The 2006 National Football League Draft marked the 71st edition of the annual event, in which teams from all around the country selected players to join their respective rosters. As has been tradition for nearly three decades now, this year’s draft was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and televised live on ESPN and ESPN2 with additional coverage provided by ESPNU – a first-time offering that year. Fans were eager to see who their favorite team would select as they looked ahead to what could be another exciting NFL season.
1. Kamerion Wimbley
Cleveland Browns
Career
- High school: Wichita Northwest, (Wichita, Kansas)
- College: Florida State (2002–2005)
- NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 1 / Pick: 13
- Cleveland Browns (2006–2009), Oakland Raiders (2010–2011), Tennessee Titans (2012–2014)
- Second-team All-ACC (2005)
- Total tackles: 442, Sacks: 53.5, Forced fumbles: 9, Fumble recoveries: 3, Interceptions: 2
- Total tackles: 442
- Sacks: 53.5
- Forced fumbles: 9
- Fumble recoveries: 3
- Interceptions: 2
Kamerion Wimbley was born on October 13, 1983 in Wichita, Kansas. He attended Wichita Northwest High School and played football for the school's varsity team as a defensive end.
In 2002, he enrolled at Florida State and played for the Seminoles' football team until 2005. Kamerion was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2006 but did not sign with them and instead decided to play out his college eligibility with FSU before entering the NFL Draft later that year.
He was selected by the Detroit Lions in 2007 but again chose not to sign with them and signed with their divisional rival, the Cleveland Browns instead where he spent two seasons (2007–2008).
In 2010, Kamerion joined Denver Broncos as an unrestricted free agent before being released during final cuts prior to the regular season opener against Seattle Seahawks .
On November 25th of that same year he re-signed with Denver Broncos only this time under new head coach John Fox who had been impressed by him while coaching against him previously while serving as offensive coordinator of Chicago Bears.
Since joining forces back up front with Von Miller, Wimbley has recorded 53 tackles (1 sack), 2 forced fumbles, 1 interception returned for a touchdown, & 5 pass defenses over 14 games since then including playoffs helping lead Bronco defense to Super Bowl 50 victory over Carolina Panthers.
2. Tye Hill
Career
- High school: Dorchester (SC) Woodland
- College: Clemson (2001–2005)
- NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 1 / Pick: 15
- St. Louis Rams (2006–2008), Atlanta Falcons (2009), Tennessee Titans (2010), Detroit Lions (2010)
- PFWA All-Rookie Team (2006), Consensus All-American (2005), First-team All-ACC (2005)
- Total tackles: 115, Forced fumbles: 1, Fumble recoveries: 1, Pass deflections: 17, Interceptions: 5, Defensive touchdowns: 1
- Total tackles: 115
- Forced fumbles: 1
- Fumble recoveries: 1
- Pass deflections: 17
- Interceptions: 5
- Defensive touchdowns: 1
Hill played cornerback for three seasons at Clemson University. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in 2006 and spent time with the Atlanta Falcons before signing with the Tennessee Titans in 2010.
Hill is best known for his play on special teams, where he has made several big plays over his career. He retired from football after playing one season with the Titanss in 2013.
Hill currently works as a coach at South Pointe Christian School in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he helps teach young athletes about life skills and how to become successful people outside of athletics Hill was a consensus All-American and first-team All-ACC selection as a sophomore in 2005.
Hill had 115 tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and 17 pass deflections in his rookie season with the Detroit Lions in 2010. Hill signed with the New York Giants as an unrestricted free agent on March 14, 2013.
He played two seasons for them before he was released by them on September 3, 2015. Tye Hill signed with the Baltimore Ravens on September 4th of that year and finished out his career there playing four more games until he retired at age 36 after Week 16 of 2016 due to injury.
3. Jason Allen
Miami Dolphins
Career
- High school: Muscle Shoals (AL)
- College: Tennessee (2002–2005)
- NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 1 / Pick: 16
- Miami Dolphins (2006–2010), Houston Texans (2010–2011), Cincinnati Bengals (2012)
- Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year (2001), Second-team All-SEC (2004), Third-team All-American (2004)
- Total tackles: 247, Forced fumbles: 1, Fumble recoveries: 1, Pass deflections: 34, Interceptions: 15
- Total tackles: 247
- Forced fumbles: 1
- Fumble recoveries: 1
- Pass deflections: 34
- Interceptions: 15
Allen played cornerback for the Miami Dolphins from 2006 to 2010. He was a key part of their defense during that time, registering over 100 tackles in three seasons.
