Bud Dupree facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bud Dupree

Dupree in 2022
No. 48 – Los Angeles Chargers
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(1993-02-12) February 12, 1993 (age 32) Macon, Georgia, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:	269 lb (122 kg)
Career information
High school:	Wilkinson County (Irwinton, Georgia)
College:	Kentucky (2011–2014)
NFL Draft:	2015 / Round: 1 / Pick: 22
Career history
Pittsburgh Steelers (2015) Tennessee Titans (2021) Atlanta Falcons (2023) Los Angeles Chargers (2024–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
First-team All-SEC (2014) Second-team All-SEC (2013)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 15, 2024
Total tackles: 329 Sacks: 58.0 Pass deflections: 17 Interceptions: 2 Forced fumbles: 13 Fumble recoveries: 4 Defensive touchdowns: 1
Player stats at PFR

Alvin "Bud" Dupree Jr. was born on February 12, 1993. He is an American professional football player. He plays as a linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the Chargers, he played college football at the University of Kentucky. The Pittsburgh Steelers picked him in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft. He has also played for the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons.

Bud Dupree's Early Life and High School Football

Bud Dupree grew up in Irwinton, Georgia. He went to Wilkinson County High School. There, he was a star player in football. He started for three years as a defensive end. He also started for four years as a tight end.

In his final year of high school, he was amazing on offense. He caught passes for over 1,000 yards. He also scored 10 touchdowns. On defense, he made 62 tackles and 10 sacks. He was chosen as a First-team all-state player. This honor came from the Georgia Sports-writer Association. He also received it from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Dupree was seen as a good player by Rivals.com. They rated him as a three-star recruit. Besides football, he played basketball for his school. He was also on the honor roll for good grades. He was a member of the Future Business Leaders of America.

Bud Dupree's College Football Career at Kentucky

Bud Dupree played college football for the University of Kentucky. He started as a freshman in 2011. He played in 12 games and started three as a linebacker. He had a great game against Georgia. He also played well against Vanderbilt. In both games, he made five tackles. He finished his first year with 21 tackles and 2.5 sacks. He also recovered one fumble.

In 2012, as a sophomore, Dupree started all 12 games. He made 91 tackles. He also had 12.5 tackles-for-loss and 6.5 sacks. He had his best game against Western Kentucky with 12 tackles. He was one of the top players in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). He ranked 10th in tackles and seventh in sacks. After this season, he changed his position. He moved from linebacker to defensive lineman. He played this new role for his last two years at Kentucky.

As a junior in 2013, he played in 11 games. He was second on his team with 61 tackles. He led the team with 9.5 tackles-for-loss as a defensive end. He also had seven sacks and forced two fumbles. Against Mississippi State, he made a career-high 13 tackles. He finished sixth in sacks in the SEC.

Dupree returned as a starter in 2014 for his senior year. He was chosen as a team captain for the Wildcats. That season, he made 74 tackles. He also had 12.5 tackles-for-loss and eight sacks. He started all 12 games. He made his first career interception in a game. He returned it for a game-winning touchdown. This helped his team win 45–38 against South Carolina. On May 9, 2015, he graduated from the University of Kentucky. He earned a degree in community and leadership development.

Bud Dupree's Professional Football Career

Pre-Draft Evaluation and Combine Performance

After college, many football experts thought Bud Dupree would be a top pick. Most NFL analysts believed he would be chosen in the first round of the draft. He was invited to the NFL combine. This event tests college players before the draft. Dupree did most of the drills there. He could not do the bench press because of a chest injury. He also skipped some running drills due to a groin injury.

On March 12, 2015, he showed his skills at Kentucky's "pro day." This is another chance for players to impress scouts. He performed very well in drills. Scouts from 26 NFL teams watched him. Coaches like Mike Zimmer, Marvin Lewis, and Mike Tomlin were there. They were looking at Dupree and other talented players.

Experts praised Dupree for his amazing athleticism. They noted his explosive speed and large size. They also liked his power and strength. He was good at playing zone defense. His character was also highly rated. Some minor criticisms were about his instincts. They also mentioned he needed to be more consistent. He was ranked as one of the best defensive ends and edge rushers available.

