Derrick Willies
No. 84, 16 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||
Personal information | |||||||
Born: | Banning, California | October 17, 1994||||||
Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||
Weight: | 207 lb (94 kg) | ||||||
Career information | |||||||
High school: | Rock Island (Rock Island, Illinois) | ||||||
College: | Texas Tech | ||||||
Undrafted: | 2018 | ||||||
Career history | |||||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||||
| |||||||
Player stats at NFL.com |
Derrick Willies (born October 17, 1994) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Texas Tech and played professionally for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL).
Early years[]
Willies attended and played high school football and ran track at Burlington High School in Iowa before transferring Rock Island High School during his junior year and was named all-state at both schools. In track, Willies won the Illinois Class 3A state championship in the 110-meter hurdles.[1]
College career[]
Willies began his college career at the University of Iowa. After sitting out his first year, Willies had 4 catches for 71 yards and a touchdown as a redshirt freshman before leaving the team in late October.[2] Willies transferred to Trinity Valley Community College where he was a first team Junior College Athletic Association All-American and subsequently transferred to Texas Tech.[3] Willies caught 36 passes for 592 yards and five touchdowns over two seasons with the Red Raiders.[4]
Professional career[]
Willies was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent on May 4, 2018.[5] Willies made the Browns 53-man roster and made his NFL debut on September 9, 2018 during the team's season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers.[6] On October 7 against the Baltimore Ravens, Willies caught his first career NFL pass, a 13-yard reception, and had a pivotal 39-yard reception in overtime to set up the Browns' game-winning field goal.[7][8] After fracturing his collarbone during practice on October 12, Willies was placed on injured reserve on October 13, 2018.[9]
On August 31, 2019, Willies was waived by the Browns and was signed to the practice squad the next day.[10][11] His practice squad contract with the team expired on January 6, 2020,[12] and he was not invited to training camp by any team.
Willies was re-signed to the Browns' practice squad on November 17, 2020.[13] He was elevated to the active roster on December 26 for the team's week 16 game against the New York Jets, and reverted to the practice squad after the game.[14]
Willies was signed to a reserve/futures contract by the Browns on January 18, 2021.[15]
The Browns place Willies on the reserve/retired list on July 30, 2021.[16]
NFL statistics[]
Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Fumbles | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | GS | Tgt | Rec | Pct | Yds | TD | 1D | Fum | Lost | ||
2018 | CLE | 5 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 60% | 61 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
2020 | CLE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career | 6 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 60% | 61 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
References[]
- ^ Batterson, Steve (May 6, 2018). "RI grad Willies gets a shot with Browns". Dispatch-Argus-QCOnline. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
- ^ Morehouse, Marc (October 27, 2018). "Willies announces transfer on Instagram". The Gazette. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
- ^ Caplan, Jeff (March 28, 2016). "Transfer receiver Derrick Willies is giving Texas Tech high hopes". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
- ^ Levins, Matt (April 30, 2018). "Willies signs with Cleveland". The Hawk Eye. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
- ^ "Browns sign 13 undrafted free agents". ClevelandBrowns.com. May 4, 2018. Archived from the original on May 5, 2018.
- ^ "Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns - September 9th, 2018-Snap counts". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
- ^ "Ravens vs. Browns:Play-by-Play". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
- ^ McDonald, Charles (October 7, 2018). "The Browns finally won a Sunday game, but not without plenty of drama". SB Nation. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
- ^ "Browns sign WR Breshad Perriman, place Derrick Willies on IR, make other roster moves". ClevelandBrowns.com. October 13, 2018.
- ^ "Browns cut roster to 53 players". ClevelandBrowns.com. August 31, 2019.
- ^ "Browns announce nine additions to practice squad". ClevelandBrowns.com. September 1, 2019.
- ^ @HBalzer721 (January 7, 2020). "Browns practice-squad contracts expired Monday: DB Tigie Sankoh; WR Derrick Willies" (Tweet). Retrieved January 9, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Smith, Pete (November 17, 2020). "Browns Sign WR Derrick Willies to Practice Squad". SI.com. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
- ^ "Browns place 5 on COVID-19 list". ClevelandBrowns.com. December 26, 2020.
- ^ "Browns sign 14 players". ClevelandBrowns.com. January 18, 2021.
- ^ "Browns place WR Derrick Willies on Reserve/Retired list". WEWS. July 30, 2021. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
External links[]
- 1994 births
- Living people
- American football wide receivers
- Cleveland Browns players
- Iowa Hawkeyes football players
- Players of American football from California
- Sportspeople from Rock Island, Illinois
- Sportspeople from San Bernardino, California
- Texas Tech Red Raiders football players
- Trinity Valley Cardinals football players