Ryan Purvis
Encyclopedia
Ryan J. Purvis is an American football
tight end
who is currently a Free Agent in the National Football League
. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football
at Boston College
.
in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
. In 2003, he won All-State honors as a tight end and All-Conference honors as a tight end (first-team), defensive end (first-team), and punter (second-team). As a senior, he made 39 receptions for 755 yards and four touchdowns, averaged 38.8 yards on 41 punts, and threw two touchdown passes. He was selected to play in the fourth annual PSFCA East-West Football Classic.
Purvis was also a standout on the Crusaders' basketball team. He recorded more than 1000 points and 700 rebounds in his career at center and power forward. Ryan was the starting center on the winningest boys basketball in Pennsylvania prep history. His junior year, the Crusaders went 35-0 and won the 2003 PIAA Class AAA Championship by toppling Perry Traditional Academy 75-59 at the Giant Center in Hershey. In that game, broadcast statewide by PCN, Ryan demonstrated outstanding athletic ability that transformed a little known junior tight end into one of the most hotly recruited football players in the state. The Crusaders also swept the Lancaster Lebanon League Section 3 title, the L-L League Championship and the District 3 AAA title.
Purvis was recruited by a host of Division 1 football programs, including the University of Pittsburgh and UCLA.
the 2004 season, Purvis made his college debut in the 2005 season opener at BYU
, where he caught one pass. He finished the season with six receptions for 12 yards.
Purvis played in all 13 of BC's games as a sophomore in 2006, starting in two of them (Clemson and Duke). He made 29 catches for 381 yards and two touchdowns. He made two catches for 40 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown reception, against Navy
in the Meineke Car Care Bowl
.
Purvis started all 14 games in 2007, finishing the season with 54 catches for 553 yards and four touchdowns. He had two catches for 14 yards in the ACC Championship Game
against Virginia Tech
and two catches for 18 yards in BC's win against Michigan State
in the Champs Sports Bowl
. He was named to the Lombardi Award
and John Mackey Award
watch lists and was named to the All-ACC first team.
Purvis started all 14 games of the 2008 Boston College season
. Purvis had 24 catches for 176 yards, including 4 catches for 29 yards in the 2008 Music City Bowl
. Purvis also got some snaps at fullback in place of the injured James McCluskey.
. On May 1, 2009, Purvis signed a free-agent contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
. He was waived during final cuts on September 5 and re-signed to the practice squad the following day.
Purvis was promoted to the active roster on December 28 after running back
Earnest Graham
and defensive end
Jimmy Wilkerson
were placed on injured reserve
. Purvis was again promoted to the active roster on October 25, 2010 when Jerramy Stevens
was released. He was cut on September 3, 2011.
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...
tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
who is currently a Free Agent in 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 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
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 Boston College
Boston College Eagles football
The Boston College Eagles football team is the collegiate football program of Boston College. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a Division I Bowl Subdivision league governed by the NCAA. Within the ACC, the Eagles are one of six teams in the Atlantic Division...
.
Early years
Purvis played high school football at Lancaster Catholic High SchoolLancaster Catholic High School
Lancaster Catholic High School is a Catholic co-educational high school located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA. The school is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg secondary schools.-Academics:...
in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
. In 2003, he won All-State honors as a tight end and All-Conference honors as a tight end (first-team), defensive end (first-team), and punter (second-team). As a senior, he made 39 receptions for 755 yards and four touchdowns, averaged 38.8 yards on 41 punts, and threw two touchdown passes. He was selected to play in the fourth annual PSFCA East-West Football Classic.
Purvis was also a standout on the Crusaders' basketball team. He recorded more than 1000 points and 700 rebounds in his career at center and power forward. Ryan was the starting center on the winningest boys basketball in Pennsylvania prep history. His junior year, the Crusaders went 35-0 and won the 2003 PIAA Class AAA Championship by toppling Perry Traditional Academy 75-59 at the Giant Center in Hershey. In that game, broadcast statewide by PCN, Ryan demonstrated outstanding athletic ability that transformed a little known junior tight end into one of the most hotly recruited football players in the state. The Crusaders also swept the Lancaster Lebanon League Section 3 title, the L-L League Championship and the District 3 AAA title.