Pittsburgh Steelers (2015–2020)

The Pittsburgh Steelers chose Bud Dupree in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft. He was the 22nd player picked overall. He was the first player from the University of Kentucky picked in the first round since 2003. He was also the second linebacker chosen in that draft.

Dupree in a 2016 game against the Denver Broncos

On May 15, 2015, Dupree signed a four-year contract with the Steelers. It was worth over $9 million. He started his first season as a backup player. He played behind veteran Arthur Moats. Dupree played his first professional game against the New England Patriots. He made two tackles and sacked quarterback Tom Brady. In his next game, he made four tackles and another sack. This was during a big win over the San Francisco 49ers. On November 29, 2015, he started his first game against the Seattle Seahawks. He finished his first year playing in all 16 games. He had 26 tackles, four sacks, and one pass defended.

For the 2016 season, Dupree became the starting left outside linebacker. However, he was placed on the injured reserve list on September 4, 2016. This was because of a groin injury. He returned to play on November 19, 2016. On December 11, 2016, he started his first game of the season. He made a career-high five tackles. He also sacked the Buffalo Bills' quarterback 2.5 times.

In 2017, coach Mike Tomlin named Dupree the starting left outside linebacker again. He missed the first game due to a shoulder injury. On September 17, 2017, he played his first game of the season. He made two tackles, defended a pass, and sacked the Vikings' quarterback. In Week 4, he made four tackles and sacked Joe Flacco. The Steelers won that game against the Baltimore Ravens.

On April 23, 2018, the Steelers kept Dupree for another year. This was part of his contract. On September 24, Dupree made his first career interception. He caught a pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick. He then ran it back for a touchdown. Dupree finished the 2018 season with 42 tackles and 5.5 sacks. He also defended three passes and had one interception for a touchdown.

In 2019, Dupree had a great year. In Week 4, he forced a fumble against the Cincinnati Bengals. In Week 9, he sacked Brian Hoyer twice. One of these was a "strip sack," where he forced a fumble and recovered it. This earned him the AFC Defensive Player of the Week award. In Week 12, he had another strip sack against the Bengals. In the next game, he sacked Baker Mayfield 1.5 times. One of these was another strip sack. Dupree had a career-best year in 2019. He recorded 11.5 sacks, forced four fumbles, and made 68 tackles.

The Steelers used the franchise tag on Dupree on March 16, 2020. This meant they kept him for another year. He signed the one-year deal on April 23, 2020. In Week 2, he got his first sack of the season against the Denver Broncos. This sack also forced a fumble. In Week 12, Dupree suffered a serious injury. He tore his ACL (a knee ligament) against the Baltimore Ravens. This ended his season.

Tennessee Titans (2021–2022)

Dupree with the Titans in 2021

Bud Dupree signed a five-year contract with the Tennessee Titans on March 19, 2021. The contract was worth $82.5 million. Before training camp, he was placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. This was on July 24, 2021. He was taken off the list on August 6, 2021. He practiced for the first time that same day. He got an abdominal injury in Week 10. He was placed on injured reserve on November 20, 2021. He was activated again on December 18.

In the 2022 season, Dupree recorded four sacks. He also made 18 total tackles. He forced one fumble and recovered two fumbles. The Titans released Dupree on March 16, 2023.

Atlanta Falcons (2023)

On April 14, 2023, Dupree signed with the Atlanta Falcons. He started 16 games for the team. He tied for the team lead with 6.5 sacks that season.

Los Angeles Chargers (2024–present)

On May 11, 2024, Bud Dupree signed a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Bud Dupree's NFL Career Statistics

Bud Dupree's Personal Life

Bud Dupree grew up in Toomsboro, Georgia. His father is Alvin Dupree Sr. His mother is Sophia Stephens. He really loves dogs. His godmother gave him the nickname "Bud." She said she had a dream while his mother was pregnant. In the dream, people called him Bud and he was playing football.