Bubba Franks
Encyclopedia
Daniel Lamont "Bubba" Franks (born January 6, 1978 in Riverside, California
) is an American football
tight end
who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers
14th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at the University of Miami
.
and was an all state tight end there.
, where he was known for his extraordinary one-handed receptions. He redshirted in 1996, but was very productive in the 1997, 1998 and 1999 seasons, setting the University of Miami record for most touchdowns by a tight end, with 12. He was also named to the All-Big East team twice and was named as an All-American in 1999.
Franks waived his final year of eligibility to enter the 2000 NFL Draft
and was selected in the first round, with the 14th overall selection, by the Green Bay Packers
.
season, he reached the Pro Bowl
his second NFL year, during which he caught nine touchdown
passes. Franks went to three Pro Bowls altogether (2001, 2002, and 2003). He missed much of the 2005 season with knee and neck injuries.
On February 20, 2008, Franks was released by the Packers after an unproductive and injury plagued 2007 season in which he was demoted to second string TE behind Donald Lee
.
on a one year deal. Franks was released on July 13, 2009.
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
) is an American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
14th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft
2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
.
Early years
Bubba attended Big Spring High School in Big Spring, TexasBig Spring, Texas
Big Spring is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Texas, United States, at the crossroads of U.S. Highway 87 and Interstate 20. With a population of 25,233 at the 2000 census, it is the largest city between Midland to the west, Abilene to the east, Lubbock to the north, and San Angelo...
and was an all state tight end there.
College career
Franks played collegiate football at the University of MiamiUniversity of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
, where he was known for his extraordinary one-handed receptions. He redshirted in 1996, but was very productive in the 1997, 1998 and 1999 seasons, setting the University of Miami record for most touchdowns by a tight end, with 12. He was also named to the All-Big East team twice and was named as an All-American in 1999.
Franks waived his final year of eligibility to enter the 2000 NFL Draft
2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
and was selected in the first round, with the 14th overall selection, by the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
.
Awards and honors
- Second-team All-Big EastBig East ConferenceThe Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
(1997) - Sporting News Freshman All-AmericaAll-AmericaAn All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n (1997) - First-team All-Big East (1998–1999)
- All-American (1999)
Green Bay Packers
After a promising but unspectacular rookieRookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
season, he reached the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
his second NFL year, during which he caught nine touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
passes. Franks went to three Pro Bowls altogether (2001, 2002, and 2003). He missed much of the 2005 season with knee and neck injuries.
On February 20, 2008, Franks was released by the Packers after an unproductive and injury plagued 2007 season in which he was demoted to second string TE behind Donald Lee
Donald Lee (football player)
Donald Tywon Lee is an American football tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He played college football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs before he was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 2003 NFL Draft and spent two seasons with the team...
.
New York Jets
On March 16, 2008 Franks agreed to terms with the New York JetsNew York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on a one year deal. Franks was released on July 13, 2009.