Amari Spievey

Amari Spievey (born April 15, 1988) is a former American football safety. He played college football at Iowa. He was considered one of the top cornerback prospects for the 2010 NFL Draft.[1] He was picked in the 3rd round (66th overall) in the 2010 NFL Draft. On August 31, 2013, he was released by the Lions.

Amari Spievey
refer to caption
Spievey in the 2011 NFL season.
No. 42
Position:Safety
Personal information
Born: (1988-04-15) April 15, 1988
Middletown, Connecticut, U.S.
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school:Xavier
(Middletown, Connecticut)
College:Iowa
NFL Draft:2010 / Round: 3 / Pick: 66
Career history
Career highlights and awards
  • Junior College All-American (2007)
  • First-team All-Big Ten (2009)
  • Second-team All-Big Ten (2008)
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles:142
Sacks:1.0
Fumble recoveries:1
Interceptions:5
Player stats at NFL.com

High school career

Spievey attended Xavier High School, where he played cornerback and running back, and finished his career as the all-time leading rusher in school history. He rushed for 3,606 yards and 50 touchdowns in his career, along with 53 receptions for 858 yards and eight touchdowns.

On defense, Spievey made 87 career tackles and 16 interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns. He was a two-time coaches all-state selection and was named the Connecticut Player of the Year as a senior in 2005, the year the team won the Class LL state championship.

Regarded as a two-star recruit by Rivals.com, Spievey was listed as the #15 prospect from New England.[2]

College career

Iowa Central Community College

Spievey redshirted his initial year at Iowa to preserve a year of eligibility. Spievey transferred to Iowa Central Community College after being academically ineligible for his sophomore season. There he recorded seven pass interceptions and 242 return yards. He returned two of those interceptions for touchdowns and also scored two touchdowns on kickoff returns and recorded four blocked punts. Iowa Central CC posted 9–2 overall record to earn a No. seven national ranking, and Spievey earned junior college All-American honors.

Iowa

In his redshirt sophomore season at Iowa, Spievey started all games at right cornerback and ranked third on the team with 68 tackles, including 43 solo tackles and 25 assists. He also had four pass interceptions and six pass break-ups. The Big Ten coaches named him Second-team All-Big Ten afterwards. The following year, he was named to the First-team.

Professional career

2010 NFL Draft

By mid-season of 2009, Sports Illustrated's Tony Pauline listed Spievey as one of the "risers" for the 2010 NFL Draft.[3] On January 11, 2010, Spievey announced that he would forgo his senior season and enter the NFL Draft.[4] Spievey was selected by the Detroit Lions as the 2nd pick of the 3rd round (66th overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft.[5]

Although he played cornerback in college, Spievey was moved to safety by the Lions to take advantage of his tackling ability and instincts.[6]

Spievey opened the 2011 NFL season as a starter at safety for the Lions.[7]

NFL statistics
YearTeamGPCOMBTOTALASTSACKFFFRFR YDSINTIR YDSAVG IRLNGTDPD
2010DET155137140.0000235182603
2011DET15706281.0010347163004
2012DET5211830.0000000000
Career35142117251.0010582163007

[8]

Key

  • GP: games played
  • COMB: combined tackles
  • TOTAL: total tackles
  • AST: assisted tackles
  • SACK: sacks
  • FF: forced fumbles
  • FR: fumble recoveries
  • FR YDS: fumble return yards
  • INT: interceptions
  • IR YDS: interception return yards
  • AVG IR: average interception return
  • LNG: longest interception return
  • TD: interceptions returned for touchdown
  • PD: passes defensed

References
  1. NFL Draft Scout
  2. "Postseason New England top 20 2006", Rivals.com, January 21, 2006
  3. Pauline, Tony (November 23, 2009), "Notre Dame's Golden Tate in 2010 NFL Draft risers and sliders", Sports Illustrated
  4. Rittenberg, Adam (January 11, 2010). "Iowa's Spievey declares for draft". ESPN. Archived from the original on 15 January 2010. Retrieved January 11, 2010.
  5. "2010 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2023-05-13.
  6. "Lions move rookie Amari Spievey to safety". 26 August 2010.
  7. "Amari Spievey is starting safety as Detroit Lions open camp". 29 July 2011.
  8. "Amari Spievey Stats". ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
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