Jan. 29, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - With 15 players suiting up for various teams in the National Football League, UCF led all other Conference USA schools in 2008. Today, we look at former defensive back Asante Samuel.
In the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots selected Samuel with the 120th overall pick. Samuel's rookie campaign saw the former Knight appear in all 16 games as a backup. He made the most of his time on the field, intercepting two passes, including one that he returned 55 yards for a touchdown, the longest return of his career to date in the regular season. The Patriots went on to beat the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXVIII.
The 2004 season saw Samuel become a mid-season starter when fellow cornerbacks Ty Law and Tyrone Pool went down with injuries. The former Knight finished the season with 34 tackles, 11 passes defended and an interception returned for a touchdown. Samuel started for the Patriots as they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX.
Samuel enjoyed his best statistical season in 2006 when he intercepted a career-high 10 passes. The mark tied him with Denver Broncos' cornerback Champ Bailey for the league lead that season. Samuel also tied a franchise record for most interceptions in a game when he totaled three picks against the Chicago Bears in week 12. In the 2006 playoffs, Samuel intercepted two passes for touchdowns, one against Chad Pennington and the New York Jets, and the other against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game.
In 2007, Samuel helped lead the Patriots to the first 16-0 regular season by an NFL franchise. Along the way to Super Bowl XLII, Samuel earned his first Pro Bowl invitation, and was also named to the 2007 All-Pro Team.
After appearing in his first Pro Bowl, Samuel hit the free agent market later that year. The former Knight cashed in when he signed a five-year, $56 million dollar contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, making him the highest paid defensive player to be drafted out of UCF. Samuel enjoyed success in an Eagle uniform in 2008, intercepting four passes, and defending a career-high 22.
In the Eagles' NFC Wild Card victory over the Minnesota Vikings, Samuel made NFL history when he took a Tavaris Jackson interception 44 yards to pay dirt. The four career playoff interceptions for touchdowns gave the NFL postseason record. Samuel's seven postseason interceptions were also good enough for fifth all-time in the playoffs, and tied for first among active players with the Patriots' Rodney Harrison. The 2009 postseason also saw Samuel surpass Ronnie Lott (177) with 227 career interception return yards, which ranked him first in postseason history.
For the second consecutive season, the former Knight will be making the trip to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl.
The former Boyd H. Anderson High School standout played for the Knights from 2000-03. In his four-year career at UCF, Samuel totaled 127 total tackles, eight interceptions and a school-record 38 passes defended. Samuel also returned punts for the Knights, averaging 10.7 yards per return, good enough for third all-time in school history.
Tomorrow, we look at former offensive lineman Cornell Green of the Oakland Raiders.