Eric Wicks
Encyclopedia
Eric Wicks is an American football
safety who is currently a free agent
. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks
as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football
at West Virginia
.
at Perry Academy
. Wicks earned player of the year honors as a senior
and earned first-team and all-state honors. As well as totaling 643 yards on 22 reception
s for 16 touchdown
s. In his career, Wicks totaled four punt returns for scores and 22 interceptions.
in 2003. Wicks played backup spur safety in 2004 as a redshirt freshman
. Wicks recorded 14 tackles
for the season and a 34-yard interception returned for a touchdown against Virginia Tech
. Wicks also earned three tackles in the win against Temple University
.
As a redshirt sophomore in 2005, Wicks played backup to all-conference safeties Mike Lorello and Jahmile Addae. Even though playing backup, Wicks earned second-team all-Big East honors. Wicks totaled 61 tackles for the year and scored West Virginia's first score of the year: a 31-yard interception return against Syracuse University
, also totaled four tackles and a sack
against the Orange. Wicks forced a Wofford
fumble and an eight-yard sack. Wicks forced a Maryland
fumble
, seven tackles against East Carolina University
, eight tackles against Virginia Tech, and nine tackles against Louisville
. Wicks also won the game for West Virginia against Louisville, by tackling Louisville quarterback
Brian Brohm
on the two-point conversion
in the 3rd overtime
. Wicks was the leading tackler against Cincinnati
and forced a fumble. Wicks ended the regular season with a key 4th quarter interception against the South Florida Bulls
. Wicks recorded three tackles and recovered a fumble against the Georgia Bulldogs
in the Sugar Bowl
win. Wicks earned the Coaches Contribution Award, Defensive MVP against Syracuse and Cincinnati, and Big East honor roll against Syracuse.
At the beginning of the 2006 season, Eric Wicks and fellow-Mountaineer (as well as fellow Pittsburgh Metro player) Kevin "Boo" McLee made the Bronko Nagurski Trophy
watch list. Although neither Wicks nor McLee won the award, both had stellar years. Wicks totaled 67 tackles and a team second-best three interceptions, to Quinton Andrews
' four. Wicks' interceptions came to Eastern Washington
, Mississippi State
, and USF. Eric Wicks' interception against Mississippi State came in the endzone to save a touchdown. Against ECU, Wicks led the team with eight tackles, then eight tackles against Syracuse. In the Gator Bowl
against Georgia Tech
, Wicks recorded 5 tackles. Wicks was also named to the first-team all-Big East squad at the end of the season.
In the preseason of 2007, Wicks was selected as the #7 safety in the nation by Lindy's
, was a second-team All-American selection, and was a preseason first-team all-Big East selection. He was also selected on the Jim Thorpe Award
watchlist and Lott Trophy
watchlist for defensive backs and defensive players, respectively. Against Marshall
in the in-state rivalry game, Wicks recorded eight tackles as the Mountaineers won 48-23. In the third game of the season against Maryland
, Wicks has two interceptions in the first half of the ballgame. Against ECU in the next game, Wicks recorded six tackles and a sack in the 48-7 win. In the 21-13 loss to USF, Wicks had five tackles, a pass deflection, and a fumble recovery. Against Mississippi State, Wicks had four tackles and a sack. In the Mountaineers' dramatic 38-31 win over Louisville, Wicks had possibly the greatest game of his career. He had a fumble recovery after John Holmes hit quarterback Brian Brohm, knocking the ball loose, that he took 44 yards for a touchdown. Then in the fourth quarter, Wicks had a diving interception that was key in the final six minutes of the game. Wicks' performance in the Louisville win earned his Big East Defensive Player of the Week honors. In the 66-21 victory over #20 Connecticut
to clinch the Big East title, Wicks recorded 4 tackles and two pass deflections. At the end of the regular season, Wicks earned the team's Coaches Contribution Award. In Wick's final collegiate game, the 48-28 victory over Oklahoma
in the Fiesta Bowl
, Wicks had two tackles and two pass deflections. Wicks totaled 45 tackles on the season and three interceptions, and also a fumble return for a touchdown.
Eric Wicks finished his collegiate career with 187 career tackles and 9 interceptions.
. He was not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, though he did work out at the university's Pro Day on March 13, 2008. Wicks went undrafted in the NFL Draft, becoming an undrafted free agent.