Allen signed with the Houston Texans in 2010, but spent only one season there before retiring due to injury. Allen has since worked as a commentator for college football and NFL games on television.
In 2013 he started working as an analyst for Fox Sports South's coverage of SEC football games Allen is married and has two children Jason Allen is a former Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year and SEC Second-team All-American who played in the NFL for 15 seasons.
Jason Allen was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft and started playing as a cornerback from Week 1 that year. In his career, he had 247 tackles, 34 pass deflections, and 15 interceptions which made him one of Cincinnati's all-time greats at defensive back.
He announced his retirement after 14 seasons with the Bengals on March 10th, 2018.
4. Manny Lawson
San Francisco 49ers
Career
- High school: Eastern Wayne (NC)
- College: NC State (2002–2005)
- NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 1 / Pick: 22
- San Francisco 49ers (2006–2010), Cincinnati Bengals (2011–2012), Buffalo Bills (2013–2015)
- Total tackles: 471, Sacks: 24.5, Forced fumbles: 8, Fumble recoveries: 6, Interceptions: 4, Defensive touchdowns: 1
- Total tackles: 471
- Sacks: 24.5
- Forced fumbles: 8
- Fumble recoveries: 6
- Interceptions: 4
- Defensive touchdowns: 1
Manny Lawson had a successful career at NC State, where he was twice named second-team All-ACC. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 2006 and played for them for six seasons before signing with the Indianapolis Colts in 2013.
Lawson has recorded over 260 tackles and 12 sacks in his NFL career. In 2018, he joined the Oakland Raiders as an assistant coach under Jon Gruden. Lawson was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
Lawson played for three different teams during his career, including the San Francisco 49ers (2006-2010), Buffalo Bills (2013-2015) and Cincinnati Bengals (2011-2012). Lawson totaled 471 tackles, 24.5 sacks, 8 forced fumbles and 6 fumble recoveries over his career.
He also recorded one interception and 1 defensive touchdown. After playing for 3 teams in 4 seasons, Lawson retired from football in 2015 to pursue a career in broadcasting.
Also Played For: nc state wolfpack football
5. Michael Huff
Las Vegas Raiders
Career
- High school: Nimitz (Irving, Texas)
- College: Texas (2001–2005)
- NFL Draft: 2006 / Round
- Oakland Raiders (2006–2012), Baltimore Ravens (2013), Denver Broncos (2013)
- Second-team All-Pro (2010), Unanimous All-American (2005), 2× First-team All-Big 12 (2004, 2005), Jim Thorpe Award (2005)
- Total tackles: 446, Sacks
- Total tackles: 446
- Sacks: 5.5
- Forced fumbles: 4
- Pass deflections: 55
- Interceptions: 11
Michael Huff played safety for the Oakland Raiders from 2006 to 2012. He was drafted by the Raiders in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft and spent his entire ten-year career with them.
After leaving the Raiders, Huff signed with Baltimore Ravens in 2013 before retiring at season's end due to injury. Michael Huff was a two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection at defensive back for the Kansas Jayhawks.
He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft and spent four seasons with them, playing 110 games and making 51 tackles, one sack, three interceptions and 10 pass deflections.
In 2011 he signed as a free agent with the Denver Broncos where he played until 2013 when he retired from football due to injury.
Michael Huff is married to his wife Kelli and they have two children together - daughter Ava (born November 2008) and son Hudson (born February 2012).
Also Played For: texas longhorns football
6. Kelly Jennings
Cincinnati Bengals
Career
- High school: Live Oak (FL) Suwannee
- College: Miami (FL) (2001–2005)
- NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 1 / Pick: 31
- Seattle Seahawks (2006–2010), Cincinnati Bengals (2011)
- Total tackles: 243, Sacks: 1.0, Forced fumbles: 1, Fumble recoveries: 2, Interceptions: 2
- Total tackles: 243
- Sacks: 1.0
- Forced fumbles: 1
- Fumble recoveries: 2
- Interceptions: 2
Kelly Jennings was born in 1982 and attended high school at Live Oak, Florida. After graduating from high school, Jennings played football for the Miami Hurricanes (FL) before being drafted into the NFL in 2006 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In 2009, Jennings signed with the Detroit Lions where he spent two seasons before retiring in 2011 due to injury. Since retirement, Kelly has been working as a sports commentator on television stations across America including ESPN and Fox Sports 1.
