Donovan Warren
Encyclopedia
College career
As a true freshman at Michigan, Warren played in all 13 season games while starting 11 of them at cornerback. He recorded 52 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, one interception and six pass breakups. In the September 15, 2007 Michigan-Notre Dame rivalryMichigan-Notre Dame rivalry
The Michigan–Notre Dame football rivalry is an American college football rivalry game played by the Michigan Wolverines football team of the University of Michigan and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team of the University of Notre Dame....
game, which Michigan won 38–0, he forced and recovered a Jimmy Clausen
Jimmy Clausen
James Richard "Jimmy" Clausen is an American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-High school career:Clausen had an outstanding prep career...
fumble on the Notre Dame
2007 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 2007 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was the college football team that represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2007 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Charlie Weis in his third year as head coach, and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre...
21-yard line while the score was 3–0. The fumble led to a Mike Hart touchdown five plays later. He was named Big Ten Defensive Freshman of the Year by The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
and also made TSN′s and College Football News
College Football News
College Football News is a magazine and website published by College Football News, Inc., headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. News coverage includes scores, statistics, rankings, and reports on college football games. Analysis includes comparisons between teams, predictions of game outcomes and...
′ Freshman All-American second team.
As a sophomore, he started ten games at cornerback and one at safety. During the November 1, 2008 game at Purdue
2008 Purdue Boilermakers football team
The 2008 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University in the Big Ten during the 2008–2009 college football season. Joe Tiller, in his 12th and final season at Purdue, was the team's head coach. The Boilermakers' home games were played at Ross-Ade Stadium in West...
, he recovered a fumble on Purdue's opening possession that led to a Brandon Minor
Brandon Minor
Brandon Ricardo Minor is an American football running back who is currently a member of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2010, but after being released during the final cuts, he has been on the New Orleans Saints and...
45–yard touchdown run on the next play.
As a junior, he started all 12 games at cornerback. That season, he led the Wolverines with four interceptions, which ranked tied for sixth in the Big Ten Conference and 49th in the nation. He recorded one in each of Michigan's first three conference games during the 2009 Big Ten Conference football season
2009 Big Ten Conference football season
The 2009 Big Ten Conference football season was the 114th for the conference, and saw Ohio State conclude the regular season as Big Ten Conference champion for the 5th consecutive time, their 34th Big Ten title. This earned them the conference's automatic selection to a Bowl Championship Series...
, including a controversial one to seal the team's fourth consecutive victory to start the season in their conference opener against the Indiana Hoosiers
2009 Indiana Hoosiers football team
The 2009 Indiana Hoosiers football team represented Indiana University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hoosiers were coached by Bill Lynch, who was in his third season season as head coach for the team. The Hoosiers played their home games in Memorial Stadium in...
that withstood instant replay
Instant replay
Instant replay is the replaying of video footage of an event or incident very soon after it has occurred. In television broadcasting of sports events, instant replay is often used during live broadcast, to show a passage of play which was important or remarkable, or which was unclear on first...
video review. He ran back the third of these interceptions for a 40-yard touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
in the first minute of the third conference game against the Iowa Hawkeyes
2009 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
The 2009 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa and the Iowa Hawkeyes athletic program during the 2009 college football season. The team played its home games at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. 2009 marked Kirk Ferentz's 11th year as head coach of Iowa...
. At the conclusion of the season, he was selected as to the 2009 All-Big Ten conference team by the media (first-team) and coaches (second-team).
Pre-draft
On December 20, 2009, Warren announced his decision to forgo his final season of collegiate eligibility and enter the 2010 NFL Draft2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
. Warren stated that the NFL's Draft Advisory Board advised him that if he entered the draft, he would be selected in the first three rounds. When Warren signed Drew Rosenhaus as his sports agent
Sports agent
A sports agent procures and negotiates employment and endorsement contracts for an athlete.In return, the sports agent generally receives between 4 and 10% of the athlete's playing contract, and 10 to 20% of the athlete's endorsement contract, though these figures vary...
, he was projected as a first or second round draft choice. Warren was considered to be a man-to-man defense
Man-to-man defense
Man-to-man defense is a type of defensive tactic used in American football, association football, and basketball in which each player is assigned to defend and follow the movements of a single player on offense. Often, a player guards his counterpart , but a player may be assigned to guard a...
specialist who needed to develop his zone defense
Zone defense
Zone defense is a type of defense, used in team sports, which is the alternative to man-to-man defense; instead of each player guarding a corresponding player on the other team, each defensive player is given an area known as a "zone" to cover....
skills. Some sources, such as Todd McShay
Todd McShay
Todd McShay is a football analyst.McShay is a native of Swampscott, Massachusetts and played quarterback for the Swampscott High School football team . In 1999, He graduated from the University of Richmond with a B.A. in leadership studies, and served as the backup quarterback before a back...
