Oren O'Neal
Encyclopedia
Orenthal O'Neal is a current American football
fullback
of the National Football League
who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders
in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft
.
for six years. After joining Arkansas State in 2001 as a walk-on, O'Neal was diagnosed with chylothorax
and subsequently had part of his lung removed. He returned to the football team in 2002 and worked on getting stronger. Before the 2003 season, O'Neal earned a scholarship and was later granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA. His story was told in 2006 by CBS Sportsline when he was chosen as "National Walk-on of the Year". In that article, he told of sleeping on friends' floors and doing anything else necessary to get by as a walk-on with very little money or resources.
. He was named the rookie of the year by then Raider's coach Lane Kiffin
. He worked his way up the roster both on offense and special teams and played 14 games in 2007, recording one rushing attempt for one yard. O'Neal suffered a knee injury, which was initially thought to be possibly career-threatening, and was placed on injured reserve for the 2008 season on August 25. He was cut by the Raiders on April 2010.
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...
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...
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...
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 by the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
.
High school years
O'Neal attended Stuttgart High School in Stuttgart, Arkansas and was considered a hard-working student. He was a letterman in track and field athletics and football, including a two-time All-Conference selection for football where his primary position was offensive lineman.College career
O'Neal played collegiately at Arkansas State UniversityArkansas State University
Arkansas State University is a public university and is the flagship campus of the Arkansas State University System, the state's second largest college system and third largest university by enrollment. It is located atop on Crowley's Ridge at Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA...
for six years. After joining Arkansas State in 2001 as a walk-on, O'Neal was diagnosed with chylothorax
Chylothorax
A chylothorax is a type of pleural effusion. It results from lymphatic fluid accumulating in the pleural cavity.-Causes:...
and subsequently had part of his lung removed. He returned to the football team in 2002 and worked on getting stronger. Before the 2003 season, O'Neal earned a scholarship and was later granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA. His story was told in 2006 by CBS Sportsline when he was chosen as "National Walk-on of the Year". In that article, he told of sleeping on friends' floors and doing anything else necessary to get by as a walk-on with very little money or resources.
NFL career
O'Neal was drafted by the Raiders in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
. He was named the rookie of the year by then Raider's coach Lane Kiffin
Lane Kiffin
Lane Monte Kiffin is the current head coach of the University of Southern California Trojans college football team. He was previously the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers college football team, the Oakland Raiders of the NFL, and the offensive coordinator for the Trojans...
. He worked his way up the roster both on offense and special teams and played 14 games in 2007, recording one rushing attempt for one yard. O'Neal suffered a knee injury, which was initially thought to be possibly career-threatening, and was placed on injured reserve for the 2008 season on August 25. He was cut by the Raiders on April 2010.