Daunte Culpepper - Football (1995-98) - Class of 2002
Daunte Culpepper, a unanimous selection to the Hall, was a poised, strong-armed quarterback who had all the tools for the UCF Golden Knights after a record-setting high school career at Ocala Vanguard. He ran a 4.6 in the 40, had a 36" vertical leap and could throw the ball 80 yards. As a result of his play on the field and his enormous popularity among fans and media off the field, elevated UCF from an average I-AA program upon his arrival to a powerful I-A program on the verge of a top-25 ranking upon his departure.
He capped a stellar career by putting his name at the top of virtually every quarterback record (more than 30 in all) at UCF. He also set an NCAA record for single-season completion percentage at .736, breaking a 15-year-old mark set by Steve Young (.713) and accomplished a feat equaled by only two others in NCAA history when he topped the 10,000 yard passing mark and the 1,000 yard rushing mark in his career.
He finished his career with 11,412 yards passing and 1,020 yards rushing. He finished his career sixth on the NCAA's all-time total offense list for all divisions with 12,459 yards and was responsible for 108 career touchdowns (84 passing, 24 rushing). He was very adept at reading coverage and changing plays at the line of scrimmage and has the uncanny ability to scramble despite his big frame.
Prior to his senior year he was invited to play in the Hula Bowl, the East-West Shrine Bowl, the Senior Bowl, the Blue-Gray Game and the Inaugural All-Star Gridiron Classic.
He won the 1998 Sammy Baugh Trophy as the passer of the year in college football and was chosen along with Ricky Williams from Texas as the national Co-Player of the Year by the Sports Network. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round in 1999, and was the starting quarterback for the NFC in the Pro Bowl in only his second year in the NFL.
PRO:
Signed by the Lions November 4, 2008 to a two-year deal, Culpepper brings nine previous NFL seasons and his productivity to Detroit. As a three-time Pro Bowler (2001, 2004 and 2005), Culpepper arrives in Detroit after spending the 2007 season with Oakland, 2006 with Miami and the first seven season of his career with Minnesota. Overall, he has completed 1,867-of-2,927 passes for 22,422 yards and 142 touchdowns, and he has registered a career passer rating of 89.9. Among passers with 1,500 career attempts, he ranks sixth all-time in completion percentage (63.8) and seventh all-time in passer rating (89.9). Culpepper has 20 career 300-yard passing games, and he has thrown for two-or-more touchdowns 41 times and three-or-more touchdowns 20 times. He was originally drafted in the first-round (11th overall) in the 1999 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings.
2008:
Signed a two-year deal with the Lions November 4.
• Debuted as Lions' starter vs. Jacksonville (11/9) and split time with Drew Stanton. Completed 5-of-10 passes for 104 yards. Launched a 51-yard bomb to WR Calvin Johnson that set up the Lions first touchdown drive of the game.
• Connected on 20-of-35 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown and carried the ball five times for 13 yards and a touchdown at Carolina (11/16). TD pass occurred on Lions opening drive as he scrambled and found WR Calvin Johnson in the endzone.
• Connected on 14-of-24 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown (70-yarder to Calvin Johnson) and recorded highest quarterback rating as a Lion with 102.8 vs. Minnesota (12/7).
2007:
After being released by the Dolphins July 17, 2007, he signed with the Oakland Raiders July 31, 2007. Culpepper started six-of-seven games with the Raiders.
2006:
Traded to the Miami Dolphins. Started in all four games played.
2005:
Culpepper played in the season's first seven games and then missed the rest of the season with a knee injury and went to his third Pro Bowl.
2004:
Culpeper had perhaps his most productive year as a passer when he set career highs in every major passing category, including: attempts (548), completions (379), completion percentage (69.2), passing yards (4,717), touchdowns (39) and rating (110.9). Culpepper's completions, completion percentage, yards and touchdown passes were all single-season Vikings records. His passing tallies that year also rank high on the all-time NFL single-season records list: 39 passes that season are tied for sixth, 4,717 passing yards is sixth, 69.3 completion percentage is seventh and 110.9 rating is fifth.
2003:
Played and started in 14 games on the season. Completed 295-of-454 passes for 3,479 yards and 25 touchdowns. Also Carried the ball 73 times for 422 yards and four touchdowns.
2002:
Played and started in all 16 games of the season. Connected on 333-of-549 passes for 3,853 yards and 18 touchdowns. Also carried the ball 106 times for 609 yards and 10 touchdowns.
2001:
Made an immediate impact in his first year as a starter in 2001. He led the team to an 11-5 regular season and a berth in the NFC Championship game. That season, Culpepper completed 297-of-474 passes (62.7) for 3,937 yards and 33 touchdowns as he earned his first Pro Bowl selection.
2000:
Started in all 16 games played for the Vikings. Completed 297-of-474 passes for 3,937 yards and 33 touchdowns. Also rushed 89 times for 470 yards and seven touchdowns.
1999:
Selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round (11th overall) and saw action in one game.