Gerris Wilkinson facts for kids

Gerris Wilkinson (born April 5, 1983) is a former American football player. He played as a linebacker, which is a key defensive position. Gerris was chosen by the New York Giants in the 2006 NFL draft. He also played college football for Georgia Tech. Later in his career, he was part of the Jacksonville Jaguars team.

Gerris Wilkinson's Early Life and High School Football

Gerris Wilkinson grew up in Oakland, California. He was a talented football player from a young age. In high school, he played for Oakland Skyline.

He was recognized as a top player across the country. Gerris earned honors like First-team All-America. During his senior year, he made 127 tackles. He also had six sacks and forced four fumbles. These are impressive stats for a high school player.

College Football Career at Georgia Tech

Gerris Wilkinson played college football at Georgia Tech. He played in 50 games and started 37 of them. He was a very important player for the Yellow Jackets.

He made 253 tackles during his college career. He also had 12.5 sacks and 38 tackles for losses. Gerris was a team captain twice. He led his team in tackles in his last two years.

He was chosen as a Second-team All-ACC player twice. He started his career as an outside linebacker. Later, he moved to middle linebacker. In 2003, he earned Academic All-ACC honors. He also got his degree in Management in 2005.

Playing in the NFL: Professional Career

Gerris Wilkinson was drafted into the NFL in 2006. The New York Giants picked him in the third round. He was the 96th player chosen overall.

Time with the New York Giants

Gerris signed a four-year contract with the Giants. In his first year (2006), he played in all 16 games. He made 15 tackles and forced two fumbles. He also helped out on special teams.

In 2007, he played in 13 regular season games. He also played in four playoff games. He had a big game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He made eight tackles in that playoff win. The Giants went on to win Super Bowl XLII that season. This made Gerris a Super Bowl champion!

In 2008, Gerris became a starting linebacker for the Giants. He played in eight games before getting a knee injury. This injury caused him to miss the rest of the season. After the 2010 season, he became a free agent.

Short Time with the Jacksonville Jaguars

In 2011, Gerris Wilkinson signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, he was waived by the team later that month. This means he was released from the team.