(* represents NFL Combine
)
after being undrafted in the 2008 NFL Draft
. He was placed on injured reserve
on August 14 and released with an injury settlement four days later.
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...
safety 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 signed by the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
as an undrafted free agent in 2008. 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 West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
.
Early years
Wicks played high school footballHigh school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
at Perry Academy
Perry Traditional Academy
Perry Traditional Academy is a high school in the northern neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Perry is one of ten high schools in the Pittsburgh Public Schools.-Statistics:...
. Wicks earned player of the year honors as a senior
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
and earned first-team and all-state honors. As well as totaling 643 yards on 22 reception
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
s for 16 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:...
s. In his career, Wicks totaled four punt returns for scores and 22 interceptions.
College career
Wicks enrolled at West Virginia UniversityWest Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
in 2003. Wicks played backup spur safety in 2004 as a redshirt freshman
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
. Wicks recorded 14 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
for the season and a 34-yard interception returned for a touchdown against Virginia Tech
2004 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2004 Virginia Tech Hokies football team won the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship in its inaugural year in the conference, running off a streak of eight straight wins to end the regular season after a 2-2 start. Tech finished 10th in the final Associated Press poll with a 10-3 record...
. Wicks also earned three tackles in the win against Temple University
Temple Owls football
The Temple Owls football team participates in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference...
.
As a redshirt sophomore in 2005, Wicks played backup to all-conference safeties Mike Lorello and Jahmile Addae. Even though playing backup, Wicks earned second-team all-Big East honors. Wicks totaled 61 tackles for the year and scored West Virginia's first score of the year: a 31-yard interception return against Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, also totaled four tackles and a sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
against the Orange. Wicks forced a Wofford
Wofford College
Established in 1854 and related to the United Methodist Church, Wofford College is an independent, Phi Beta Kappa liberal arts college of 1,525 students located in downtown Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States. The historic campus is recognized as a national arboretum and features “The...
fumble and an eight-yard sack. Wicks forced a Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
, seven tackles against East Carolina University
East Carolina University
East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...
, eight tackles against Virginia Tech, and nine tackles against Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
. Wicks also won the game for West Virginia against Louisville, by tackling Louisville quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Brian Brohm
Brian Brohm
Brian Joseph Brohm is an American football quarterback for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
on the two-point conversion
Two-point conversion
In American and Canadian football, a two-point conversion is a play a team attempts instead of kicking a one-point convert immediately after it scores a touchdown...
in the 3rd overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
. Wicks was the leading tackler against Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
and forced a fumble. Wicks ended the regular season with a key 4th quarter interception against the South Florida Bulls
South Florida Bulls football
The South Florida Bulls are a Division I FBS college football program that plays its home games in Tampa, Florida. The team began playing in 1997, holding its first team meeting under a shade tree as the school had no proper football facilities on campus...
. Wicks recorded three tackles and recovered a fumble against the Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia Bulldogs
The Georgia Bulldogs are the athletic teams of the University of Georgia. The Bulldogs compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and are members of the Southeastern Conference...
in the Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
win. Wicks earned the Coaches Contribution Award, Defensive MVP against Syracuse and Cincinnati, and Big East honor roll against Syracuse.
At the beginning of the 2006 season, Eric Wicks and fellow-Mountaineer (as well as fellow Pittsburgh Metro player) Kevin "Boo" McLee made the Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been awarded annually since 1993 to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the membership of the Football Writers Association of America to be the best defensively in the National Collegiate Athletic Association; the award is presented by the Charlotte...
watch list. Although neither Wicks nor McLee won the award, both had stellar years. Wicks totaled 67 tackles and a team second-best three interceptions, to Quinton Andrews
Quinton Andrews
Quinton Andrews is an American football redshirt senior safety for North Alabama. Andrews played the prior three years of his career at West Virginia.-Early life:...
' four. Wicks' interceptions came to Eastern Washington
Eastern Washington University
Eastern Washington University is an American public, coeducational university located in Cheney, Washington.Founded in 1882, the university is academically divided into four colleges: Arts and Letters; Business and Public Administration; Science, Health and Engineering; and Social & Behavioral...
, Mississippi State
Mississippi State Bulldogs football
The Mississippi State Bulldogs football program represents Mississippi State University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing as a member of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State has produced 38 All-Americans, 171 All-SEC selections, and 124...
