Pat Devlin (American football)
Encyclopedia
Patrick Ryan "Pat" Devlin (born April 12, 1988) is an American football
quarterback
for the Miami Dolphins
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He started at quarterback
for the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens of the University of Delaware
. He was recruited to play for the Penn State Nittany Lions
out of Downingtown East High School
. Having set the Pennsylvania high school career passing yards record
with 8,162 career yards, Devlin was a highly touted recruit. Devlin played two seasons at Penn State before deciding to transfer to the University of Delaware
.
the 2006 season
, Devlin was listed as the third-string quarterback behind Anthony Morelli
and Daryll Clark
in 2007
. Devlin saw action in games against Florida International
, Wisconsin
, and Temple
, but accumulated few statistics.
, controversy swirled around the Nittany Lions' starting quarterback position. Daryll Clark
, the more experienced and agile quarterback was being weighed against the younger, more prolific passing threat in Devlin. In the end, Penn State coach Joe Paterno
chose to start Daryll Clark
while having him split as much time with Devlin as would be possible. Lopsided victories in the first four games of the 2008 season provided Devlin with much playing time. In games against Coastal Carolina
, Oregon State
, Syracuse, and Temple, Devlin threw for 260 yards and was 18 of 35. When Clark was forced out in the fourth quarter of the Nittany Lions' crucial game versus Ohio State
due to a concussion, Devlin led the team on a go-ahead drive that was culminated by his own 1-yard touchdown run. He also had some playing time against Wisconsin, Michigan
, Indiana
, and Michigan State. Devlin appeared in ten games for the Nittany Lions, passing for 459 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.
Devlin decided to transfer from Penn State prior to the 2009 Rose Bowl
.
on February 4, 2009 to play for the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team.
Devlin led the 2009 squad to a 6–5 record. Devlin started all eleven games for the Blue Hens, passing for 2,664 yards, sixteen touchdowns, and nine interceptions. In the final game of the season against Villanova University
, Devlin passed for Delaware school records in completions (42) and attempts (58) and threw for 407 yards. Devlin was named the Colonial Athletic Association
Football Offensive Player of the Week twice during the season, and led the league in passing average per game (242.2 yards) and total offense per game (253.7 yards). He also was honored as the Eastern College Athletic Conference
Division I – Championship Subdivision Offensive Player of the Week.
The Sports Network wrote that "Devlin has put some teeth back into the Blue Hen passing attack with his accurate throws and on-field leadership", and included him as a finalist in the voting for the 2009 Walter Payton Award
, given to the most outstanding offensive player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA). In November 2009, Devlin was honored as the local College Player of the Year by the Eagles Fly for Leukemia program, an organization supporting pediatric cancer and leukemia
research in the Delaware Valley
.
and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
.
In the season's first game against West Chester
, Devlin completed 14 of 23 passes for 163 yards with three touchdown passes to lead the team to a 31-0 shutout. Although Devlin fractured a bone in his non-throwing wrist in the first quarter of the game against South Dakota State
, he played through the middle of the fourth quarter. Although cleared to play the following week against Duquesne, Devlin stood on the sidelines. Devlin came back the following week with a big second-half win against Richmond
, but was knocked out of the following week's game against James Madison
with a concussion. Back at home against Maine, Devlin completed 20 of 36 passes for 286 yards, leading the Blue Hens to their sixth win of the season. After a close win against Rhode Island and a one-point loss against William & Mary
, he dominated against Towson
, completing 29 of 38 passes for 318 yards and one touchdown while running for another score. Devlin became the ninth Delaware player to pass for over 4,000 yards in a career.
and was regarded as one of the top ten quarterbacks entering the draft by NFL Network
analyst Mike Mayock
but was not drafted. He was targeted as the first overall pick in the 2011 UFL Draft
, but declined to sign a mandatory contract.
as an undrafted free agent on July 26, 2011. He was waived
after the preseason, but signed with the team's practice squad
.
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...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern 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 Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He started at quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens of the University of Delaware
University of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
. He was recruited to play for the Penn State Nittany Lions
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...
out of Downingtown East High School
Downingtown High School
Downingtown High School is a secondary school located in Downingtown, Pennsylvania and Uwchlan Township, Pennsylvania. Population growth in the burgeoning Downingtown Area School District forced the original Downingtown High School to split into two campuses: Downingtown High School East Campus...
. Having set the Pennsylvania high school career passing yards record
PIAA Football Records
This is a list of Football records set by individual players in various categories in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association.- Career yards :6,000 Yards Minimum# 9,752 Derek Buganza, Brockway, 2007-2010...
with 8,162 career yards, Devlin was a highly touted recruit. Devlin played two seasons at Penn State before deciding to transfer to the University of Delaware
University of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
.
