| Calvin O'Neal | |
| Number: | 51 |
| Position: | Linebacker |
| Birth Date: | 6 October 1954 |
| Birth Place: | Osceola, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 1 |
| Weight Lbs: | 235 |
| High School: | Saginaw (MI) |
| College: | Michigan |
| Draftyear: | 1977 |
| Draftround: | 6 |
| Draftpick: | 163 |
| Pastteams: | |
| Highlights: |
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| Pfr: | ONeaCa20 |
Calvin O'Neal (born October 6, 1954) is a former professional American football linebacker who played for the Baltimore Colts in 1978 and was an All-American and team co-captain for the University of Michigan Wolverines in 1976.
O'Neal is a 1972 graduate of Saginaw High School,[1] where he won All-State and All-Saginaw Valley honors in football and was named Most Valuable Player of the Saginaw Valley Conference, after averaging 14 tackles per game. He was also a standout in basketball and track and field at Saginaw High from 1969-71. O'Neal was teammates with quarterback Tom Slade both at Saginaw High School and at the University of Michigan.[2]
He attended the University of Michigan on a football scholarship. He served as co-captain along with Rob Lytle and Kirk Lewis.[3] The 1976 team was ranked #1 for eight weeks, but lost two of its last four games including a Rose Bowl loss to the USC Trojans. However, the team had four All-Americans (O'Neal, Lytle, Jim Smith, and Mark Donahue) as well as nine All Big Ten Conference players.[3] O'Neal made ten tackles in his first game for the Wolverines,[4] was twice named an All-Big Ten linebacker and was a Consensus All-American and team co-captain in 1976. He was a team leader on defense, setting a season record with 151 tackles in 1975, and had a record 378 tackles for his career.[5] O'Neal combined strength and speed from his inside linebacking spot, and had three interceptions in 1976 for 60 return yards and a touchdown.[5]
O'Neal was selected by the Baltimore Colts in the sixth round (163rd pick) of the 1977 NFL Draft.[6] He played in 15 games for the Colts in 1978.[1]
O'Neal lives in Shreveport, Louisiana.[7] He is the founder of Lifestyle Business Affairs, an enrichment program for high school and collegiate student-athletes.[8] O'Neal was inducted into the Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.[4]