Jordan Norwood
Encyclopedia
Jordan Shea Rashad Norwood (born September 28, 1986 in Honolulu, Hawaii
) is a Filipino-American American football
wide receiver
for the Cleveland Browns
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football
at Penn State
.
Norwood has also been a member of the Philadelphia Eagles
. Norwood is the son of Baylor
defensive coordinator
and former Penn State secondary coach Brian Norwood
.
. He received few scholarship offers and accepted Penn State's last minute offer over an offer from Bucknell
to play football and basketball. It was his leadership and jumping skills on the basketball court that led coach Joe Paterno
to offer him a football scholarship.
In 2005, his freshman season, Norwood caught 32 passes for 422 yards with a 13.2 yard average.
Norwood's sophomore season concluded with him making the Dean's List and being named to the Academic All-Big Ten team. He caught 45 passes for 472 yards and 2 touchdowns with a 10.5 yard average. He joined the basketball team under Ed DeChellis
in January, practicing regularly and appearing in four games as a reserve guard in his only season playing basketball.
In his junior season, Jordan caught 40 balls for 484 yards and 5 touchdowns with a 12.1 yard average including catching a touchdown pass lying down on the ground versus Buffalo. He had a season high 8 catches for 65 yards and a touchdown in a 36-31 win over Indiana
.
Norwood earned all-Big Ten honorable mention honors as a senior, after catching 41 passes for 637 yards and six touchdowns. Norwood's eight-catch, 116-yard performance versus Oregon State
on September 6, 2008 moved him past O.J. McDuffie into third place on Penn State’s career reception list. Afterward, he was congratulated in person by McDuffie, who attended the game. Norwood had a second consecutive 100 plus yard game on September 13, 2008 against the Syracuse Orange
. He had 5 receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Before the game against Illinois, Norwood injured his hamstring and didn't participate against the Illini and the Boilermakers.
(sixth among wide receivers at the combine), ran 6.80 in the 3 cone drill
(ninth among wide receivers at the combine), and 4.20 in the 20 yard shuttle
(ninth among wide receivers at the combine).
in the 2009 NFL Draft
, Norwood signed with the Cleveland Browns
as an undrafted free agent on May 1, 2009. He was waived by the Browns during final roster cuts on September 5, 2009.
practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster on December 1, 2009. He was waived on December 7. On December 9, he was re-signed to their practice squad. He was re-signed to a three-year contract on January 11, 2010. On March 18, Norwood changed his number from 84 to 19 after Hank Baskett
was re-signed by the Eagles and took number 84 back. Norwood was waived on September 4.
' practice squad on September 6, 2010. He was promoted to the active roster before Week 13 of the 2010 season.
in Advertising/Public Relations from Penn State in 2008.
Jordan has two younger brothers, Zachariah and Levi, a younger sister Brianna, and an older brother, Gabe
, who is a former member of the George Mason University
basketball team that advanced to the 2006 NCAA Final Four
and is currently playing for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the Philippine Basketball Association
as well as a former member of the Philippine national basketball team. Levi is currently a two sport athlete for Baylor University playing both football and basketball.
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
) is a Filipino-American American football
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...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
for the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was signed by the Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2009. 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 Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
.
Norwood has also been a member of the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Norwood is the son of Baylor
Baylor Bears football
The Baylor Bears football team represents Baylor University in Division I FBS college football. They are a member of the Big 12 Conference. The team plays its home games at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas.-History:...
defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
and former Penn State secondary coach Brian Norwood
Brian Norwood
Brian Norwood is an American football coach . He currently serves as Assistant Head Coach to Art Briles at Baylor University. Both Norwood and Briles served as assistants to Mike Leach at Texas Tech in 2000...
.
College career
Norwood was lightly recruited out of State College Area High SchoolState College Area High School
State College Area High School is the only public high school in the State College Area School District. Located within walking distance of Penn State University, the school offers a wide and diverse selection of electives, and is known for its academic, athletic, and musical prominence.State High...
. He received few scholarship offers and accepted Penn State's last minute offer over an offer from Bucknell
Bucknell University
Bucknell University is a private liberal arts university located alongside the West Branch Susquehanna River in the rolling countryside of Central Pennsylvania in the town of Lewisburg, 30 miles southeast of Williamsport and 60 miles north of Harrisburg. The university consists of the College of...
to play football and basketball. It was his leadership and jumping skills on the basketball court that led coach Joe Paterno
Joe Paterno
Joseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno is a former college football coach who was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions for 46 years from 1966 through 2011. Paterno, nicknamed "JoePa," holds the record for the most victories by an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football coach with...
to offer him a football scholarship.
In 2005, his freshman season, Norwood caught 32 passes for 422 yards with a 13.2 yard average.
Norwood's sophomore season concluded with him making the Dean's List and being named to the Academic All-Big Ten team. He caught 45 passes for 472 yards and 2 touchdowns with a 10.5 yard average. He joined the basketball team under Ed DeChellis
Ed DeChellis
Edward Richard DeChellis is an American college basketball coach and current head men's basketball coach at the United States Naval Academy. Previously he was the head coach at Penn State from 2003-2011 and at East Tennessee State from 1996-2003. At Penn State, DeChellis led the Nittany Lions to...
in January, practicing regularly and appearing in four games as a reserve guard in his only season playing basketball.