2007
After redshirtingRedshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
the 2006 season
2006 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
The 2006 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2006–2007 college football season. The team's head coach was Joe Paterno. It played its home games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania....
, Devlin was listed as the third-string quarterback behind Anthony Morelli
Anthony Morelli
Anthony Michael Morelli is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
and Daryll Clark
Daryll Clark
Daryll Lawrence Clark is a football quarterback who is currently a member of the Chicago Rush. He was signed by the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League as an free agent in 2010. He played collegiately for the Penn State Nittany Lions. He is the Nittany Lions' all-time leader in...
in 2007
2007 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
The 2007 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2007 college football season. The team was coached by Joe Paterno and played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania....
. Devlin saw action in games against Florida International
FIU Golden Panthers football
The FIU Golden Panthers football team represent Florida International University in Miami, Florida in the sport of college football. The FIU Panthers are a mid-major NCAA FBS college football team in the Sun Belt Conference led by Mario Cristobal and play at the on-campus FIU Stadium.-History:On...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
, and Temple
Temple Owls football
The Temple Owls football team participates in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference...
, but accumulated few statistics.
2008
In the weeks leading up to the start of the 2008 season2008 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
The 2008 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the 2008 college football season. The team is coached by Joe Paterno and plays its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.-Previous season:...
, controversy swirled around the Nittany Lions' starting quarterback position. Daryll Clark
Daryll Clark
Daryll Lawrence Clark is a football quarterback who is currently a member of the Chicago Rush. He was signed by the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League as an free agent in 2010. He played collegiately for the Penn State Nittany Lions. He is the Nittany Lions' all-time leader in...
, the more experienced and agile quarterback was being weighed against the younger, more prolific passing threat in Devlin. In the end, Penn State 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...
chose to start Daryll Clark
Daryll Clark
Daryll Lawrence Clark is a football quarterback who is currently a member of the Chicago Rush. He was signed by the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League as an free agent in 2010. He played collegiately for the Penn State Nittany Lions. He is the Nittany Lions' all-time leader in...
while having him split as much time with Devlin as would be possible. Lopsided victories in the first four games of the 2008 season provided Devlin with much playing time. In games against Coastal Carolina
Coastal Carolina University
Coastal Carolina University is an independent, state-supported, liberal arts university in Conway, South Carolina, USA, located eight miles west of Myrtle Beach. Founded in 1954, Coastal became an independent university in 1993. The University enrolls approximately 8,300 students on its campus...
, 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...
, Syracuse, and Temple, Devlin threw for 260 yards and was 18 of 35. When Clark was forced out in the fourth quarter of the Nittany Lions' crucial game versus Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
due to a concussion, Devlin led the team on a go-ahead drive that was culminated by his own 1-yard touchdown run. He also had some playing time against Wisconsin, Michigan
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
, 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:...
, and Michigan State. Devlin appeared in ten games for the Nittany Lions, passing for 459 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.
Devlin decided to transfer from Penn State prior to the 2009 Rose Bowl
2009 Rose Bowl
The 2009 Rose Bowl, the 95th edition of the annual game, was a college football bowl game played on Thursday, January 1, 2009 at the same-named stadium in Pasadena, California. Because of sponsorship by Citi, the first game in the 2009 edition of the Bowl Championship Series was officially titled...
.
2009
Devlin signed with the University of DelawareUniversity of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
on February 4, 2009 to play for the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team.
Devlin led the 2009 squad to a 6–5 record. Devlin started all eleven games for the Blue Hens, passing for 2,664 yards, sixteen touchdowns, and nine interceptions. In the final game of the season against Villanova University
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, Devlin passed for Delaware school records in completions (42) and attempts (58) and threw for 407 yards. Devlin was named the Colonial Athletic Association
Colonial Athletic Association
The Colonial Athletic Association is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose full-time members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to Georgia. Most of its members are public universities, with five in Virginia alone, and the conference is headquartered in Richmond,...
Football Offensive Player of the Week twice during the season, and led the league in passing average per game (242.2 yards) and total offense per game (253.7 yards). He also was honored as the Eastern College Athletic Conference
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...
Division I – Championship Subdivision Offensive Player of the Week.
The Sports Network wrote that "Devlin has put some teeth back into the Blue Hen passing attack with his accurate throws and on-field leadership", and included him as a finalist in the voting for the 2009 Walter Payton Award
Walter Payton Award
The Walter Payton Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding offensive player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision of college football as chosen by a nationwide panel of media and college sports information directors...
, given to the most outstanding offensive player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA). In November 2009, Devlin was honored as the local College Player of the Year by the Eagles Fly for Leukemia program, an organization supporting pediatric cancer and leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
research in the Delaware Valley
Delaware Valley
The Delaware Valley is a term used to refer to the valley where the Delaware River flows, along with the surrounding communities. This includes the metropolitan area centered on the city of Philadelphia. Such educational institutions as Delaware Valley Regional High School in Alexandria Township...
