DeDe Lattimore facts for kids
Lattimore playing for the Bears in 2014
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| No. 91, 43, 96 | |||
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Born: | January 30, 1991 Athens, Georgia, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
| Weight: | 237 lb (108 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | Athens (GA) Cedar Shoals | ||
| College: | South Florida | ||
| Undrafted: | 2014 | ||
| Career history | |||
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| CFL status: | International | ||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||
Devekeyan "DeDe" Lattimore (born January 30, 1991) is a former American football player. He played as a linebacker, which is a key defensive position. DeDe played college football for the University of South Florida. Later, he joined professional teams like the Chicago Bears and the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
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DeDe Lattimore's Early Life and High School Football
DeDe Lattimore grew up in Athens, Georgia. He played football at Cedar Shoals High School. During high school, he played both running back and linebacker. These are important positions on a football team.
In his senior year, DeDe made 96 tackles. He also had four sacks and forced four fumbles. These are impressive defensive stats. He was chosen for the 2008 Georgia All-Star team. He also made the All-Northeast Georgia team.
DeDe won the Defensive Player of the Year award twice. This was for his region, Region 8-AAAA. In his junior year, he also played offense. He rushed for 857 yards and scored six touchdowns. On defense, he had 118 tackles and 15 sacks.
College Football Career at South Florida
DeDe Lattimore played college football for the South Florida Bulls. He was with the team from 2010 to 2013. In 2009, he was "redshirted." This means he practiced with the team but did not play in games. It allowed him an extra year of college eligibility.
In 2010, DeDe was named a Freshman All-American. This is a big honor for a first-year player. In 2011, he was named Second-team All-Big East. This recognized him as one of the best players in his conference.
By 2013, DeDe was a team captain. He led the Bulls with 98 tackles. This was his best season for tackles. He also earned Second-team All-AAC honors. The team also named him their Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Professional Football Journey
After college, DeDe Lattimore hoped to play in the National Football League (NFL). He was seen as a good inside linebacker. Experts thought he might be drafted or signed as a free agent.
Playing for the Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears signed DeDe Lattimore on May 11, 2014. This happened after the 2014 NFL Draft. He was not drafted but signed as a free agent. He joined the Bears' practice squad in September 2014.
DeDe made his first NFL game appearance on October 12, 2014. This was against the Atlanta Falcons. He recorded one tackle in that game. He signed a new two-year deal with the Bears in 2015. However, he was later released by the team in August 2015.
Time with the Saskatchewan Roughriders
DeDe Lattimore then moved to the Canadian Football League (CFL). He signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on February 19, 2016. The CFL is a professional league in Canada. He was with the Roughriders for a few months. He was released by the team in April 2016.
Images for kids
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DeDe Lattimore playing for the Bears in 2014