Purvis was recruited by a host of Division 1 football programs, including the University of Pittsburgh and UCLA.
College career
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 2004 season, Purvis made his college debut in the 2005 season opener at BYU
Brigham Young University Cougars football
The Brigham Young Cougars football team is a college football program representing Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. The Cougars won the national championship in 1984 and have a Heisman Trophy winner in Ty Detmer. Since 1965, BYU has claimed 23 conference championships and played in 29 bowl...
, where he caught one pass. He finished the season with six receptions for 12 yards.
Purvis played in all 13 of BC's games as a sophomore in 2006, starting in two of them (Clemson and Duke). He made 29 catches for 381 yards and two touchdowns. He made two catches for 40 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown reception, against Navy
Navy Midshipmen football
The Navy Midshipmen football team represents the United States Naval Academy in NCAA Division I-A college football. They are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school and coached by Ken Niumatalolo since December 2007...
in the Meineke Car Care Bowl
Meineke Car Care Bowl
The Belk Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. First played in 2002, it was certified by the NCAA as the Queen City Bowl and was previously known as the Continental Tire Bowl and the Meineke Car Care Bowl before Belk acquired...
.
Purvis started all 14 games in 2007, finishing the season with 54 catches for 553 yards and four touchdowns. He had two catches for 14 yards in the ACC Championship Game
2007 ACC Championship Game
The 2007 Dr. Pepper Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game featured the Boston College Eagles and the Virginia Tech Hokies in a regular-season college football game that determined the conference's champion for the 2007 season. Virginia Tech defeated Boston College 30–16 to win the ACC...
against Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...
and two catches for 18 yards in BC's win against Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
in the Champs Sports Bowl
2007 Champs Sports Bowl
The 2007 Champs Sports Bowl was the 18th edition of the college football bowl game. It was part of the 2007-08 NCAA football bowl games season, and was played on December 28, 2007 at the Citrus Bowl stadium in Orlando, Florida....
. He was named to the Lombardi Award
Lombardi Award
The Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
and John Mackey Award
John Mackey Award
The John Mackey Award is presented annually to college football's most outstanding tight end.The award is given to the collegiate tight end who best exemplifies the play, sportsmanship, academics, and community values of NFL Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey....
watch lists and was named to the All-ACC first team.
Purvis started all 14 games of the 2008 Boston College season
2008 Boston College Eagles football team
The 2008 Boston College Eagles football team represented Boston College during the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was Boston College's fourth season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference . The Eagles were led by...
. Purvis had 24 catches for 176 yards, including 4 catches for 29 yards in the 2008 Music City Bowl
2008 Music City Bowl
The 2008 Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl was the eleventh edition of the college football bowl game played at LP Field in Nashville, Tennessee. The game started at 2:30 pm US CST on Wednesday, December 31, 2008. The game, telecast on ESPN, pitted the Vanderbilt Commodores against the Boston...
. Purvis also got some snaps at fullback in place of the injured James McCluskey.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Purvis was not selected in the 2009 NFL Draft2009 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...
. On May 1, 2009, Purvis signed a free-agent contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
. He was waived during final cuts on September 5 and re-signed to the practice squad the following day.
Purvis was promoted to the active roster on December 28 after 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...
Earnest Graham
Earnest Graham
Earnest Graham, Jr. is an American football running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League . He was signed by the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He played college football at Florida....
and defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
Jimmy Wilkerson
Jimmy Wilkerson
Jimmy Boyd Wilkerson is an American football defensive end for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
were 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...
. Purvis was again promoted to the active roster on October 25, 2010 when Jerramy Stevens
Jerramy Stevens
Jerramy Stevens is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks 28th overall in the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington.-Early years:...
was released. He was cut on September 3, 2011.