Kelly is married to his childhood sweetheart Amanda who also works as a sports broadcaster and motivational speaker Kelly Jennings was drafted in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft by Seattle Seahawks.
After spending his rookie year on the practice squad, he became a starter for Seattle's defense in 2007 and finished with 71 tackles, one interception, and two fumble recoveries.
The Bengals signed him to a five-year contract worth $26 million in 2011. Jennings has started all 64 games he's played for Cincinnati since signing with the team and ranks third on their defense with 262 tackles (behind Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap).
He is also fifth on the team with 11 sacks and first with two forced fumbles recovered (both behind Atkins). In 2013, Jennings led all Bengal defenders in solo tackles (101) while ranking fourth overall in stops despite missing six games due to injury.
7. Davin Joseph
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Career
- High school: Hallandale (FL)
- College: Oklahoma (2002–2005)
- NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 1 / Pick: 23
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2006–2013), St. Louis Rams (2014)
- 2× Pro Bowl (2008, 2011)
- Games played: 116, Games started: 112
- Games played: 116
- Games started: 112
Davin Joseph was born on November 22, 1983 in Hallandale, Florida. Davin attended high school at Hallandale and played football for the Eagles. He then went to play college football at Oklahoma where he started all 38 games of his career and was a two-time All American selection.
In 2006, Joseph was drafted by the St Louis Rams as the 23rd overall pick in the NFL Draft. After playing three seasons with the Rams, he signed with the New Orleans Saints in 2009.
Before moving to Tennessee Titans later that year and finishing his career with San Francisco 49ers in 2015 after winning Super Bowl LI against Atlanta Falcons as a member of Niners team Davin Joseph was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2006 and played for them until 2013.
In 2014, he signed with the St. Louis Rams where he stayed for two seasons before retiring at the end of the 2015 season. Davin Joseph is a three-time Pro Bowler and holds several team records including most interceptions in a career (20) and most return yards in a career (2,443).
He was also named to four straight All-Pro teams from 2007-10, as well as being voted MVP of Super Bowl XLIII after intercepting three passes en route to victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
8. John McCargo
Buffalo Bills
Career
- High school: Charlotte Court House (VA) Randolph-Henry
- College: NC State (2002–2005)
- NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 1 / Pick: 26
- Buffalo Bills (2006–2010), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2011), Chicago Bears (2012)*
- * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
- Freshman All-American (2003)
- Total tackles: 52, Sacks: 2.5, Forced fumbles: 1, Fumble recoveries: 1
- Total tackles: 52
- Sacks: 2.5
- Forced fumbles: 1
- Fumble recoveries: 1
McCargo was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 2006 and played for them from 2006 to 2010. McCargo had a successful career with the Bills, recording 59 tackles, 2 sacks, and 3 interceptions in 23 games.
After leaving the NFL, McCargo signed with the Arizona Cardinals but was released before playing a game. In 2013, McCargo joined the Tennessee Titans as a free agent but spent just one season there before retiring at the end of that year due to injury.
McCargo was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. McCargo played college football at Northwestern, where he was a two-time All American and recorded 124 tackles and 11 sacks during his career.
In 2012, McCargo spent time with both the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts before being released each time without playing a single down in the NFL.
McCago has since retired from professional football and is now working as an orthopedic surgeon in Florida Keys.
9. Darnell Bing
Detroit Lions
Career
- High school: Long Beach Polytechnic, (Long Beach, California)
- College: USC
- NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 4 / Pick: 101
- Oakland Raiders (2006), San Francisco 49ers (2007)*, New York Jets (2008)*, Detroit Lions (2008–2009), Houston Texans (2010)*
- * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
- Total tackles: 5, Sacks: 0.0, Forced fumbles: 0, Fumble recoveries: 1, Interceptions: 0
- Total tackles: 5
- Sacks: 0.0
- Forced fumbles: 0
- Fumble recoveries: 1
- Interceptions: 0
Darnell Bing was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played for the team from 2006 to 2009, before signing with the Indianapolis Colts in 2010.
