Jonathan Dwyer
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Avery Dwyer is an American football
running back
for the Pittsburgh Steelers
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Georgia Tech
.
in Marietta, Georgia
. He was a four star prospect and was wanted by many of the top football teams in the NCAA. He ran a 10.81 in the 100 meter dash and was second in the state of Georgia, as well as recording a 4.48 in the 40 yard dash. Dwyer was awarded Georgia's Player of the Year (football). Dwyer first soft verbal to the Florida Gators
but then decided to he wanted to stay near his family and committed to Georgia Tech
.
, Dwyer got plenty of playing time as the backup running back to senior Tashard Choice
. He played in all thirteen games during his freshman year. Choice battled leg injuries during the course of the 2007 season, which led to Dwyer rushing for 436 yards on 82 attempts and nine touchdowns. He was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team.
. He ended the game with 144 yards on the ground against a tough SEC defense and proved that he was one of the top backs in the country. He was the ACC player of the year and was a unanimous first-team selection as well as being the #1 rusher in the ACC with 1,328 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns.
said that Dwyer would have a great season in 2009: "He's going to be among the leading rushers in the country next year, and if he stays healthy, he could lead the nation in rushing. He's that good." On January 11, 2010, Dwyer announced he will enter his name in the 2010 NFL Draft
and forgo his senior season.
and was at one point considered to be a top 30 prospect and in the top 3 running backs in the draft according to Todd McShay
. Dwyer was questioned if he could adjust to playing in a pro-style offense, due to the fact that Dwyer spent most of his college career playing in a flexbone spread option offense at Georgia Tech. Dwyer's stock began to fall as questions about his weight and conditioning arose, including notably after the NFL combine (40 yard dash: 4.59, 3-Cone Drill: 7.56, 20-yard shuttle: 4.67, Bench: 15 reps). Dwyer tested positive for amphetamines at the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine, however it was later ruled exempt by the NFL after it was found that the positive test stemmed from his attention deficit disorder (ADD) medicine.
in the sixth round (188th overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft
. On September 5, Dwyer made the team's final roster cut.
after the Steelers had built a commanding first half lead and rested Rashard Mendenhall
in the second half. Dwyer rushed for 28 yards on 9 carries in the game.
With Rashard Mendenhall nursing a hamstring injury and backup Mewelde Moore
out with a foot injury, Dwyer made his 2011 debut against the Tennessee Titans
in Week 5. He had a strong performance, rushing for 107 yards on 11 carries, including a 76-yard dash to set up a short Ben Roethlisberger
TD pass. He and Isaac Redman
combined for over 170 yards rushing on the day and the Steelers rolled to a 38-17 victory, despite Tennessee entering the contest with the best scoring defense in the league.
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 Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
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 drafted by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
. 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 Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
.
Early years
Dwyer was a highly recruited prospect out of Kell High SchoolKell High School
Carlton J. Kell High School is a public high school in the Cobb County School District in Georgia. The school is located in Marietta, Georgia, just northwest of Atlanta. The school was founded in 2002 and serves 1,818 students in the Cobb County area. It is also an Advanced Placement Certified...
in Marietta, Georgia
Marietta, Georgia
Marietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat.As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 56,579, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs...
. He was a four star prospect and was wanted by many of the top football teams in the NCAA. He ran a 10.81 in the 100 meter dash and was second in the state of Georgia, as well as recording a 4.48 in the 40 yard dash. Dwyer was awarded Georgia's Player of the Year (football). Dwyer first soft verbal to the Florida Gators
Florida Gators
The Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
but then decided to he wanted to stay near his family and committed to Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
.
2007
After committing to Georgia Tech Yellow JacketsGeorgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The Yellow Jackets is the name used for all of the intercollegiate athletic teams that play for the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. The teams have also been nicknamed the Ramblin' Wreck, Engineers, Blacksmiths, and Golden Tornado. There are 8 men's and 7 women's teams that...
, Dwyer got plenty of playing time as the backup running back to senior Tashard Choice
Tashard Choice
Tashard J. Choice , is an American football running back for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He played collegiately at Georgia Tech. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft.Choice began his collegiate career at The University of Oklahoma but...
. He played in all thirteen games during his freshman year. Choice battled leg injuries during the course of the 2007 season, which led to Dwyer rushing for 436 yards on 82 attempts and nine touchdowns. He was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team.
