Jaelen Strong Explained

Jaelen Strong
Number:11, 10
Position:Wide receiver
Birth Date:January 25, 1994
Birth Place:Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height Ft:6
Height In:2
Weight Lbs:220
High School:West Catholic (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Draftyear:2015
Draftround:3
Draftpick:70
Pastteams:
Highlights:
Statlabel1:Receptions
Statvalue1:31
Statlabel2:Receiving yards
Statvalue2:330
Statlabel3:Receiving touchdowns
Statvalue3:4
Pfr:StroJa01

Jaelen Strong (born January 25, 1994)[1] is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Early life

Strong's father, John Rankin, played college basketball at Drexel and died of leukemia in 2003 when Strong was 9.[2] [3] Strong attended West Catholic Preparatory High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he played football and ran track. As a junior, he caught 24 passes for 385 yards with four touchdowns. As a senior, he had 17 receptions for 318 yards and four touchdowns. He had scholarship offers from Eastern Michigan, Villanova and VMI before opting to attend Pierce College.[4] In track & field, Strong posted personal-bests of 6.42 meters (20-11.5) in the long jump and 12.42 meters (40-6.5) in the triple jump.[5]

College career

Strong attended Los Angeles Pierce College for two years before transferring to Arizona State University.[6] At Pierce in 2012, he had 67 receptions for 1,263 yards and 15 touchdowns in 10 games. In his first season at Arizona State in 2013, he had 75 receptions for 1,122 yards and seven touchdowns.[7] [8] In 2014, he had 82 receptions for 1,165 yards and 10 touchdowns.

After his junior season, Strong entered the 2015 NFL draft.[9] [10]

Professional career

Pre-draft

Coming into the draft, Strong was ranked by some analysts as a late first-round prospect.[11] [12] He had been criticized for his lack of vertical speed, but surprised many with a 4.44 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.[13] His vertical jump of 42 inches was the 4th best among wide receivers over the past ten years.[13]

Houston Texans

Strong was selected by the Houston Texans with the 70th overall pick in the third round of the 2015 NFL draft.[14] The Texans traded with the New York Jets for the pick, giving away their own third round pick (82nd overall, Jets picked Lorenzo Mauldin), their fifth round pick (152nd overall, Jets picked Jarvis Harrison), a seventh round pick via the Cleveland Browns (229th overall, Jets traded pick to Jacksonville Jaguars), and wide receiver DeVier Posey.[15] Against the Indianapolis Colts on October 8, 2015, he made his first two career receptions, both for touchdowns; the first was on a 42-yard hail mary pass to end the first half.[16] He finished his rookie season with 14 receptions for 161 yards and three touchdowns.

In Week 8 of the 2016 season, Strong suffered a serious ankle sprain against the Lions. The injury kept him out the next five weeks before being placed on injured reserve on December 10, 2016.[17] He finished his second season with 14 receptions for 131 yards with no touchdowns in eight games.

Strong was suspended the first game of the 2017 season for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse.[18]

On September 18, 2017, Strong was released by the Texans.[19]

Jacksonville Jaguars

On September 19, 2017, Strong was claimed off waivers by the Jacksonville Jaguars.[20] He was released by the Jaguars on November 18, 2017 and was re-signed to the practice squad.[21] He was promoted to the active roster on December 23, 2017.[22] In Week 16, Strong caught three passes for 38 yards and a touchdown. However, he suffered a torn ACL in the game and was placed on injured reserve on December 26, 2017.[23] He was released on April 30, 2018.[24]

Cleveland Browns

After spending the 2018 season out of the NFL, Strong was signed by the Cleveland Browns on February 20, 2019.[25]

Strong was waived by the Browns on August 27, 2019.[26]

Personal life

On February 28, 2016, Strong was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona for marijuana possession. He was later released from jail.[27]