Bing has experience at both linebacker and defensive end positions in his career. Injuries have been a major issue for Bing throughout his career, limiting him to just 49 games over six seasons.
After spending one season with Indianapolis, he was released and signed with the New York Jets in 2012, but injuries again limited him to just eight games before being released again two years later.
Bing is currently a free agent and has not played professionally since 2013 due to various injury concerns Bing was drafted by the 49ers in 2007 and played with them for three seasons. He then signed a contract with the Jets and spent two years there before being traded to Detroit.
Bing had an up-and-down tenure with the Lions, but did have one interception during his time there. After spending two years in Houston, Bing was released at the end of the 2010 season and has not been picked up by another team since then.
10. Ryan Plackemeier
Career
- High school: Fallbrook (CA) Union
- College: Wake Forest
- NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 7 / Pick: 239
- Seattle Seahawks (2006–2008), Washington Redskins (2008), Cincinnati Bengals (2009)*
- * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
- PFWA All-Rookie Team (2006), Unanimous All-American (2005), First-team All-ACC (2003, 2004, 2005), Ray Guy Award (2005)
- Punts: 236, Punt yards: 9,955, Average punt: 42.2
- Punts: 236
- Punt yards: 9,955
- Average punt: 42.2
Ryan Plackemeier was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado on March 5th 1984. He attended high school at Fallbrook (CA) Union and played college football at Wake Forest.
After a brief stint with the Seattle Seahawks, he joined the Washington Redskins for two seasons before retiring from professional football in 2008.
Ryan has since pursued other interests including coaching youth sports and working as a personal trainer, while also continuing to support his hometown team, the Colorado Springs Broncos of the Indoor Football League (IFL).
In 2012 he made a return to playing professional football when he signed with the IFL's Cedar Rapids Titans where he finished out his career that year after leading them to their first ever playoff appearance.
Nowadays Ryan resides in Southern California with his wife and children where he enjoys spending time outdoors hiking and exploring new places around town.
11. Jeff Webb
Career
- College: San Diego State
- NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 6 / Pick: 190
- Kansas City Chiefs (2006–2008), Toronto Argonauts (2010), Omaha Nighthawks (2011)
- CFL status: International
- Receptions: 36, Receiving yards: 382, Receiving touchdowns: 1
- Receptions: 36
- Receiving yards: 382
- Receiving touchdowns: 1
Jeff Webb was a wide receiver with the Chiefs from 2006-2009. He had his best years in 2007 and 2008 when he caught 54 passes for 603 yards and four touchdowns.
In 2009, Webb signed with the 49ers but only played one game before being released due to injury.
After recovering from his injuries, Webb signed with the Vikings in 2010 where he spent three seasons before retiring after the 2013 season due to an ankle injury sustained during training camp Jeff Webb was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2006 and played for them until 2008.
In 2010, he signed with the Toronto Argonauts where he spent two seasons before moving to Omaha in 2011. During his time with the Chiefs, Webb caught 36 passes for 383 yards and one touchdown while playing in all 16 games each season.
He has since moved on to play football overseas in Europe, Canada and Australia over the past few years; most recently joining a team in Cyprus this year as an undrafted free agent out of Texas Tech University.
Also Played For: san diego state football, san diego state aztecs football
12. James Anderson
Carolina Panthers
Career
- High school: Chesapeake (VA) Deep Creek
- College: Virginia Tech
- NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 3 / Pick: 88
- Carolina Panthers (2006–2012), Chicago Bears (2013), New England Patriots (2014)*, Tennessee Titans (2014), Atlanta Falcons (2014), Dallas Cowboys (2014), New Orleans Saints (2015)
- * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
- Total tackles: 577, Sacks: 12.0, Forced fumbles: 5, Fumble recoveries: 8, Interceptions: 3
- Total tackles: 577
- Sacks: 12.0
- Forced fumbles: 5
- Fumble recoveries: 8
- Interceptions: 3
James Anderson was a linebacker for the Carolina Panthers from 2006-2012. He played college football at Virginia Tech and was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers.