In his junior season, Jordan caught 40 balls for 484 yards and 5 touchdowns with a 12.1 yard average including catching a touchdown pass lying down on the ground versus Buffalo. He had a season high 8 catches for 65 yards and a touchdown in a 36-31 win over Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers football
The Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference.-Bowl games:...
.
Norwood earned all-Big Ten honorable mention honors as a senior, after catching 41 passes for 637 yards and six touchdowns. Norwood's eight-catch, 116-yard performance versus Oregon State
Oregon State Beavers football
The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I-A college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893 and is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The head coach is Mike Riley, with Danny Langsdorf as the offensive...
on September 6, 2008 moved him past O.J. McDuffie into third place on Penn State’s career reception list. Afterward, he was congratulated in person by McDuffie, who attended the game. Norwood had a second consecutive 100 plus yard game on September 13, 2008 against the Syracuse Orange
2008 Syracuse Orange football team
The 2008 Syracuse Orange football team is the football team representing Syracuse University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Orange is coached by Greg Robinson and plays their home games in the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York....
. He had 5 receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Before the game against Illinois, Norwood injured his hamstring and didn't participate against the Illini and the Boilermakers.
Pre-draft
Norwood was invited to the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine where he measured a 38-inch vertical jumpVertical jump
A vertical jump or vertical leap is the act of raising one's center of gravity higher in the vertical plane solely with the use of one's own muscles; it is a measure of how high an individual or athlete can elevate off the ground from a standstill.-Types of vertical jump:The vertical jump is...
(sixth among wide receivers at the combine), ran 6.80 in the 3 cone drill
3 cone drill
The 3 cone drill, or three cone drill, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the agility, quickness and fluidity of movement of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting...
(ninth among wide receivers at the combine), and 4.20 in the 20 yard shuttle
20 yard shuttle
The 20-yard shuttle, also simply called the short shuttle, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the quickness and change-of-direction ability of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting...
(ninth among wide receivers at the combine).
| Pre-draft measureables | |||||||||||||||||||
| Height | Weight | 40-yard dash 40 yard dash The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering . It is primarily run to evaluate the speed of American football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time in the 40 can have a heavy impact on his prospects in college or professional football... |
10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20 ss 20 yard shuttle The 20-yard shuttle, also simply called the short shuttle, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the quickness and change-of-direction ability of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
3-cone 3 cone drill The 3 cone drill, or three cone drill, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the agility, quickness and fluidity of movement of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
Vert Vertical jump A vertical jump or vertical leap is the act of raising one's center of gravity higher in the vertical plane solely with the use of one's own muscles; it is a measure of how high an individual or athlete can elevate off the ground from a standstill.-Types of vertical jump:The vertical jump is... |
Broad | BP Bench press The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight... |
Wonderlic | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-10⅞ * | 179 * | 4.58 * | 1.50 * | 2.61 * | 4.20 * | 6.80 * | 38" * | 10'00" ** | X | 30 * | |||||||||
| *At 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... **At Penn State Pro Day |
|||||||||||||||||||
First stint with Browns
After being undraftedUndrafted
An undrafted sportsperson or undrafted free agent is specific type of sportsperson who plays, or attempts to play, in a professional sports league without first being selected in a draft....
in the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
, Norwood signed with the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent on May 1, 2009. He was waived by the Browns during final roster cuts on September 5, 2009.
Philadelphia Eagles
On September 23, 2009, Norwood was signed to the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster on December 1, 2009. He was waived on December 7. On December 9, he was re-signed to their practice squad. He was re-signed to a three-year contract on January 11, 2010. On March 18, Norwood changed his number from 84 to 19 after Hank Baskett
Hank Baskett
Henry Randall "Hank" Baskett III is a wide receiver who is currently a free agent. Baskett has played for three NFL teams, the Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts....
was re-signed by the Eagles and took number 84 back. Norwood was waived on September 4.
Second stint with Browns
Norwood was signed to the Cleveland BrownsCleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
' practice squad on September 6, 2010. He was promoted to the active roster before Week 13 of the 2010 season.
Personal
Norwood earned a Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Advertising/Public Relations from Penn State in 2008.
Jordan has two younger brothers, Zachariah and Levi, a younger sister Brianna, and an older brother, Gabe
Gabe Norwood
Gabriel Daniel Norwood also known as Gabe Norwood is a Filipino-American professional basketball player and a former NCAA basketball player at George Mason University. Norwood is currently playing for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the Philippine Basketball Association...
, who is a former member of the George Mason University
George Mason Patriots men's basketball
The George Mason Patriots men's basketball team represents George Mason University and competes in the Colonial Athletic Association of NCAA Division I...
basketball team that advanced to the 2006 NCAA Final Four
2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2005–06 basketball season...
and is currently playing for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the Philippine Basketball Association
Philippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association , is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of 10 company-branded franchised teams. It is the first and oldest professional basketball league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the NBA...
as well as a former member of the Philippine national basketball team. Levi is currently a two sport athlete for Baylor University playing both football and basketball.