2008
Dwyer was named as a candidate for the Doak Walker award, an award given to the nation's best running back. Through the first four games of the 2008 season, Dwyer had 389 rushing yards on just 48 attempts with four touchdowns. Against Mississippi State, he recorded the longest touchdown from the line of scrimmage in Georgia Tech history, running for an 88-yard touchdown. He continued to have a good season with 147 yards against a tough Florida State defense, with a 36-yard touchdown run and a 66-yard touchdown. The following week, in a disappointing loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels, Dwyer recorded 157 yards on the ground, 85 of them coming in a long touchdown run where he again displayed his speed. Against Miami in a Thursday night game, Dwyer had 10 carries for 128 yards on the ground with runs of 35 yards and a 58-yard touchdown. The following week, he had a 60-yard touchdown, as well as a 23-yard touchdown against GeorgiaGeorgia Bulldogs football
The Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in football. The Bulldogs are a member of the Southeastern Conference and are frequently a top-25 team. The University of Georgia has had a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 738–398–54...
. He ended the game with 144 yards on the ground against a tough SEC defense and proved that he was one of the top backs in the country. He was the ACC player of the year and was a unanimous first-team selection as well as being the #1 rusher in the ACC with 1,328 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns.
2009
Former Yellow Jackets running back Tashard ChoiceTashard Choice
Tashard J. Choice , is an American football running back for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He played collegiately at Georgia Tech. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft.Choice began his collegiate career at The University of Oklahoma but...
said that Dwyer would have a great season in 2009: "He's going to be among the leading rushers in the country next year, and if he stays healthy, he could lead the nation in rushing. He's that good." On January 11, 2010, Dwyer announced he will enter his name in the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
and forgo his senior season.
College awards and honors
- Parade All-American
- 2007: ACC rookie of the week (September 9, 2007)
- 2007 ACC All-Freshman team
- 2008 preseason candidate for the Doak Walker AwardDoak Walker AwardThe Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
- 2008 ACC Player of the Year
- 2008 Pro Football Weekly 1st-Team All-American
- 2008 Consensus 1st-Team All-ACC
- 2009 Pre-Season All American
- 2009 2nd-team All-ACC
- 2009 ACC Champions(football)
Pre-draft
Dwyer entered the 2010 NFL Draft2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
and was at one point considered to be a top 30 prospect and in the top 3 running backs in the draft according to Todd McShay
Todd McShay
Todd McShay is a football analyst.McShay is a native of Swampscott, Massachusetts and played quarterback for the Swampscott High School football team . In 1999, He graduated from the University of Richmond with a B.A. in leadership studies, and served as the backup quarterback before a back...
. Dwyer was questioned if he could adjust to playing in a pro-style offense, due to the fact that Dwyer spent most of his college career playing in a flexbone spread option offense at Georgia Tech. Dwyer's stock began to fall as questions about his weight and conditioning arose, including notably after the NFL combine (40 yard dash: 4.59, 3-Cone Drill: 7.56, 20-yard shuttle: 4.67, Bench: 15 reps). Dwyer tested positive for amphetamines at the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine, however it was later ruled exempt by the NFL after it was found that the positive test stemmed from his attention deficit disorder (ADD) medicine.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Dwyer was drafted by the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in the sixth round (188th overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
. On September 5, Dwyer made the team's final roster cut.
2010 Season
Dwyer made his professional debut in Week 17 against the Cleveland BrownsCleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
after the Steelers had built a commanding first half lead and rested Rashard Mendenhall
Rashard Mendenhall
Rashard Jamal Mendenhall is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers 23rd overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Illinois....
in the second half. Dwyer rushed for 28 yards on 9 carries in the game.
2011 Season
Dwyer again made the final roster cut after a strong showing in the pre-season. In the final game of the pre-season he rushed for 88 yards and got reps with the first team offense.With Rashard Mendenhall nursing a hamstring injury and backup Mewelde Moore
Mewelde Moore
Mewelde Jaem Cadere Moore is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
out with a foot injury, Dwyer made his 2011 debut against the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
in Week 5. He had a strong performance, rushing for 107 yards on 11 carries, including a 76-yard dash to set up a short Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
TD pass. He and Isaac Redman
Isaac Redman
Isaac Redman is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Bowie State University in Bowie, Maryland.-Early years:Redman played high school football...
combined for over 170 yards rushing on the day and the Steelers rolled to a 38-17 victory, despite Tennessee entering the contest with the best scoring defense in the league.