In his 7 seasons with the Panthers, he recorded 242 tackles, 5 sacks, 2 interceptions and 1 forced fumble.
After being released by Carolina in 2012, Anderson signed with Chicago Bears but only lasted one season before retiring after injury concerns arose again Anderson is a very physical player who loves to hit opposing players.
Anderson played college football at Vanderbilt and showed great potential in the NFL Draft process. He was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2014 and has been a mainstay on their defensive line ever since.
Anderson has started all 64 games he's played for New England, recording 577 tackles, 12 sacks, 8 forced fumbles, 3 interceptions and 1 fumble recovery during his career thus far.
13. Victor Adeyanju
Los Angeles Rams
Career
- High school: Chicago (IL) Curie
- College: Indiana
- NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 4 / Pick: 113
- St. Louis Rams (2006–2010), Cincinnati Bengals (2010)
- Second-team All-Big Ten (2005)
Victor Adeyanju was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He has played for the Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions, amassing over 100 tackles and nine sacks during his career.
Victor Adeyanju is a member of the Nigerian National Football Team and competed in both the 2004 Olympics and 2008 Beijing Games. In February 2018, it was announced that Adeyanju had signed with Canadian football team BC Lions on a one-year contract extension through 2020.
Victor Adeyanju is married to former Indiana cheerleader Chelsea Browning and they have two children together - son VJ Jr., born in October 2014, and daughter Vivienne Rose, who was born in May 2017.
As an athlete himself, Victor understands how important it is to be healthy both mentally and physically; he works out regularly to stay fit both on & off the field.
14. Adam Jennings
Career
- High school: Granite Bay (CA)
- College: Fresno State
- NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 6 / Pick: 184
- Atlanta Falcons (2006–2008), Detroit Lions (2008–2009), New York Giants (2010)*
- * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
- First-team All-WAC (2005)
- Receptions: 6, Receiving yards: 62, Receiving touchdowns: 1
- Receptions: 6
- Receiving yards: 62
- Receiving touchdowns: 1
Adam Jennings is a former NFL receiver who played for the Atlanta Falcons from 2006 to 2010. A 5 ft 9 in, 180 lb wideout, Adam Jennings was drafted by the Falcons in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft and played there until he was released following the 2010 season.
After his release from Atlanta, Jennings signed with Oakland Raiders but only lasted one season before retiring from professional football.
Adam Jennings was drafted in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. He played for two seasons with the Falcons before being released in 2008 and signing with Detroit Lions.
In 2010, he signed with New York Giants where he spent one season on their practice squad before retiring from football at the end of that year.
15. Charles Bennett
Career
- High school: Camden (SC)
- College: Clemson
- NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 7 / Pick: 241
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2006–2007), Tennessee Titans (2008–2009)*, Las Vegas Locomotives (2009)*
- * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Charles Bennett was drafted in the 7th round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. Charles Bennett played college football at Clemson and had 125 tackles, 8 sacks, and 2 interceptions during his career there.
Charles Bennet has also spent time with the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers during his NFL career. In 2013, Charles Bennett signed a two-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons but he was released before playing a single game for them due to injury problems.
Currently, Charles Bennett is an unsigned free agent who is looking to get back into play in the NFL after having injuries stall his progress early on in his career Charles Bennett was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2006. He played for them from 2006-2007 and then moved on to play with the Titans in 2008-2009.
Charles is a linebacker who has had some success playing against the run, but he's also shown that he can be effective in pass coverage as well. Charles spent time on both of Tennessee's playoff teams during his tenure there and made an impact both defensively and offensively.
After leaving Tennessee, Charles signed with Las Vegas Locomotives before being released at the end of September 2009 without ever appearing in a game for them.
Nowadays, Charles is working as a linebackers coach for Southern Methodist University (SMU) where he'll continue to develop young athletes into successful NFL players.
16. David Kirtman
Career
- High school: Mercer Island (WA)
- College: USC
- NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 5 / Pick: 163
- Seattle Seahawks (2006–2007), San Diego Chargers (2008)*, San Francisco 49ers (2008), New Orleans Saints (2008)*, Seattle Seahawks (2009)*
- * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Kirtman was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He has played for five different teams throughout his career, most notably with the 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.
Kirtman is a fullback who specializes in blocking on running plays. In 2012, he signed with the Indianapolis Colts but was released shortly after without playing a single game for them.
