Tucker Frederickson
Ivan Charles "Tucker" Frederickson (born January 12, 1943) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He was an All-American in college, a Heisman Trophy runner-up, the first overall pick of the 1965 NFL Draft, and a Pro Bowl fullback with the Giants.
 Frederickson in 1965 | |
| No. 24 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Running back |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | January 12, 1943 Hollywood, Florida, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight: | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | South Broward (Hollywood) |
| College: | Auburn |
| NFL Draft: | 1965 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1 |
| Career history | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NFL statistics | |
| Player stats at NFL.com · PFR | |
Biography
Frederickson graduated from South Broward High School in Hollywood, Florida. A two-way player, he then attended Auburn University in Alabama, averaging 4.4 yards per carry on offense and leading the Tigers football team in interceptions as a safety on defense. In 1963, he won the Jacobs Award as the best blocking back in the Southeastern Conference. He won it again in 1964, and was sixth in the Heisman Trophy race. Coach Shug Jordan called him "the most complete football player I've ever seen". He was an All-American in 1964.
Frederickson was taken as the first overall pick in the 1965 NFL Draft by the New York Giants, playing six seasons for them before a knee injury forced his retirement in 1971. He was inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994.
Frederickson is referred to by Brian Piccolo (James Caan) as the man to beat in 1971's Brian's Song as both of them went to the same high school. In fact they went to different high schools, Frederickson to South Broward and Piccolo to Central Catholic (now St. Thomas Aquinas). Tucker went to the coveted Auburn University while Piccolo had to "settle" for Wake Forest.