, and USF. Eric Wicks' interception against Mississippi State came in the endzone to save a touchdown. Against ECU, Wicks led the team with eight tackles, then eight tackles against Syracuse. In the Gator Bowl
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
against Georgia Tech
2006 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2006 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the college football season of 2006-2007. The team's coach is former Dallas Cowboys, Samford Bulldogs, and Troy Trojans coach Chan Gailey...
, Wicks recorded 5 tackles. Wicks was also named to the first-team all-Big East squad at the end of the season.
In the preseason of 2007, Wicks was selected as the #7 safety in the nation by Lindy's
Lindy's
Lindy's is a deli and restaurant with two locations in New York City, at 825 7th Avenue and 401 7th Avenue . Lindy's is best known for its original incarnation which opened in 1921 on Broadway...
, was a second-team All-American selection, and was a preseason first-team all-Big East selection. He was also selected on the Jim Thorpe Award
Jim Thorpe Award
The Jim Thorpe Award, named in memory of multi-sport legend Jim Thorpe, has been awarded to the top defensive back in college football since 1986...
watchlist and Lott Trophy
Lott Trophy
The Lott IMPACT Trophy is presented annually to the college football Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. IMPACT is an acronym for: integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community, and tenacity. The award purports to equally recognize the personal character of the winning player as well as...
watchlist for defensive backs and defensive players, respectively. Against Marshall
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
in the in-state rivalry game, Wicks recorded eight tackles as the Mountaineers won 48-23. In the third game of the season against Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, Wicks has two interceptions in the first half of the ballgame. Against ECU in the next game, Wicks recorded six tackles and a sack in the 48-7 win. In the 21-13 loss to USF, Wicks had five tackles, a pass deflection, and a fumble recovery. Against Mississippi State, Wicks had four tackles and a sack. In the Mountaineers' dramatic 38-31 win over Louisville, Wicks had possibly the greatest game of his career. He had a fumble recovery after John Holmes hit quarterback Brian Brohm, knocking the ball loose, that he took 44 yards for a touchdown. Then in the fourth quarter, Wicks had a diving interception that was key in the final six minutes of the game. Wicks' performance in the Louisville win earned his Big East Defensive Player of the Week honors. In the 66-21 victory over #20 Connecticut
Connecticut Huskies
The Connecticut Huskies, also known as the UConn Huskies, are the athletic teams of the University of Connecticut in the United States. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference for all sports except Men's Ice Hockey and Women's Ice...
to clinch the Big East title, Wicks recorded 4 tackles and two pass deflections. At the end of the regular season, Wicks earned the team's Coaches Contribution Award. In Wick's final collegiate game, the 48-28 victory over Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners
The University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
in the Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
, Wicks had two tackles and two pass deflections. Wicks totaled 45 tackles on the season and three interceptions, and also a fumble return for a touchdown.
Eric Wicks finished his collegiate career with 187 career tackles and 9 interceptions.
Pre-draft
After the 2007 season, Wicks graduated and entered the 2008 NFL Draft2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
. He was not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, though he did work out at the university's Pro Day on March 13, 2008. Wicks went undrafted in the NFL Draft, becoming an undrafted free agent.
| Pre-draft measureables | ||||||
| Wt | 40 yd 40 yard dash The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering . It is primarily run to evaluate the speed of American football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time in the 40 can have a heavy impact on his prospects in college or professional football... |
20 ss 20 yard shuttle The 20-yard shuttle, also simply called the short shuttle, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the quickness and change-of-direction ability of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
3-cone 3 cone drill The 3 cone drill, or three cone drill, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the agility, quickness and fluidity of movement of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
Vert Vertical jump A vertical jump or vertical leap is the act of raising one's center of gravity higher in the vertical plane solely with the use of one's own muscles; it is a measure of how high an individual or athlete can elevate off the ground from a standstill.-Types of vertical jump:The vertical jump is... |
BP Bench press The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight... |
Broad Jump |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 215 lbs | 4.69s | 4.35 | 7.07 | 34.5 | 12 | 10'03" |
NFL Combine
The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general...
)
Seattle Seahawks
Wicks was signed by the Seattle SeahawksSeattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
after being undrafted in the 2008 NFL Draft
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
. He was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
on August 14 and released with an injury settlement four days later.