Liam Ezekiel
Encyclopedia
Liam Ezekiel is an American football
linebacker
for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Buffalo Bills
in 2005. He played college football
at Northeastern
.
He has also played for the Nashville Kats
and Chicago Rush
.
where he lettered
in football
, basketball
, and track
, as well as played hockey
. He was named Team MVP
and a league all-start as a sophomore
, junior
, and senior
. He was name to the All-State team as a junior and senior. He was also named All-Scholastic by the Boston Herald
and Boston Globe. He was also named to the All-State Select 22 team as a senior. He once recorded a school record 21 tackles
in a single game, and 115 tackles in one season. That record was later broken by Matt Duggan who had 26 tackles in one game. He finished his high school
career with a school-record 450 tackles.
and was a member of the school's football team.
As a freshman in 2001, Ezekiel was originally going to play at Division I-A West Virginia
, however he decided to attended Northeastern in the summer 2001. He was named Third-team All-Atlantic 10, the first player in school history to ever earn All-Conference honors as a freshman. In his freshman season, he missed the first two games, but played in the last nine. He finished the season second on the teams with 82 tackles, setting a school freshman record. His average of 9.1 tackles-per-game was the highest on the team and eighth best in the conference. In his first game, he replaced injured linebacker Joe Gazzola, and recorded 13 tackles to help lead the team to its first win over Delaware. Ezekiel later recorded a season-high 15 tackles and one sack to help lead Northeastern to its first conference shutout ever, a 7-0 win over Richmond
.
As a sophomore in 2002, Ezekiel led the conference and was seventh in the nation (Division I-AA) with a school-record 145 tackles, an average of 11.2 tackles-per-game. He was a Sports Network Third-team All-American. He was also First-team All-Conference, a New England
Writers All-Star, he was also named the conference's Defensive Player of the Week after recording a career-high 22 tackles (one short of the school's single-game record), on the road against Delaware. He recorded 20 tackles on the road against William & Mary to become the first player in school history to have two 20-tackle games in the same season. He also won the James Thornton
Memorial Award as MVP
of the Homecoming
game, after recording 15 tackles, one forced fumble
and two fumble recoveries against Villanova
. He also returned his first-career interception 28 yards for a touchdown
against James Madison
. He played the last five weeks of the season with a broken thumb
. For the season he recorded seven double-digit tackle games. He also won the Chicken Lou Award as the team's most aggressive player. Through just two seasons, Ezekiel had recorded 227 tackles, 20 short of the school's top 10.
As a junior in 2003, Ezekiel started all 12 games. He also received First-team All-America honors from both the Associated Press
and Sports Network. He also earned First-team All-Conference, for the second straight year. He was also named a First-team All-Star by the ECAC
and the New England Writers. He won the Atlantic 10 Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors after recording a season-high 17 tackles and returning an interception 40 yards agasnst UMass
. He finished the season fifth in the conference and 12th in the nation Division I-AA) in tackles-per-game with 11.7. He recorded 140 tackles, second most in school history, behind his total from the previous season. He also finished in a tie for ninth in the conference in sacks with 5.5. He recorded double-digit tackles in the last 11 games of the season. He also recorded a career-high two sacks against Rhode Island.
As a senior in 2004, Ezekiel appeared in and started 10 games. He earned First-team All-Conference for the third consecutive season. He also earned First-team All-America honors from the Associated Press and Second-team All-America honors by the Sports Network. He was also named a First-team All-Star by the New England Football Writers and the ECAC. He was also a finalist for the Buck Buchanan
Award. He also appeared in the East-West Shrine Game
in San Francisco, California
, in which he recorded six tackles. He also led the conference and was sixth in the nation (Division I-AA) in tackles-per-game with 12.2. His 122 tackles finished fifth in the conference. Ezekiel finished his college career as Northeastern's all-time leader in tackles with 489. His career total placed him second in Division I-AA history.
. However, he later signed as an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Bills
, where he made the final roster as a rookie
and played for two seasons, appearing in two games, recording six tackles.
of the Arena Football League and played in all 16 games and recorded a team-leading 82.5 tackles, three for losses. He also recorded 1.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble. In October 2007, he was selected by the Utah Blaze
with the eighth pick in the 2008 dispersal draft
, but was released at the end of training camp. He then signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Rush
to replace Fullback
Matt Kinsinger
, who suffered a season-ending knee
injury during the Rush's season-opening win over the San Jose SaberCats
, and played in 15 games and recorded 32 tackles, one pass broken up, and two fumble recoveries. After the season, Ezekiel's contract expired and was not renewed.
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...
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...
for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 2005. 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 Northeastern
Northeastern Huskies
The Northeastern University Huskies are the athletic teams representing Northeastern University. They compete in thirteen varsity team sports: men's and women's hockey ; men's baseball, men's and women's basketball, women's field hockey and volleyball, swimming, and men's and women's soccer , and...