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://rotoviz.com/2015/01/amari-cooper-2015-nfl-draft-age-database/ The 2015 NFL Draft Age Database
  2. http://articles.philly.com/2013-10-20/sports/43201951_1_arizona-state-text-messages-Philadelphia-police-department Jaelen Strong, son of ex-Drexel star, finds success at Arizona St.
  3. http://www.azcentral.com/sports/asu/articles/20130918asu-footballs-jaelen-strong-happy-after-long-road-tempe.html ASU football's Jaelen Strong happy after long road to Tempe
  4. Web site: Jaelen Strong - Football.
  5. Web site: Jaelen Rankin-Strong - Feed.
  6. http://www.foxsports.com/arizona/story/strong-as-advertised-in-asu-debut-but-wants-more-091213 Strong as advertised in ASU debut but wants more
  7. http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/asu/2014/08/09/asu-football-wr-jaelen-strong-improved-everywhere/13847175/ ASU wide receiver Jaelen Strong's game has improved 'everywhere'
  8. http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/asu/2014/07/25/asu-football-wr-jaelen-strong-comes-back-stronger/13198809/ ASU football WR Jaelen Strong comes back stronger
  9. Web site: Bonagura . Kyle . 2014-12-22 . Arizona State WR Strong declares for draft . 2023-12-26 . ESPN.com . en.
  10. http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/asu/2014/12/22/jaelen-strong-announces-hes-leaving-asu-for-nfl-draft/20781039/ ASU receiver Jaelen Strong declares for the NFL draft
  11. News: Casserly . Charley . April 27, 2015 . Mock Draft 3.0: Two CBs go in top 14 . NFL.com . May 20, 2015 .
  12. News: Baldinger . Brian . April 24, 2015 . Mock Draft 3.0: Eagles deal up for Mariota . NFL.com . May 20, 2015 .
  13. News: Zimmerman . Kevin . February 21, 2015 . Jaelen Strong makes scouts look silly in NFL combine . FOX Sports Arizona . May 20, 2015 .
  14. Web site: 2015 NFL Draft Listing . 2023-05-15 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  15. Web site: Texans trade again, draft WR Jaelen Strong in 3rd round. Deepi. Sidhu. HoustonTexans.com. May 1, 2015. May 20, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150505054908/http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Texans-trade-again-draft-WR-Jaelen-Strong-in-3rd-round/85119ead-1d39-45dc-ae22-87f97e7520ef. May 5, 2015. dead.
  16. http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25332364/johnson-hasselbeck-lead-colts-to-win-over-texans-5-things-to-know Hasselback leads Colts
  17. Web site: Denzel Rice to active roster, Jaelen Strong to IR. https://web.archive.org/web/20180201075459/http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Denzel-Rice-to-active-roster-Jaelen-Strong-to-IR/9e697958-a3c9-4004-b1ee-dd421e4b1b4c. dead. February 1, 2018. HoustonTexans.com. December 10, 2016.
  18. Web site: Texans' Jaelen Strong suspended one game by NFL. Patra, Kevin. NFL.com. August 24, 2017.
  19. Web site: Houston Texans release wideout Jaelen Strong. Sessler, Marc. NFL.com. September 18, 2017.
  20. Web site: Jaguars claim wide receiver Jaelen Strong off waivers. https://web.archive.org/web/20170922105046/http://www.jaguars.com/news/article-JaguarsNews/%C2%A0Jaguars-claim-wide-receiver-Jaelen-Strong-off-waivers/948c3f73-d6ff-4e49-b618-7a86a22bdc99. dead. September 22, 2017. Jaguars.com. September 19, 2017.
  21. Web site: Jaguars make roster moves. Jaguars.com. November 18, 2017.
  22. Web site: Jaguars promote Jaelen Strong to 53-player roster. Williams, Charean. ProFootballTalk.NBCSports.com. December 23, 2017.
  23. Web site: Jaguars make roster moves. https://web.archive.org/web/20180101224612/http://www.jaguars.com/news/article-JaguarsNews/Jaguars-make-roster-moves/3e2180f3-8837-4bc5-a86b-2dae3285945c. dead. January 1, 2018. Jaguars.com. December 26, 2017.
  24. News: '18 offseason: Undrafted free agents bring roster to 89. Oehser. John. April 30, 2018. Jaguars.com. May 1, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180502034840/http://www.jaguars.com/news/article-JaguarsNews/%E2%80%9918-offseason-Undrafted-free-agents-bring-roster-to-89/6f608752-564b-470d-80c2-e53b0f3c864e. May 2, 2018. dead.
  25. News: Browns sign WR Jaelen Strong . ClevelandBrowns.com . February 20, 2019.
  26. News: Browns waive WR Jaelen Strong . ClevelandBrowns.com . August 27, 2019.
  27. News: Ganguli. Terry. Texans WR Jaelen Strong arrested for marijuana possession, released. March 1, 2016. ESPN. February 29, 2016.