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Martin Rucker (American football)
Encyclopedia
Martin Rucker is an American football
tight end
for the Jacksonville Jaguars
. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns
in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Missouri
.
Rucker has also been a member of the Philadelphia Eagles
and Dallas Cowboys
. He is the younger brother of former NFL defensive end
Mike Rucker
and the son of politician Martin T. Rucker
.
in St. Joseph, Missouri.
for the 2007 season
by the American Football Coaches Association
and the Associated Press. Rucker finished his collegiate career with over 200 receptions
, 2175 yards, and 18 touchdown
s.
by the Cleveland Browns
in the fourth round (111th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft
. He signed a contract with the team on July 22.
He was waived on September 22, 2009.
practice squad on September 24, 2009. He was promoted to the active roster on December 15. He was waived on August 9, 2010.
off the Dallas Cowboys
practice squad.
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...
for the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland 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...
in the fourth round of 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 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 Missouri
Missouri Tigers football
The Missouri Tigers football team represents the University of Missouri in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team has competed in the North Division of the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996...
.
Rucker has also been a member of the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. He is the younger brother of former NFL defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
Mike Rucker
Mike Rucker
Michael Dean Rucker is a former American football defensive end who played for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League.-Early years:...
and the son of politician Martin T. Rucker
Martin T. Rucker
Martin T. Rucker is a former a Democratic member of the Missouri House of Representatives.-Biography:He is a graduate on St. Joseph Central High School...
.
Early years
Rucker attended Benton High SchoolBenton High School (Missouri)
Benton High School is a Class 4 public high school located in St. Joseph, Missouri.-History:In 1905, the St. Joseph, Missouri Board of Education charged J. A. Bell with establishing a high school in South St. Joseph...
in St. Joseph, Missouri.
College career
Rucker was named as a first-team All-American tight endTight 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...
for the 2007 season
2007 NCAA Division I FCS football season
The 2007 NCAA Division I FCS football season, part of the college football season, began on August 25, 2007 and concluded on December 14, 2007 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where the Appalachian State Mountaineers defeated the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens to win the NCAA Division I Football...
by the American Football Coaches Association
American Football Coaches Association
The American Football Coaches Association is an association of over 11,000 football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "maintain the highest possible standards in football and the profession of...
and the Associated Press. Rucker finished his collegiate career with over 200 receptions
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...
, 2175 yards, and 18 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.
Cleveland Browns
Rucker was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
by the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland 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...
in the fourth round (111th overall) of 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 signed a contract with the team on July 22.
He was waived on September 22, 2009.
Philadelphia Eagles
Rucker was signed to the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
practice squad on September 24, 2009. He was promoted to the active roster on December 15. He was waived on August 9, 2010.
Dallas Cowboys
Rucker signed with the Dallas Cowboys on August 20, 2010. He was cut on September 4, 2010, and signed to the practice squad a day later. He was promoted to the active roster on December 1, 2010. On September 13, 2011, he was waived by Dallas.Jacksonville Jaguars
On October 18, 2011, Rucker was signed by the Jacksonville JaguarsJacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
off the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
practice squad.