.
He has also played for the Nashville Kats
Nashville Kats
The Nashville Kats were an Arena Football League team, located in Nashville, Tennessee. They were last coached by Pat Sperduto, who coached the team's original incarnation to two ArenaBowl appearances prior to the original franchise's move to Atlanta in 2002...
and Chicago Rush
Chicago Rush
The Chicago Rush is an arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. It is a member of the Central Division of the National Conference of the Arena Football League. The team was founded in 2001 and is co-owned by Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame player and coach.The Rush have qualified for the...
.
Early years
Ezekiel attended Arlington High SchoolArlington High School (Arlington, Massachusetts)
Arlington High School is a secondary school located in Arlington, Massachusetts. As of 2010, the school enrolls approximately 1,300 students annually. The current school principal is Mary Villano.-History:...
where he lettered
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, as well as played hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
. He was named Team MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
and a league all-start as a sophomore
Tenth grade
In majority of the world,Tenth grade is the tenth year of school post-kindergarten. The variants of "10th grade" in various nations is described below.-Australia:...
, junior
Eleventh grade
Eleventh Grade is the eleventh, and for some countries final, grade of secondary schools. Students are typically 16 or 17 years of age, depending on the country and the students' birthdays.-Brazil:...
, and senior
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
. He was name to the All-State team as a junior and senior. He was also named All-Scholastic by the Boston Herald
Boston Herald
The Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...
and Boston Globe. He was also named to the All-State Select 22 team as a senior. He once recorded a school record 21 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
in a single game, and 115 tackles in one season. That record was later broken by Matt Duggan who had 26 tackles in one game. He finished his high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
career with a school-record 450 tackles.
College career
Ezekiel attended Northeastern where he majored in Criminal JusticeCriminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
and was a member of the school's football team.
As a freshman in 2001, Ezekiel was originally going to play at Division I-A West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
, however he decided to attended Northeastern in the summer 2001. He was named Third-team All-Atlantic 10, the first player in school history to ever earn All-Conference honors as a freshman. In his freshman season, he missed the first two games, but played in the last nine. He finished the season second on the teams with 82 tackles, setting a school freshman record. His average of 9.1 tackles-per-game was the highest on the team and eighth best in the conference. In his first game, he replaced injured linebacker Joe Gazzola, and recorded 13 tackles to help lead the team to its first win over Delaware. Ezekiel later recorded a season-high 15 tackles and one sack to help lead Northeastern to its first conference shutout ever, a 7-0 win over Richmond
Richmond Spiders football
The Richmond Spiders are a college football team representing the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia. Richmond was the Division I Football Championship Subdivision champion for the 2008 season. Richmond currently competes in the Colonial Athletic Association of the NCAA's Division I...
.
As a sophomore in 2002, Ezekiel led the conference and was seventh in the nation (Division I-AA) with a school-record 145 tackles, an average of 11.2 tackles-per-game. He was a Sports Network Third-team All-American. He was also First-team All-Conference, a New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
Writers All-Star, he was also named the conference's Defensive Player of the Week after recording a career-high 22 tackles (one short of the school's single-game record), on the road against Delaware. He recorded 20 tackles on the road against William & Mary to become the first player in school history to have two 20-tackle games in the same season. He also won the James Thornton
James Thornton
James Thornton may refer to:*James Thornton , English actor*James Thornton , American football player*James Thornton *James Thornton *James Thornton...
Memorial Award as MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of the Homecoming
Homecoming
Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...
game, after recording 15 tackles, one forced fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
and two fumble recoveries against Villanova
Villanova Wildcats
The Villanova Wildcats is the name of the athletic teams of Villanova University. They compete in the Big East for every sport except football, where they compete in the Colonial Athletic Association .-Men's basketball:The Villanova Wildcats compete in the Big EAST and are currently coached by Jay...
. He also returned his first-career interception 28 yards for a 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:...
against James Madison
James Madison Dukes football
The James Madison Dukes football team, founded in 1972, plays at Bridgeforth Stadium. Originally called JMU Stadium, it was renamed for William E. Bridgeforth in 1990. The JMU football team was rarely the centerpiece of JMU sports until the hiring of Mickey Matthews in 1999...
. He played the last five weeks of the season with a broken thumb
Thumb
The thumb is the first digit of the hand. When a person is standing in the medical anatomical position , the thumb is the lateral-most digit...
. For the season he recorded seven double-digit tackle games. He also won the Chicken Lou Award as the team's most aggressive player. Through just two seasons, Ezekiel had recorded 227 tackles, 20 short of the school's top 10.
