Eric Shelton
Encyclopedia
Eric Shelton is an American football
running back
who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted
by the Carolina Panthers
in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Louisville
.
Shelton has also been a member of the Washington Redskins
.
in Lexington, Kentucky
, where he played both running back and linebacker
and twice earned state Class 4A Player of the Year honors. He totaled 4,970 yards rushing with 59 touchdowns and 129 tackles with 11 sacks and 41 stops for losses during his career. Shelton was a First-team USA Today
and Parade All-American and was also an All-State track performer who competed in the high hurdles, triple jump and 4x100 relay. It was in high school that he met his future wife Shamea.He was on Tom Lemming's Top 100 highschool recruits, ranked at #6 in the nation
career at Florida State University
, where he played one season as a true freshman for the Seminoles
. He finished fourth on the team with 29 carries for 130 yards (4.5 avg.) but was disappointed with his playing time and decided to transfer to Louisville. As a result of NCAA
transfer rules, however, he was forced to sit out the 2002 season.
, and in during his junior year (in 2004) he led the Cardinals
in rushing (938 yards) and touchdowns (20). His touchdown total tied the single season Lousiville touchdown record (since broken by Michael Bush
with 23 in 2005) and he also tied a Louisville record by rushing for five touchdowns in a game versus East Carolina University
. He ranked sixth in the nation with 120 points. In 22 games with the Cardinals, he totaled 1,728 yards on 312 carries (5.5 avg) and had 30 touchdown runs. His 30 touchdowns rank third all time at Louisville despite his only playing two years there.
in the second round (54th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft
by the Carolina Panthers
with a pick they obtained from the Seattle Seahawks
. Shelton's NFL career got off to a rough start as he was placed on injured reserve
at the beginning of the 2005 NFL season
due to a broken foot. In the 2006 season, Shelton rushed for 23 yards on only eight carries, and was activated in only eight games. After a disappointing career with the Panthers he was released by them on September 1, 2007.
signed Shelton to a future contract. He was waived/injured with a neck injury on July 30 and subsequently placed on injured reserve. He was released with an injury settlement on August 15.
, Women's Entertainment Network. The final cost for the Lexington, KY wedding was $270,000, funded by Shelton's endorsement money.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was drafted
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
by the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Louisville
Louisville Cardinals football
The Louisville Cardinals football team represents the University of Louisville in college football as a member of the Big East Conference. Howard Schnellenberger started the program's rise to relevancy after winning the Miami Hurricanes' first national championship...
.
Shelton has also been a member of the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
.
Early years
Shelton attended Bryan Station High SchoolBryan Station High School
Bryan Station High School, founded in 1958, is a high school within the Fayette County Public Schools system in Lexington, Kentucky. During the 2006-2007 school year, students were moved to their newly built school known as Bryan Station High. The school was named for Bryan Station, a 18th century...
in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
, where he played both running back and linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
and twice earned state Class 4A Player of the Year honors. He totaled 4,970 yards rushing with 59 touchdowns and 129 tackles with 11 sacks and 41 stops for losses during his career. Shelton was a First-team USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
and Parade All-American and was also an All-State track performer who competed in the high hurdles, triple jump and 4x100 relay. It was in high school that he met his future wife Shamea.He was on Tom Lemming's Top 100 highschool recruits, ranked at #6 in the nation
Florida State
Shelton started his collegiateCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
career at Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, where he played one season as a true freshman for the Seminoles
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
. He finished fourth on the team with 29 carries for 130 yards (4.5 avg.) but was disappointed with his playing time and decided to transfer to Louisville. As a result of NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
transfer rules, however, he was forced to sit out the 2002 season.
Louisville
Shelton attended the University of LouisvilleUniversity of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
, and in during his junior year (in 2004) he led the Cardinals
Louisville Cardinals football
The Louisville Cardinals football team represents the University of Louisville in college football as a member of the Big East Conference. Howard Schnellenberger started the program's rise to relevancy after winning the Miami Hurricanes' first national championship...
in rushing (938 yards) and touchdowns (20). His touchdown total tied the single season Lousiville touchdown record (since broken by Michael Bush
Michael Bush
Michael Bush is an American football running back for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 4th round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
with 23 in 2005) and he also tied a Louisville record by rushing for five touchdowns in a game versus East Carolina University
East Carolina University
East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...
. He ranked sixth in the nation with 120 points. In 22 games with the Cardinals, he totaled 1,728 yards on 312 carries (5.5 avg) and had 30 touchdown runs. His 30 touchdowns rank third all time at Louisville despite his only playing two years there.
Carolina Panthers
Shelton was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in the second round (54th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
by the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
with a pick they obtained from the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
. Shelton's NFL career got off to a rough start as he was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
at the beginning of the 2005 NFL season
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
due to a broken foot. In the 2006 season, Shelton rushed for 23 yards on only eight carries, and was activated in only eight games. After a disappointing career with the Panthers he was released by them on September 1, 2007.
Washington Redskins
On January 9, 2008, the Washington RedskinsWashington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
signed Shelton to a future contract. He was waived/injured with a neck injury on July 30 and subsequently placed on injured reserve. He was released with an injury settlement on August 15.
Personal
Shelton and his wife Shamea had their wedding documented on episode six of the first season of My Big Fat Fabulous Wedding, a show on WEWe
We is the first-person, plural personal pronoun in Modern English.- Atypical uses of we : A nosism is the use of 'we' to refer to oneself....
, Women's Entertainment Network. The final cost for the Lexington, KY wedding was $270,000, funded by Shelton's endorsement money.