, who felt he was just a cut below the top five cornerbacks in the draft prior to the 2010 NFL Combine
NFL Combine
The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general...
, had predicted that Warren could be selected in the second round. ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
draft analyst Mel Kiper, Jr.
Mel Kiper, Jr.
Mel Kiper Jr. in Baltimore, Maryland is an American football analyst for the ESPN television channel. He has served as an analyst for ESPN's annual NFL draft coverage since 1984, providing in-depth information on the nation's potential draft picks.-Career:With the emergence of ESPN2 and ESPN.com,...
predicted Warren would be drafted in the third or fourth round of the draft, describing him as “a physical corner" who "likes going head to head on an island with the best receivers in the country, he’s never had an issue with that. Anticipation is good. Gambler, though. Gave up some big plays.” Warren aggravated an ankle injury shortly before the NFL Combine, where he struggled in position drills and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.59 seconds. His disappointing performance was cited as damaging his draft stock.
New York Jets
Despite earlier predictions, Warren was not selected in the draft. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the New York JetsNew York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
immediately after the draft. Warren's godfather
Godparent
A godparent, in many denominations of Christianity, is someone who sponsors a child's baptism. A male godparent is a godfather, and a female godparent is a godmother...
, former Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
Mark Carrier, is an assistant coach with the Jets. The 2010 New York Jets
2010 New York Jets season
The 2010 New York Jets season was the franchise's 41st season in the National Football League, the 51st season overall and the team's first season at New Meadowlands Stadium. The team improved on their 9–7 record from 2009 and reached the playoffs again. The Jets played their first pre-season game...
have several cornerbacks on their roster, including Darrelle Revis
Darrelle Revis
Though Revis was not the first defensive back drafted in the 2007 NFL Draft , he was the first cornerback taken that year...
, Antonio Cromartie
Antonio Cromartie
Antonio Cromartie is an American football cornerback for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers 19th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft...
, Dwight Lowery
Dwight Lowery
-2008:Impressed with Lowery's versatility and ball skills, the New York Jets would draft him in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft as a cornerback/safety. An injury to cornerback Justin Miller would see Lowery debut in his first NFL game against the Miami Dolphins; Lowery performed modestly...
, Drew Coleman
Drew Coleman
Drew A. Coleman is an American football cornerback who currently plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. Coleman was selected by the New York Jets in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
, Marquice Cole
Marquice Cole
Marquice Jermal Cole [Mar-KWEECE] is an American football cornerback for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was signed by the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
and first-round pick Kyle Wilson. Some sources speculate that Warren would be converted to safety. Jets head coach Rex Ryan
Rex Ryan
Rex Ryan is an American football head coach for the New York Jets of the National Football League . After serving as an assistant coach for twenty-two years, Ryan attained his first head coaching job in the NFL with the Jets in 2009...
said that although Warren would be practicing at both cornerback and safety, he felt that Warren's best shot was at safety. Warren, who was sidelined during most of the Jets training camp sessions with a concussion, was waived by New York on September 3, 2010. Warren would be signed to the team's practice squad on September 6, 2010. Warren would later be released from the team's practice squad on September 7, 2010.
2011
Warren signed a contract with the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
on January 7, 2011. He was cut September 4, 2011. Warren then signed with the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
a few days later and was placed on the practice squad. Warren was released from the Lions practice squad on September 20, 2011.
Personal
Warren's uncle Chuckie MillerChuckie Miller
Charles Elliot "Chuckie" Miller is a retired American football defensive back who played in the National Football League for the Indianapolis Colts during the 1988 NFL season after being drafted in the 1987 NFL Draft by them in the eighth round with the 200th overall selection. Donovan Warren is...
played for the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
and his father, Alvin, played football at New Mexico State
New Mexico State Aggies football
The New Mexico State Aggies football team represents New Mexico State University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Western Athletic Conference ....
.
External links
- Michigan Wolverines bio
- Warren's college stats at ESPN.comESPN.comESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
- Warren's college statistics at NCAA.org
- Warren archive at AnnArbor.comAnnArbor.comAnnArbor.com is an online newspaper that covers local news of Ann Arbor, Michigan and the surrounding Washtenaw County, Michigan.- Overview :...