Jamall Lee
Encyclopedia
Jamall Lee is a professional Canadian football
running back
for the BC Lions
of the Canadian Football League
. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers
of the National Football League
as an undrafted free agent in 2009 and released at the end of the pre-season, making him an NFL free agent. He was drafted by the BC Lions
third overall in the 2009 CFL Draft
. He played CIS football
for the Bishop's Gaiters
.
. His father, Orville Lee
, was the last Canadian to lead the Canadian Football League
in rush
ing, in the 1988 CFL season
. Jamall played Canadian football
at Terry Fox Secondary School
and though he was not recruited by any American
college football
or Canadian university teams, his father's connections with Bishop's University
in Lennoxville, Quebec
, gave him an opportunity to play for the Gaiters.
's all-time leading rusher. He was also selected as the QUFL's most outstanding player of 2007 and a CIS
first team all-star for the 2008 CIS football season
. He was the only Canadian selected to play in the 2009 Texas vs. The Nation Game
in El Paso, Texas
. Ahead of the CFL's 2009 Evaluation Camp, Lee was ranked second amongst those eligible for the 2009 CFL Draft
. He set new Evaluation Camp records for both the 40-yard dash at 4.39 seconds and the vertical jump
at 44 inches (111.8 cm).
as an undrafted free agent on April 27, 2009. Lee dressed for all four pre-season games for the Panthers including their final on September 3, 2009, in which he scored the team's sole touchdown
.
He was released from the team before the start of the 2009 regular season.
announced that they had agreed to terms with Lee and he dressed for the final four games of the season. On October 31, 2009, Lee recorded his first career reception against the Calgary Stampeders
. Lee played in both playoff games and recorded one rush for -1 yards and one catch for -5 yards in the Eastern Final.
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
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 BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
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...
as an undrafted free agent in 2009 and released at the end of the pre-season, making him an NFL free agent. He was drafted by the BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
third overall in the 2009 CFL Draft
2009 CFL Draft
The 2009 CFL Draft took place on May 2, 2009. 48 players were chosen from among 774 eligible players from Canadian Universities across the country, as well as Canadian players playing in the NCAA...
. He played CIS football
CIS football
Twenty-six universities across Canada compete in football under the auspices of Canadian Interuniversity Sport . The teams are divided into four conferences, drawing from the four regional associations of the CIS: Canada West Universities Athletic Association, Ontario University Athletics, Quebec...
for the Bishop's Gaiters
Bishop's Gaiters
The Bishop's Gaiters is the name of the men's and women's athletic teams that represent Bishop's University in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. Although their logo and mascot suggest the term stems from the word alligator, "Gaiter" actually refers to a boot covering worn by Anglican bishops up until the...
.
Early years
Lee was born in Port Coquitlam, British ColumbiaBritish Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. His father, Orville Lee
Orville Lee
Orville Lee is a retired Canadian Football League running back.He was drafted by the Ottawa Rough Riders with the first overall pick in the 1988 CFL Draft from Simon Fraser University...
, was the last Canadian to lead the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
in rush
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
ing, in the 1988 CFL season
1988 CFL season
The 1988 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 35th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 31st Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1988:...
. Jamall played Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
at Terry Fox Secondary School
Terry Fox Secondary School
Terry Fox Secondary School is a school with approx. 2,000 students in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. The original school was built on Wellington Street in the 1950s under the name "Port Coquitlam Senior Secondary" for grades 11 and 12. It was renamed Terry Fox Senior Secondary School...
and though he was not recruited by any American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
or Canadian university teams, his father's connections with Bishop's University
Bishop's University
Bishop's University is a predominantly undergraduate university in Lennoxville, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. Bishop's is one of three universities in the province of Quebec that teach primarily in the English language...
in Lennoxville, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, gave him an opportunity to play for the Gaiters.
University career
At Bishop's, Lee ran for a four-year total of 4,296 yards, which made him the Quebec University Football LeagueQuebec University Football League
The Quebec University Football League was the Canadian football conference for Quebec universities who participate in CIS football until the completion of the 2010 football season...
's all-time leading rusher. He was also selected as the QUFL's most outstanding player of 2007 and a CIS
CIS football
Twenty-six universities across Canada compete in football under the auspices of Canadian Interuniversity Sport . The teams are divided into four conferences, drawing from the four regional associations of the CIS: Canada West Universities Athletic Association, Ontario University Athletics, Quebec...
first team all-star for the 2008 CIS football season
2008 CIS football season
The 2008 CIS football season began on August 23, 2008, and concluded with the 44th Vanier Cup national championship on November 22 at Ivor Wynne Stadium in Hamilton, Ontario, with the Laval Rouge et Or winning their fifth championship...
. He was the only Canadian selected to play in the 2009 Texas vs. The Nation Game
Texas vs. The Nation Game
The NFLPA Game is a post-season college football all-star game that was established in 2006 as the concluding game of the college football post-season. The game is currently played at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The game was previously known as the Texas vs...
in El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
. Ahead of the CFL's 2009 Evaluation Camp, Lee was ranked second amongst those eligible for the 2009 CFL Draft
2009 CFL Draft
The 2009 CFL Draft took place on May 2, 2009. 48 players were chosen from among 774 eligible players from Canadian Universities across the country, as well as Canadian players playing in the NCAA...
. He set new Evaluation Camp records for both the 40-yard dash at 4.39 seconds and the vertical jump
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...
at 44 inches (111.8 cm).
Carolina Panthers
Lee signed with the Carolina PanthersCarolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
as an undrafted free agent on April 27, 2009. Lee dressed for all four pre-season games for the Panthers including their final on September 3, 2009, in which he scored the team's sole 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:...
.
He was released from the team before the start of the 2009 regular season.
BC Lions
On October 12, 2009, the BC LionsBC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
announced that they had agreed to terms with Lee and he dressed for the final four games of the season. On October 31, 2009, Lee recorded his first career reception against the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
. Lee played in both playoff games and recorded one rush for -1 yards and one catch for -5 yards in the Eastern Final.