Ja'Wuan James facts for kids
James with the Miami Dolphins in 2014
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| Position: | Offensive tackle | ||||
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| Personal information | |||||
| Born: | June 3, 1992 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | ||||
| Weight: | 323 lb (147 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school: | North Gwinnett (Suwanee, Georgia) |
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| College: | Tennessee (2010–2013) | ||||
| NFL Draft: | 2014 / Round: 1 / Pick: 19 | ||||
| Career history | |||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||
Ja'Wuan Amir James (born June 3, 1992) is an American professional football player. He plays as an offensive tackle, which is a position on the offensive line. He was picked by the Miami Dolphins in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. He also played for the Tennessee Volunteers in college. Later, he played for the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens.
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Early Life and High School Football
Ja'Wuan James went to North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, Georgia. He played football there with his teammate Austin Shepherd. In his second year, his team reached the state championship game. They finished with a great 13–2 record.
As a junior, James helped North Gwinnett get to the state quarterfinals. They ended the season with a 10–3 record. In his senior year, North Gwinnett had an amazing 13–1 record. They won their regional championship. James was chosen as an All-State player for Class 5A. He was also invited to play in the Under Armour All-America Game in Florida.
Experts like Rivals.com thought James was a top player. They called him a "four-star recruit." This means he was one of the best young players in the country. He was ranked as the eighth best offensive tackle prospect. He was also the sixth best player from Georgia. He was so good that the Tennessee coach, Lane Kiffin, wanted to land a helicopter at his high school. He hoped it would impress James, but he couldn't get permission.
College Football Career
James went to the University of Tennessee from 2010 to 2013. He started 49 games in a row for the Tennessee Volunteers. All of these starts were at right tackle. His 49 starts set a new record for offensive linemen at Tennessee. He played on a very strong offensive line. Four players from his line later played in the NFL. Three of them became starters.
Professional Football Career
Getting Ready for the NFL Draft
In December 2013, James was invited to the 2014 Senior Bowl. This is a special game where top college players show their skills. Unfortunately, he sprained his knee during practice. This meant he couldn't play in the game. But his practices were still very good. They helped teams see how talented he was.
James was one of 50 offensive linemen invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. This event tests players' physical abilities. He did well in all the drills. He was ranked among the top players in many tests. After the combine, he showed his skills again at Tennessee's "pro day." Scouts from all 32 NFL teams watched him. Many experts thought James would be picked in the first or second round of the draft.
Miami Dolphins
Starting Strong in 2014
The Miami Dolphins chose Ja'Wuan James in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. He was the 19th player picked overall. He was the fourth offensive lineman chosen that year. This made him the highest-picked offensive lineman from Tennessee since 1991.
In June 2014, the Dolphins signed James to a four-year contract. He became the starting right tackle for the team. He played his first professional game in the Dolphins' win against the New England Patriots. In his first four games, James played very well. He was considered a big improvement for the Dolphins' offensive line. Later in the season, he moved to left tackle. This happened after the starter, Branden Albert, got injured. James started all 16 games for the Dolphins in 2014. He was even named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.
Injuries and Continued Play
In 2015, James started the first seven games at right tackle. However, he then hurt his toe. This injury ended his season early.
He returned as the starting right tackle in 2016. The Dolphins drafted another top offensive tackle, Laremy Tunsil. But Tunsil played as an offensive guard in his first year. James started all 16 games that season. He helped the Dolphins reach a 10–6 record. They made it to the playoffs. James played in his first playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In 2017, the Dolphins decided to keep James for another year. He started the first eight games at right tackle. But he suffered a hamstring injury in Week 9. This injury also ended his season early. In 2018, James started 15 games at right tackle. He missed only one game due to a knee injury.
Denver Broncos
In March 2019, James signed a four-year contract with the Denver Broncos. He only played in three games in 2019. This was because of a knee injury he got in the first week.
In August 2020, James chose not to play in the 2020 season. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In May 2021, he tore his Achilles tendon while training. He was later released by the Broncos.
Baltimore Ravens
In June 2021, James signed a two-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens. He was placed on a special injury list at the start of the season. In December 2021, he was allowed to return to practice.
However, in September 2022, the Ravens placed James on injured reserve again. He tore his Achilles tendon for a second time. This happened in the first game of the 2022 season against the New York Jets.
NFL Career Statistics
| Year | Team | Games | Starts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | MIA | 16 | 16 |
| 2015 | MIA | 7 | 7 |
| 2016 | MIA | 16 | 16 |
| 2017 | MIA | 8 | 8 |
| 2018 | MIA | 15 | 15 |
| 2019 | DEN | 3 | 3 |
| Career | 65 | 65 | |
Personal Life
Ja'Wuan James grew up in New Jersey. When he was in eighth grade, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia. His mother, Nichelle James-Mickens, and his father, Burkley James, raised him. When he was younger, he mostly played basketball. He also tried baseball for a short time. He decided to play football after moving to Georgia.
On July 12, 2017, James shared on Twitter that he got engaged. He proposed to his longtime college girlfriend, Rainey Gaffin. She was a member of the Tennessee Volunteers softball team from 2013 to 2016.