.
2010
In June, Devlin was selected to the Consensus Draft Services Pre-Season NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision pre-season honorable mention All-American. The team is made up of players at the FCS level who the CDS staff predicts will be among the top players in the nation and have a chance to be selected in the National Football League Draft in April 2011. In July, Devlin was placed on the watchlists for the Walter Payton AwardWalter Payton Award
The Walter Payton Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding offensive player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision of college football as chosen by a nationwide panel of media and college sports information directors...
and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is given annually in the United States to the nation's outstanding senior quarterback in college football. It was established in 1987 by a foundation named for Johnny Unitas , the Hall of Fame quarterback who played his college career at the University of...
.
In the season's first game against West Chester
West Chester Golden Rams
The West Chester Golden Rams represent West Chester University of Pennsylvania in intercollegiate sports in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference in NCAA's Division II.The University currently fields 23 varsity Division II men's and women's teams....
, Devlin completed 14 of 23 passes for 163 yards with three touchdown passes to lead the team to a 31-0 shutout. Although Devlin fractured a bone in his non-throwing wrist in the first quarter of the game against South Dakota State
South Dakota State Jackrabbits
The South Dakota State Jackrabbits are the 19 intercollegiate teams representing South Dakota State University that compete in the U.S. National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I . SDSU is currently a member of the Summit League, the Missouri Valley Football Conference, the Western...
, he played through the middle of the fourth quarter. Although cleared to play the following week against Duquesne, Devlin stood on the sidelines. Devlin came back the following week with a big second-half win against Richmond
2010 Richmond Spiders football team
The 2010 Richmond Spiders football team represented the University of Richmond in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football during the 2010 season. Richmond competed as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association under first-year...
, but was knocked out of the following week's game 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...
with a concussion. Back at home against Maine, Devlin completed 20 of 36 passes for 286 yards, leading the Blue Hens to their sixth win of the season. After a close win against Rhode Island and a one-point loss against William & Mary
2010 William & Mary Tribe football team
The 2010 William & Mary Tribe football team represents the College of William & Mary in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football for the 2010 season. William & Mary competes as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association under head...
, he dominated against Towson
Towson Tigers football
The Towson Tigers football team represents Towson University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision . The Tigers compete within the Colonial Athletic Association...
, completing 29 of 38 passes for 318 yards and one touchdown while running for another score. Devlin became the ninth Delaware player to pass for over 4,000 yards in a career.
College stats
| Year | Team | Attempts | Completions | Completion % | Yards | TDs | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 2006 Penn State Nittany Lions football team The 2006 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2006–2007 college football season. The team's head coach was Joe Paterno. It played its home games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.... |
Penn State Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service... |
|
|||||
| 2007 2007 Penn State Nittany Lions football team The 2007 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2007 college football season. The team was coached by Joe Paterno and played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.... |
Penn State Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service... |
1 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 2008 Penn State Nittany Lions football team The 2008 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the 2008 college football season. The team is coached by Joe Paterno and plays its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.-Previous season:... |
Penn State Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service... |
47 | 25 | 53.2% | 459 | 4 | 0 |
| 2009 2009 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team The 2009 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware in the 2009–2010 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football season. They played their home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware... |
Delaware University of Delaware The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development... |
344 | 220 | 64.0% | 2,664 | 16 | 9 |
| 2010 2010 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team The 2010 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware in the 2010 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football season. They played their home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware... |
Delaware University of Delaware The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development... |
384 | 261 | 68.0% | 2,812 | 22 | 3 |
| College Totals | 776 | 506 | 65.2% | 6,155 | 42 | 12 | |
NFL Draft
Devlin entered the 2011 NFL Draft2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
and was regarded as one of the top ten quarterbacks entering the draft by NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
analyst Mike Mayock
Mike Mayock
Michael Francis Mayock is a former professional football player, a safety with the New York Giants of the National Football League...
but was not drafted. He was targeted as the first overall pick in the 2011 UFL Draft
2011 UFL Draft
The 2011 UFL Draft was the third draft of the United Football League. The draft took place on Monday, May 2, 2011. The draft was held over a period of 10 rounds during which each of the five UFL teams was allowed one pick per round, in reverse order of 2010 finish, with the last-place Hartford...
, but declined to sign a mandatory contract.
Miami Dolphins
He was signed by the Miami DolphinsMiami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent on July 26, 2011. He was waived
Waivers (American football)
Waivers is a National Football League labor management procedure by which a team makes an American football player contract or NFL rights available to all other teams...
after the preseason, but signed with the team's practice squad
Scout team
In sports, the scout team, also referred to as a practice team, taxi squad, practice squad or practice roster, is a group of players on a team whose task is to emulate future opponents for the featured players. Frequently used in American or Canadian Football, these teams consist of less...
.