As a junior in 2003, Ezekiel started all 12 games. He also received First-team All-America honors from both the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
and Sports Network. He also earned First-team All-Conference, for the second straight year. He was also named a First-team All-Star by the ECAC
Eastern College Athletic Conference
The Eastern College Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference comprising schools that compete in 21 sports . It has 317 member institutions in NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, ranging in location from Maine to North Carolina and west to Illinois...
and the New England Writers. He won the Atlantic 10 Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors after recording a season-high 17 tackles and returning an interception 40 yards agasnst UMass
University of Massachusetts
This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
. He finished the season fifth in the conference and 12th in the nation Division I-AA) in tackles-per-game with 11.7. He recorded 140 tackles, second most in school history, behind his total from the previous season. He also finished in a tie for ninth in the conference in sacks with 5.5. He recorded double-digit tackles in the last 11 games of the season. He also recorded a career-high two sacks against Rhode Island.
As a senior in 2004, Ezekiel appeared in and started 10 games. He earned First-team All-Conference for the third consecutive season. He also earned First-team All-America honors from the Associated Press and Second-team All-America honors by the Sports Network. He was also named a First-team All-Star by the New England Football Writers and the ECAC. He was also a finalist for the Buck Buchanan
Buck Buchanan
Junious "Buck" Buchanan was an American collegiate and professional Football defensive tackle. He played for the Kansas City Chiefs in the American Football League and in the National Football League ....
Award. He also appeared in the East-West Shrine Game
East-West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game played each January since 1925. The game is sponsored by the fraternal group Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the net proceeds are earmarked to some of the Shrine's charitable works, most notably the Shriners...
in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, in which he recorded six tackles. He also led the conference and was sixth in the nation (Division I-AA) in tackles-per-game with 12.2. His 122 tackles finished fifth in the conference. Ezekiel finished his college career as Northeastern's all-time leader in tackles with 489. His career total placed him second in Division I-AA history.
Pre-draft
Ezekiel received an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine. He was ranked as the 15th best inside linebacker out of 57., as well as the 308th best player out of 1,451 players in the draft. He was projected to be selected in the seventh round or go unselected.| NFL Combine measureables | ||||||
| Wt. Weight In science and engineering, the weight of an object is the force on the object due to gravity. Its magnitude , often denoted by an italic letter W, is the product of the mass m of the object and the magnitude of the local gravitational acceleration g; thus:... |
40-yard dash |
20-yard short 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... |
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... |
Vertical jump 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... |
Bench Press 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... 225 lb. reps |
Broad Jump Standing long jump The standing long jump is an athletics event. It was an Olympic event until 1912.In performing the standing long jump, the jumper stands at a line marked on the ground with their feet slightly apart. The athlete takes off and lands using both feet, swinging their arms and bending their knees to... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *249 lb. | *4.81 | *4.12 | *7.29 | *34½" | *36 | *9'10" |
National Football League
Ezekiel went unselected in the 2005 NFL Draft2005 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...
. However, he later signed as an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, where he made the final roster as a rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
and played for two seasons, appearing in two games, recording six tackles.
Arena Football League
After being released by the Bills, Ezekiel joined the Nashville KatsNashville Kats
The Nashville Kats were an Arena Football League team, located in Nashville, Tennessee. They were last coached by Pat Sperduto, who coached the team's original incarnation to two ArenaBowl appearances prior to the original franchise's move to Atlanta in 2002...
of the Arena Football League and played in all 16 games and recorded a team-leading 82.5 tackles, three for losses. He also recorded 1.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble. In October 2007, he was selected by the Utah Blaze
Utah Blaze
The Utah Blaze is a professional arena football team based in Salt Lake City, Utah and competes in the West division of the Arena Football League. Home games are played at the EnergySolutions Arena.-The original Utah Blaze :...
with the eighth pick in the 2008 dispersal draft
Dispersal draft
A dispersal draft is a process in professional sports for assigning players to a new team when their current team goes out of business, consolidates with another team, or for some other reason ceases to exist. Since most sports drafts are held in North America, this is where most dispersal drafts...
, but was released at the end of training camp. He then signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Rush
Chicago Rush
The Chicago Rush is an arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. It is a member of the Central Division of the National Conference of the Arena Football League. The team was founded in 2001 and is co-owned by Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame player and coach.The Rush have qualified for the...
to replace Fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
Matt Kinsinger
Matt Kinsinger
Matthew Mark Kinsinger is an Arena Football League fullback/linebacker for the Chicago Rush. He was previously with the Las Vegas Gladiators and San Jose SaberCats...
, who suffered a season-ending knee
Knee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
injury during the Rush's season-opening win over the San Jose SaberCats
San Jose SaberCats
The San Jose SaberCats are a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League. They began play as a 1995 expansion team. They played in the Western Division of the American Conference. Their final coach in the original Arena Football League was Darren Arbet, who will be a part of the...
, and played in 15 games and recorded 32 tackles, one pass broken up, and two fumble recoveries. After the season, Ezekiel's contract expired and was not renewed.