Tag Archives: playoff prestige 2007

NFL

Crowder, Tim

poff07 crowderCard: Playoff Prestige 2007
Acquired: IP 12/6/2014, Total Athlete ATX Grand Opening

Tim Crowder hails from Tyler, Texas – home of Texas and Oiler great Earl Campbell. Following  in the footsteps of the Texas legend, Crowder also went to the University of Texas, helping the Longhorns defeat the USC Trojans for the 2005 National Championship. In his finest season at UT, Tim had 50 tackles, 3 sacks, 9 tackles for loss, an interception, and a forced fumble.

Crowder was a second round choice of the Denver Broncos in 2007, and finished 4th among rookies at defensive end, with 4 sacks that year. A concussion wrecked his 2008 season, so his grade with the Broncos was incomplete. He’d sign with the Buccaneers in 2009 and make 3.5 sacks and 37 tackles. In 2010, Crowder started a career-high nine games and tied for third on the team with three sacks to go with 42 tackles. He resigned with the team in 2011, but was buried on the depth chart behind Michael Bennett, Da’Quan Bowers, and Adrian Clayborn. Still he contributed 14 tackles and 2 tackles for losses. With a new coach in town in Tony Schiano, Tim was cut by the squad in 2012. Currently he’s considered a free agent.

With the sacred box of Texas cards in my car, I got Crowder knocked out on the only card I had of him. The surprisingly lanky Crowder, was happy to sign and knock this card out for me at the Total Athlete event.

NFL

Okoye, Amobi

Cards: Playoff Prestige 2007
Acquired: TTM 2009, Texans Blitz
See Also: Okoye, Amobi (2)

Amobi Okoye is officially the youngest player to be drafted in NFL history at 19. Selected in the first round (10th pick) by the Houston Texans in 2007,  at 6’2″, 315, (4.85 40,) Okoye is also the highest Louisville player drafted in the first round.  As he is so young, Okoye is still expected to grow into his frame and has tremendous upside potential. He would earn NFL defensive rookie player of the month honors in 2007- the youngest player to do so. While Okoye made a splash in the NFL his first month, the rest of his transition has been rough and inconsistent. Many critics point to the fact that Okoye, (who will be entering his 4th season in the NFL) hasn’t been the run stopping force that the Texans had hoped he’d be, but Okoye has manned up, taking the blame by stating that he was overwhelmed by the riches the league afforded him and absorbed in starting a charity in his native homeland of Nigeria. Over 2010, Okoye made major strides however, refocusing and setting career highs in tackles and recording his most sacks since his rookie season. On 10/17/10, Amobi made 6 tackles and a sack (on the final play of the game) to preserve the victory over the visiting Kansas City Chiefs, 35-31. After the conclusion to the 2010 season, questions remain as to Okoye’s future with the Texans as with a conversion to the 3-4, it is unknown how he figures into new defensive coordinator Wade Phillip’s plans as an undersized gap shooting NT or a defensive end.

In the meantime Okoye remains active in his native country of Nigeria and recently helped found an American Football program with other members of the NFL there.