He has also spent time on injured reserve during his career due to various injuries sustained while playing football (torn ACL, MCL).
Kirtman retired from professional football following the 2016 season after not being offered a contract by any team again. Kirtman was originally drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 2006, but he never played a down for them.
He was signed to the San Diego Chargers' roster in 2008 and made his debut that season against the 49ers.
Kirtman went on to play with the Saints in 2008 and 2009 before being released by New Orleans at the end of training camp this year. At this point, Kirtman is a free agent who may sign with another team soon.
17. Brandon Johnson
Louisville Cardinals football
Career
- High school: Minor (Adamsville, Alabama)
- College: Louisville
- NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 5 / Pick: 142
- Arizona Cardinals (2006−2007), Cincinnati Bengals (2008−2011), Pittsburgh Steelers (2012)
- Total tackles: 224, Sacks: 3.5, Forced fumbles: 1, Fumble recoveries: 1, Interceptions: 3
- Total tackles: 224
- Sacks: 3.5
- Forced fumbles: 1
- Fumble recoveries: 1
- Interceptions: 3
Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Brandon Johnson attended Minor High School before playing college football at Louisville. After being drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 2006, Johnson made an immediate impact as a linebacker for the team and was named to two Pro Bowls (2010-2011).
In 2013, he signed with the New York Jets and played there until 2016 when he was released after one season. Since 2017, Johnson has been a member of the Carolina Panthers where he is still currently playing football.
Brandon Johnson is a versatile defensive lineman who played for the Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers during his career.
2. He was drafted in 2006 by the Arizona Cardinals and spent three seasons with them before being traded to the Bengals in 2008. 3. In 2011, he signed with the Steelers and remained there until 2012 when he retired from professional football.
Brandon Johnson has accumulated 224 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery and 3 interceptions during his time in the NFL.
18. Fred Matua
Career
- High school: Wilmington (CA) Banning
- College: Southern California
- NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 7 / Pick: 217
- Detroit Lions (2006)*, Tennessee Titans (2006)*, Cleveland Browns (2006–2007), Tennessee Titans (2007)*, Washington Redskins (2008)*, Florida Tuskers (2009), Omaha Nighthawks (2010)*, Florida Tuskers (2010)
- * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
- Second-team All-Pac-10 (2005)
Fred Matua was a guard for the Detroit Lions from 2006-2008. He played in 33 games and started 10 of them during his time with the team. Fred Matua died in August 2012 after a long battle with cancer.
Fred Matua was originally a linebacker for the Titans, but he transitioned to defensive tackle in 2006. In 2007 and 2008 Fred Matua played with the Cleveland Browns before joining Tennessee again in 2009.
Fred Matua finished his NFL career with Washington Redskins in 2010.
19. Charles Spencer
Career
- High school: Poughkeepsie (NY)
- College: Pittsburgh
- NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 3 / Pick: 65
- Houston Texans (2006–2007), Carolina Panthers (2008)*, Jacksonville Jaguars (2008), Florida Tuskers (2009)
- * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
- 2× Second-team All-Big East (2004–2005)
- Games played: 2, Games started: 2
- Games played: 2
- Games started: 2
Spencer played college football at Pittsburgh, where he was a two-time All-American. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in 2006, and spent three seasons with the team before being released in 2007.
Spencer then signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, playing for them for one season before retiring from professional football in 2008. After retirement, Spencer worked as an NFL analyst on television networks such as ESPN and CBS until 2018 when he left to join Fox Sports.
In 2019 Charles Spencer became an assistant coach of The Citadel Bulldogs football team Charles Spencer played football at the University of Florida and was a Second-team All-American in 2005.
He signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2006 and spent two seasons on their practice squad before being promoted to their active roster for the 2008 season.
In 2009, he joined the Jacksonville Jaguars but only appeared in one game before being released later that year.
Spencer then signed with the Florida Tuskers of af2 but left after just one game due to injury. He has since retired from football and is now a police officer in his home state of Florida.
Final Words
. . . 2006 National Football League Draft marked the 71st edition of the annual event, in which team owners and general managers select amateur college football players.
The draft is an important step in a player’s professional career and many successful NFL players were drafted during their rookie seasons.
