Corey Ballentine
Atlanta Falcons | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Position: | Cornerback | ||||||
Personal information | |||||||
Born: | Montego Bay, Jamaica | April 13, 1996||||||
Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||
Weight: | 191 lb (87 kg) | ||||||
Career information | |||||||
High school: | Shawnee Heights (KS) | ||||||
College: | Washburn | ||||||
NFL Draft: | 2019 / Round: 6 / Pick: 180 | ||||||
Career history | |||||||
| |||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||
Roster status: | Active | ||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||
| |||||||
Career NFL statistics as of Week 14, 2021 | |||||||
| |||||||
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR |
Corey Ballentine (born April 13, 1996) is a Jamaican professional American football cornerback and kick returner for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the New York Giants in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washburn, after graduating from high school in 2014 from Shawnee Heights High School.
College career[]
After playing at Shawnee Heights High School, Ballentine played college football at Division II Washburn, Ballentine played in 46 games after almost quitting the team in the summer before his freshman year.[1] He primarily played on defense but also served as the team's kick returner and blocked four field goals.[2] Ballentine won the Cliff Harris Award after the conclusion of his senior season, which is given annually to the nation's top small college defensive players. He was also named a 2018 second-team AFCA All-American.[3]
After his senior year, Ballentine was invited to the 2019 Senior Bowl, where he drew attention for his speed.[4] He also participated in the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine.[5]
Professional career[]
Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
196 lb (89 kg) |
31+5⁄8 in (0.80 m) |
9+1⁄2 in (0.24 m) |
4.47 s | 4.14 s | 6.82 s | 39.5 in (1.00 m) |
11 ft 3 in (3.43 m) |
15 reps | |||
All values from NFL Combine[6] |
New York Giants[]
Ballentine was selected by the New York Giants in the sixth round (180th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft.[7][8]
On November 10, 2020, Ballentine was waived by the Giants.[9]
New York Jets[]
Ballentine was claimed off waivers by the New York Jets on November 11, 2020.[10] He was waived/injured on August 23, 2021 and placed on injured reserve.[11] He was released on September 15.
Detroit Lions[]
On September 16, 2021, Ballentine was claimed off waivers by the Detroit Lions.[12] He was placed on injured reserve on October 15.[13] He was activated on November 18, 2021, then waived the next day and re-signed to the practice squad.
Atlanta Falcons[]
On January 12, 2022, Ballentine signed a reserve/future contract the Atlanta Falcons.[14]
Personal life[]
Ballentine was born in Montego Bay, Jamaica and moved to the United States at six years of age.[8] While at Shawnee Heights and Washburn, Ballentine ran track while playing football,[15] setting Ichabod records for various indoor and outdoor sprinting events.[16]
In the early morning hours of April 28, 2019, the Sunday following the 2019 NFL Draft, Ballentine was injured in a shooting in Topeka while he was attending an off-campus party. Ballentine's college roommate and defensive backfield teammate Dwane Simmons was killed in the shooting.[16]
References[]
- ^ Peterson, Rick. "Cliff Harris national honor continues awards harvest for Washburn's Corey Ballentine". hdnews.net. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
- ^ Heath, Jon. "Broncos met with Washburn CB Corey Ballentine at Senior Bowl". Broncos Wire. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
- ^ "Washburn University's Corey Ballentine wins Cliff Harris Award". National Collegiate Athletics Association. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
- ^ Wilson, Ryan. "Senior Bowl 2019: Under-the-radar players who are improving draft stock with strong week in Mobile". CBS Sports. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
- ^ "Corey Ballentine, Washburn, Cornerback". 247Sports.com. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
- ^ "Corey Ballentine Combine Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
- ^ Salomone, Dan (April 27, 2019). "Washburn CB Corey Ballentine drafted by Giants at No. 180". Giants.com.
- ^ a b Leonard, Pat. "Corey Ballentine goes from Jamaica to Division II to Giants draft pick". New York Daily News. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
- ^ Eisen, Michael (November 10, 2020). "Giants waive CB Corey Ballentine; Will Hernandez, Dante Pettis activated". Giants.com. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
- ^ Greenberg, Ethan (November 11, 2020). "Jets Claim CB Corey Ballentine". NewYorkJets.com. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ Greenberg, Ethan (August 23, 2021). "Jets Place DE Carl Lawson on IR, Sign DE Aaron Adeoye and OL Isaiah Williams". NewYorkJets.com.
- ^ "Detroit Lions claim CB/KR Corey Ballentine off waivers". Pride of Detroit. SB Nation. September 16, 2021.
- ^ "Detroit Lions place KR/CB Corey Ballentine on IR, sign CB Shakur Brown to practice squad". Pride of Detroit. SB Nation. October 15, 2021.
- ^ "Falcons sign CB/KR Corey Ballentine to futures contract, active two off reserve/COVID-19 list". The Falcoholic. SB Nation. January 12, 2022.
- ^ Petersen, Rick. "Ballentine time: Former Shawnee Heights, Washburn star projected to be NFL draft pick". Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
- ^ a b Epstein, Jory. "New York Giants draft choice Corey Ballentine shot and injured, college teammate killed". USA Today. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
External links[]
- Washburn Ichabods bio
- Career stats and player information from NFL.com Pro Football Reference
- 1996 births
- Living people
- American football cornerbacks
- Atlanta Falcons players
- Detroit Lions players
- Jamaican emigrants to the United States
- Jamaican players of American football
- New York Giants players
- People from Montego Bay
- Players of American football from Kansas
- Sportspeople from Topeka, Kansas
- Washburn Ichabods football players
- Shooting survivors