Selected by Oakland Raiders as second of two sixth-round selections (202nd overall) in 2009 NFL Draft, April 22, 2009…Signed first contract, July 30, 2009.
Selected by Oakland Raiders as second of two sixth-round selections (202nd overall) in 2009 NFL Draft, April 22, 2009…Signed first contract, July 30, 2009.
CAREER: Versatile tight end, is a solid contributor on offense and special teams…Has played in 42 career games with 12 starts, totaling 32 receptions for 250 yards…Has blocked one punt with one forced fumble and one fumble recovery on special teams.
2011: Saw action in all 16 games with seven starts…Posted career highs with 16 receptions and 151 yards…Had three receptions of 20 or more yards…Also totaled five special-teams tackles…(9/12) at DEN: Started at TE on Monday Night Football…(11/6) vs. DEN: Had an 11-yard reception from Carson Palmer that set up a second-quarter touchdown…(11/20) at MIN: Had a 21-yard reception from Palmer on a second-and-21 play to sustain a TD drive in the second quarter…(11/27) vs. CHI: Posted a career-long 24-yard reception, connecting with Palmer on a first-quarter pass that set up a FG…(12/4) at MIA: Tied a career high with three receptions, for 33 yards…Had a 20-yard reception from Palmer during a fourth-quarter touchdown drive…Posted his third straight game with a reception of at least 20 yards.
2010: Played in 15 games with three starts at TE…Had 12 receptions for 80 yards…Added two tackles on special teams…(10/10) vs. SD: Blocked a first-quarter punt from the San Diego 21-yard line; teammate Hiram Eugene returned the loose ball 5 yards for a touchdown…Added a 12-yard catch from Jason Campbell on a fourth-and-1 play that sustained a touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, giving Oakland a 28-27 lead…(11/7) vs. KC: Established a career high with three receptions, for 20 yards…Had catches on back-to-back plays on game-tying FG drive in fourth quarter, allowing Oakland to extend the game into overtime in 23-20 win…(11/21) at PIT: Matched a career best with three receptions, for 28 yards.
2009: Saw action in 11 games with two starts…Totaled four receptions for 19 yards…Had six tackles, one forced fumble and one recovery on special teams…Inactive for first four games…(10/11) at NYG: Made NFL debut, playing on special teams…(11/1) at SD: Made first career start at TE…Recorded first two career reception, including initial NFL catch on a 4-yard pass from JaMarcus Russell in the first quarter…Also had a 3-yard reception on a fourth-quarter FG drive…(11/22) vs. CIN: Forced and recovered a fumble on a fourth-quarter kickoff, with 27 seconds remaining in regulation; play set up Sebastian Janikowski’s game-winning 33-yard field goal…(12/20) at DEN: Made second career start at TE.
COLLEGE: Played four years at Iowa…Totaled 56 receptions for 665 yards and nine touchdowns…Averaged 11.9 yards per catch…Named first-team All-Big Ten by conference coaches as a senior, when he ranked third on the team in receptions (34) and yards (441), and tied for Hawkeyes lead with four touchdown receptions …Led Iowa receivers with four catches for 49 yards vs. South Carolina in the Outback Bowl…As a junior, had 21 receptions for 208 yards and a career-high five touchdowns…Saw action in three games as a sophomore…As a freshman, had one reception for 16 yards…Health and sport studies major.
PERSONAL: Attended Prairie City-Monroe High School in Prairie City, Iowa…A Class 2A first-team all-state selection (Des Moines Register)…Ended prep career holding nine Prairie City-Monroe records, including receptions in a season (33) and career (82); touchdowns in a game (five), season (19) and career (29); points in a game (30), season (116) and career (186); and rushing touchdowns in a game (five)…Recorded 992 career rushing yards and 1,237 career receiving yards…Averaged 10.6 yards per carry as a senior while rushing for 932 yards and 15 touchdowns…Member of prep basketball team that posted a 27-0 record during his senior year, winning Class 2A state championship…On hardwood as a senior, named first-team Class 2A all-state (Des Moines Register), helping team advance to state basketball tournament in four consecutive seasons.
