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 at the University of South Florida. After college, 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 his time there, he played both running back and linebacker.
High School Achievements
In his senior year, DeDe was a strong defensive player. He made 96 tackles, had four sacks, and forced four fumbles. 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 in his region.
As a junior, he also showed his skills on offense. He ran the ball 88 times for 857 yards. He scored six touchdowns that year. On defense, he had 118 tackles and 15 sacks in just 10 games.
College Football Career at South Florida
DeDe Lattimore played college football for the South Florida Bulls. He was part of the team from 2010 to 2013. In 2009, he was "redshirted," which means he practiced with the team but did not play in games. This allowed him to gain experience without using a year of his college eligibility.
College Highlights and Awards
- In 2010, DeDe was named a Freshman All-American by Rivals.com. This means he was recognized as one of the best first-year players in the country.
- In 2011, he was named Second-team All-Big East. This award came from sports publications like Athlon Sports and Phil Steele.
- In 2013, he earned Second-team All-AAC honors. He was also named the USF Team MVP (Most Valuable Player). As a team captain, he led the Bulls with 98 tackles, which was his best season ever.
DeDe Lattimore's Professional Football Journey
After his college career, DeDe Lattimore hoped to play in the National Football League (NFL). Experts rated him as one of the top inside linebackers in the 2014 NFL draft.
| Height | Weight | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
237 lb (108 kg) |
4.63 s | 1.50 s | 2.68 s | 4.33 s | 7.16 s | 30+1⁄2 in (0.77 m) |
9 ft 2 in (2.79 m) |
20 reps | |||
| All values from South Florida Pro Day | ||||||||||||
Time with the Chicago Bears
DeDe was not chosen in the 2014 NFL Draft. However, the Chicago Bears signed him on May 11, 2014, as an undrafted free agent. He was later released by the Bears on August 31. The next day, he was signed to the team's practice squad. A practice squad allows players to train with the team. He was released again on September 11 but re-signed to the practice squad on October 8, 2014.
DeDe Lattimore made his NFL debut on October 12, 2014. This was in a game against the Atlanta Falcons. He recorded one tackle in that game. On January 30, 2015, the Bears signed him to a new two-year deal. However, he was waived (released) by the Bears on August 15, 2015.
Playing in the Canadian Football League
On February 19, 2016, DeDe Lattimore signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. This team plays in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was released by the Roughriders on April 19, 2016.
