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Chris Wells (American football)
Encyclopedia
Chris "Beanie" Michael Wells (born August 7, 1988 in Akron, Ohio
) is an American football
running back
for the Arizona Cardinals
of the National Football League
. He was selected in the first round (31st overall pick) of the 2009 NFL Draft
out of The Ohio State University
.
. His high school running back coach Ben Dunn said that Beanie was one of the most explosive play-makers he had seen in his 28 years at the school. He was often considered the best recruit out of Ohio
. Wells played at Akron Garfield High
from 2002 to 2005, graduating early in December. He was listed as the top running back and All-American by Parade in 2006..
and USC, but Wells always knew he was going to play at Ohio State
, saying "I think I came out of my mom’s womb wanting to go to Ohio State."
but still had a solid freshman year, and was a big part of the 2006 Buckeyes
. The highlight of his freshman year came in the Ohio State-Michigan game where he broke a 52 yard run for a TD that put the Buckeyes up for the rest of the game.
Wells' Freshman Stats
going into the NFL Draft
, Wells became the starting running back
and started every game in his sophomore year for Ohio State
. Wells rushed for 222 yards in the annual rivalry game
against Michigan
, more than any other Ohio State running back against Michigan.
His stats for this season are as follows
. He competed for the starting running back
job with Tim Hightower
.
On August 1, 2009, Wells was signed to a 5 year contract. Later that same day, he was carted off from practice with an ankle injury.
On August 28, 2009, Wells made his professional debut with the Arizona Cardinals in a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers
. He ended the night with 7 carries for a total of 46 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a 20-yard score in the second quarter.
On October 25, 2009, in the second quarter against the New York Giants
, Wells ran 13 yards for his first NFL touchdown. In that game against New York, Wells ran for 67 yards on 14 attempts.
On December 20, 2009, Wells ran for his first career 100-yard game against the Detroit Lions
. In that game, he had 17 carries for 110 yards and a touchdown.
On January 16, 2010, Wells scored his first postseason touchdown, a 4-yard rush against the New Orleans Saints
. He ended the season with 793 yards rushing, second-best among rookies after Knowshon Moreno
. He also caught 12 passes for an 11.9 yard average.
For the upcoming 2011-2012 NFL season the Arizona Cardinals
and coach Ken Whisenhunt
are placing a heavy emphasis on the ground-attack led by Beanie "Monster-Mash" Wells. Beanie has looked crisp and powerful all pre-season and is primed to join the ranks of elite running-back's in the NFL. Early projections have him in the top-5 in rushing touchdowns by years end. The moniker "Monster-Mash" was first coined by local Akron
suburb sports writer Rowley MaCastro. The ground-swell of support from this community as well as the entire state of Ohio
being as Wells was an Ohio State alum, will only help propel this young star to rise like a phoenix out of the desert and into Pro Bowl
status.
On November 27, 2011, Wells set a Cardinals single-game and personal record by rushing for 228 yards against the St. Louis Rams
. Wells' performance eclipsed the team record previously held by LeShon Johnson
, who rushed for 214 yards against the New Orleans Saints
in 1996.
and is one of eleven children. His parents are James and Paulette Wells. The nickname Beanie was given to him by his family at a young age and he has said, "when I was young, my big brother said I was skinny like a bean pole."
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
) 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...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was selected in the first round (31st overall pick) of the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
out of The Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
.
High school career
Wells was a highly touted player out of high school, where he played at Akron Garfield High SchoolGarfield High School (Akron, Ohio)
Garfield High School is a public high school located off of N. Firestone Blvd. in Akron, Ohio. It is 1 of 7 high schools in the Akron Public Schools district.-History:...
. His high school running back coach Ben Dunn said that Beanie was one of the most explosive play-makers he had seen in his 28 years at the school. He was often considered the best recruit out of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. Wells played at Akron Garfield High
Garfield High School (Akron, Ohio)
Garfield High School is a public high school located off of N. Firestone Blvd. in Akron, Ohio. It is 1 of 7 high schools in the Akron Public Schools district.-History:...
from 2002 to 2005, graduating early in December. He was listed as the top running back and All-American by Parade in 2006..
| Year | Attempts | Yards | Average | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshman | 43 | 573 | 13.6 | 7 |
| Sophomore | 90 | 900 | 10.0 | 15 |
| Junior | 212 | 1,939 | 9.1 | 20 |
| Senior | 223 | 2,134 | 9.6 | 27 |
College recruiting
Wells was offered to play at schools such as MichiganMichigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
and USC, but Wells always knew he was going to play at Ohio State
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, saying "I think I came out of my mom’s womb wanting to go to Ohio State."
Freshman year
During Wells' freshman year, he shared carries with Antonio PittmanAntonio Pittman
Antonio Pittman is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Ohio State....
but still had a solid freshman year, and was a big part of the 2006 Buckeyes
2006 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2006 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was an American football team representing the Ohio State University in the college football season of 2006-2007. The team's head coach was Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes played their home games in Ohio Stadium...
. The highlight of his freshman year came in the Ohio State-Michigan game where he broke a 52 yard run for a TD that put the Buckeyes up for the rest of the game.
