Dominique Easley facts for kids

Dominique Easley (born April 28, 1992) is a former American football player. He played as a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). Easley played college football for the Florida Gators. The New England Patriots chose him in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft.

Early Life and High School Football

Dominique Easley grew up in Staten Island, New York. He went to Curtis High School where he played football. He was a very talented player.

In 2010, Easley was chosen to play in the Under Armour All-America Game. This is a special game for the best high school football players in the country. During this game, he announced that he would go to the University of Florida for college.

Easley was considered one of the best defensive tackles in the nation in 2010. ESPN.com rated him as a five-star recruit.

College Football Career

Easley received a scholarship to play football at the University of Florida. He played for the Florida Gators football team from 2010 to 2013. His coaches were Urban Meyer and Will Muschamp.

Freshman and Sophomore Years

In 2010, as a freshman, Easley played in six games. He made four tackles. In 2011, his sophomore year, he started all 12 regular-season games. He had 37 tackles and 7.5 tackles for a loss. Unfortunately, he suffered a serious knee injury (a torn ACL) against Florida State.

Junior and Senior Years

In 2012, Easley played in 11 games, missing two due to injury. He made 26 tackles, including 8.5 tackles for a loss. He also led his team with four quarterback sacks. In 2013, his senior season was cut short. He tore his ACL again during practice before the Kentucky game. He finished with five tackles.

After his second ACL injury, Easley decided to end his college career early. He announced that he would enter the NFL draft.

Professional Football Career

New England Patriots

The New England Patriots chose Dominique Easley in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. He was the 29th player picked overall. He signed a four-year contract with the team on June 23, 2014.

Easley played his first NFL game on September 7, 2014. The next week, he made his first career interception. This means he caught a pass thrown by the opposing team's quarterback. On December 17, the Patriots placed Easley on injured reserve because of a knee injury. In his first season, he played in 11 games. He had 9 tackles, 1 sack, 1 pass defended, and 1 interception.

Even without Easley playing, the Patriots went on to win Super Bowl XLIX. They beat the Seattle Seahawks 28–24.

In 2015, Easley started the season as a defensive tackle for the Patriots. On December 15, 2015, he was again placed on injured reserve. This time it was due to a quadricep injury. He finished the season with 15 tackles and two sacks. The Patriots released Easley on April 13, 2016.

Los Angeles Rams

On May 17, 2016, Easley signed a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Rams. He played in all 16 games for the Rams in 2016. He recorded 35 tackles, 3.5 sacks, one pass deflected, and two forced fumbles.

In 2017, Easley signed another contract with the Rams. However, during training camp, he suffered another torn ACL. This was his third ACL tear, with injuries to both knees. He was unable to play during the 2017 season.

Easley signed a one-year contract to stay with the Rams in 2018. On October 3, he was placed on injured reserve after having another knee surgery. Without Easley, the Rams made it to Super Bowl LIII. They lost to Easley's former team, the New England Patriots, 13–3.

Personal Life

Dominique Easley's mother is from Haiti. He has an older brother named David and a younger sister named Destinee. Destinee is a student at the New York Film Academy in Burbank, California.

Easley is a Muslim. He shared on his Twitter account that he became a Muslim on March 13, 2015. In February 2022, Easley and his family appeared on the TV show Family Feud.

See also

• List of Florida Gators in the NFL draft
• List of Los Angeles Rams players
• List of New England Patriots players