 1976) is a former American football linebacker. He briefly played for the Atlanta Falcons, and was later assigned to the NFL Europe's Berlin Thunder before retiring due to injuries. Green was an All-Conference linebacker at Florida State University from 1994 to 1998, but never lived up to the expectations stemming from his exceptional high school career. Considered an "underachiever" in college, Green was not selected in the 1999 NFL Draft.[1]

Lamont Green
No. 45
Position:Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1976-07-10) July 10, 1976
Miami, Florida
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High school:Miami Southridge
(Miami, Florida)
College:Florida State
Undrafted:1999
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com

High school career

A Miami, Florida native, Green attended Miami Southridge High School, where he was a three time 5A all-state selection and played on two state championship teams (1991 and 1993). In his senior season in 1993, he averaged nine tackles per game for a total of 135 on the year, while most offenses shied away from him.[2] With an offensive backfield featuring brothers Troy and Darren Davis at halfbacks as well as Sedrick Irvin at fullback, Miami Southridge rushed for 262.4 yards per game (356.27 ypg total offense). The Spartans won the Class 5A state championship in a 69–36 rout over Bradenton Manatee,[3] to finish the season 15–0 and on the #5 rank of the USA Today poll.[4] Green was named an All-American and Defensive Player of the Year by USA Today.[5] He also was Florida's Gatorade Player of the Year.

Green participated in the Florida-Georgia All-Star Game and was named Florida's Most Valuable Player after recording a team high eight tackles, including two stops for a total loss of 23 yards, and broke up a pass.[6] Considered the No. 1 high school football recruit in the nation in 1994, Green chose Florida State over Southern California, Michigan, Alabama, Penn State, and Miami (FL).[7]

College career

After redshirting his initial year at Florida State, Green appeared mostly on special teams in his freshman season in 1995, and recorded 28 tackles (including 17 unassisted) on the season. He also caused a fumble and recovered it in the Seminoles' 72–13 win over Wake Forest. Green saw his role on the team increased in his sophomore year, as he registered 44 tackles (26 solo) as back-up linebackers. He also had six tackles-for-loss and three quarterback sacks (two of them against Maryland). In his first career start against Georgia Tech, Green stepped in front of a screen pass and ran the interception back for 56 yards and a touchdown.[8]

Taking over as starting outside linebacker in his junior year, Green ranked third on the team for tackles with 85, behind Sam Cowart (116) and Daryl Bush (97). He also had six tackles-for-loss. Two of those, plus a quarterback sack, came in the 14–7 win over Southern California, the first ever game between the two programs. Against North Carolina State, Green recorded his only interception of the season. In his senior year, he was selected as team captain and played an integral part in the team's run for the National Championship in the 1999 Fiesta Bowl. He ranked first on the team in tackles with 73, including 48 unassisted and ten for a loss of yardage.

Professional career

Despite being labeled an “underachiever” and criticized for “lackluster play”, Green was ranked as the No. 4 outside linebacker prospect in the 1999 NFL Draft, behind Rahim Abdullah, Gary Stills, and Mike Peterson.[9] However, he was not selected by any team. Eventually, he was signed by the Atlanta Falcons, playing one game for them in 1999. Green spent the 2000 season on the reserve list of the Carolina Panthers, and was briefly assigned to the Berlin Thunder of the NFL Europe. In a game against the Scottish Claymores, he viciously tackled receiver Aaron Stecker, who afterwards promised him to “getting [him] back.” Stecker and teammate Jason Gamble placed a bounty on injuring Green, but never successfully did.[10]

Post-playing career

Lamont received his bachelor's degree from Florida State in Criminology & Criminal Justice in 2002. He earned his master's degree in Education from Nova Southeastern University in 2007.

Most recently he was named Academic Counselor for the Florida State Seminoles football team. He is currently the head coach of the football team and is one of the S.C.S.I. directors at South Miami Senior High School

References
  1. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/1999/nfldraft/players/3702.html
  2. "Southridge Star Seeks 'Write' Stuff". Sun-Sentinel. August 26, 1993.
  3. http://www.fhsaa.org/sites/default/files/orig_uploads/records/rec_fb.pdf
  4. Year-by-year final football rankings
  5. "Honors Keep Coming To Southridge's Green". Orlando Sentinel. December 25, 1993.
  6. "Florida, Georgia All-stars Tie". Orlando Sentinel. June 19, 1994.
  7. http://nolefan.org/summary/f1994.html
  8. Powell, K. Adam (2004). Border Wars: The First Fifty Years of Atlantic Coast Conference Football. Lanham: Scarecrow Press. p. 284. ISBN 0-8108-4839-2.
  9. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/1999/nfldraft/breakdowns/by_position/OLB.html
  10. Anderson, Lars (2010). The Proving Ground: A Season on the Fringe in NFL Europe. London: Macmillan. pp. 127–128. ISBN 978-1-4299-7030-3.
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