Wells' Freshman Stats
| Stat | Number | Yards | Average | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rushing | 104 | 576 | 5.5 | 7 |
| Receiving | 2 | 16 | 8.0 | 0 |
Sophomore year
With Antonio PittmanAntonio Pittman
Antonio Pittman is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Ohio State....
going into the NFL Draft
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
, Wells became the starting running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
and started every game in his sophomore year for Ohio State
2007 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2007 Ohio State Buckeyes football team competed in football on behalf of the Ohio State University during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Buckeyes were coached by Jim Tressel and played their home games in Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio...
. Wells rushed for 222 yards in the annual rivalry game
Michigan-Ohio State rivalry
The Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry, also known as The Game, is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Wolverines of the University of Michigan and the Buckeyes of The Ohio State University...
against Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, more than any other Ohio State running back against Michigan.
His stats for this season are as follows
| Stat | Number | Yards | Average | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rushing | 274 | 1609 | 5.9 | 15 |
| Receiving | 5 | 21 | 4.2 | 0 |
Junior year
Wells rushed 13 carries for 111 yards and a touchdown in his first game against the Youngstown State Penguins on August 30, 2008. He also suffered a foot injury. After missing three games, he returned to the starting lineup September 27, 2008 against Minnesota, where he rushed for 105 yards on 14 carries. He then followed that performance up with a 22 carry, 168 yard effort against Wisconsin, which included a 33-yard touchdown on the game's first possession and a 54-yard run to start the second half. In the November 15 game against Illinois, Wells leaped over an Illini defender, images of which were re-broadcast widely. He entered the NFL Draft, and was drafted 31st overall by the Arizona Cardinals.| Stat | Number | Yards | Average | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rushing | 207 | 1197 | 5.8 | 8 |
| Receiving | 7 | 26 | 3.7 | 0 |
Awards and honors
- 2006 ParadeParade (magazine)Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
All-American - 2006 U.S. Army All-American Bowl MVPU.S. Army All-American BowlThe U.S. Army All-American Bowl is a high school football all-star game held in early January in San Antonio, Texas. Currently played in the Alamodome, the game brings 90 of the nation's top high school football players in an East versus West matchup. In addition to the Bowl game, there is the U.S...
- 2007 All-Big Ten first team
- 2007 Rivals.comRivals.comRivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
Second team All-American - 2008 team MVP
- 31st overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2009 NFL draft.
2009 NFL Draft
Arizona Cardinals
Wells was drafted 31st overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2009 NFL Draft2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
. He competed for the starting running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
job with Tim Hightower
Tim Hightower
-Arizona Cardinals:Hightower scored 10 touchdowns during his rookie season, and another 3 in the post season while averaging a meager 2.8 yards per carry. He would rush for a total amount of 399 yards in 2008. Hightower would then become the only Cardinal rookie running back ever to have scored a...
.
On August 1, 2009, Wells was signed to a 5 year contract. Later that same day, he was carted off from practice with an ankle injury.
On August 28, 2009, Wells made his professional debut with the Arizona Cardinals in a preseason game against 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...
. He ended the night with 7 carries for a total of 46 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a 20-yard score in the second quarter.
On October 25, 2009, in the second quarter against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Wells ran 13 yards for his first NFL touchdown. In that game against New York, Wells ran for 67 yards on 14 attempts.
On December 20, 2009, Wells ran for his first career 100-yard game against the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. In that game, he had 17 carries for 110 yards and a touchdown.
On January 16, 2010, Wells scored his first postseason touchdown, a 4-yard rush against the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
. He ended the season with 793 yards rushing, second-best among rookies after Knowshon Moreno
Knowshon Moreno
Knowshon Rockwell Moreno is an American football running back for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was selected 12th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Broncos. He played college football at the University of Georgia.-Early years:Moreno grew up in Belford, a neighborhood in...
. He also caught 12 passes for an 11.9 yard average.
For the upcoming 2011-2012 NFL season the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and coach Ken Whisenhunt
Ken Whisenhunt
Kenneth "Ken" Moore Whisenhunt is the current head coach of the Arizona Cardinals NFL football team, leading them to the first Super Bowl in franchise history during the 2008 season...
are placing a heavy emphasis on the ground-attack led by Beanie "Monster-Mash" Wells. Beanie has looked crisp and powerful all pre-season and is primed to join the ranks of elite running-back's in the NFL. Early projections have him in the top-5 in rushing touchdowns by years end. The moniker "Monster-Mash" was first coined by local Akron
Akron
-Settlements:Canada* Akron, OntarioSouth Africa* Akron, South AfricaUnited States* Akron, Alabama* Akron, Colorado* Akron, Indiana* Akron, Iowa* Akron, Michigan* Akron, New York* Akron, Pennsylvania* Akron, West Virginia* Akron Township, Illinois...
suburb sports writer Rowley MaCastro. The ground-swell of support from this community as well as the entire state of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
being as Wells was an Ohio State alum, will only help propel this young star to rise like a phoenix out of the desert and into 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...
status.
On November 27, 2011, Wells set a Cardinals single-game and personal record by rushing for 228 yards against the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
. Wells' performance eclipsed the team record previously held by LeShon Johnson
LeShon Johnson
LeShon Eugene Johnson is a former American football player who was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 1994 NFL Draft....
, who rushed for 214 yards against the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
in 1996.
Personal
Wells was born August 7, 1988 in Akron, OhioAkron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
and is one of eleven children. His parents are James and Paulette Wells. The nickname Beanie was given to him by his family at a young age and he has said, "when I was young, my big brother said I was skinny like a bean pole."