Ja'Wuan James facts for kids
James with the Miami Dolphins in 2014
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| No. 70, 71, 76 | |||||
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| Position: | Offensive tackle | ||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Born: | June 3, 1992 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | ||||
| Weight: | 312 lb (142 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 a former professional football player. He played as an offensive tackle. Ja'Wuan was chosen by the Miami Dolphins in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers. He also played professionally in the National Football League for the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens.
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Early Life and High School Football
Ja'Wuan James was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He spent his early childhood in New Jersey. When he was in eighth grade, his family moved back to Atlanta.
Growing up, Ja'Wuan mostly played basketball. He tried baseball for a short time but found it boring. After moving to Georgia, he decided to try football.
Ja'Wuan went to North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, Georgia. He played on the offensive line with his teammate Austin Shepherd. In his second year, his team had a great season. They reached the state championship game with a 13–2 record. As a junior, Ja'Wuan helped his team reach the state quarterfinals. In his senior year, North Gwinnett finished with a 13–1 record. They won their regional championship. Ja'Wuan was chosen as a Class 5A All-State player. He was also invited to play in the Under Armour All-America Game in Florida.
Experts thought Ja'Wuan was a top football player. Rivals.com rated him as one of the best offensive tackle prospects in his class. He was also considered one of the best players from Georgia.
College Football Career
Ja'Wuan James went to the University of Tennessee from 2010 to 2013. He was a very consistent player for the Tennessee Volunteers. He started 49 games in a row, all at right tackle. This set a new record for offensive linemen at Tennessee. He was part of a strong offensive line. Many players from his line went on to play in the NFL.
Professional Football Career
Before the NFL Draft, Ja'Wuan was seen as a top player. He was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. This is where college players show off their skills to NFL teams. He performed well in the drills. Many teams were interested in him.
Miami Dolphins
Starting Strong in 2014
The Miami Dolphins picked Ja'Wuan James in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. He was the 19th player chosen overall. He was the fourth offensive lineman picked that year. This was a big deal for a Tennessee offensive lineman.
In June 2014, Ja'Wuan signed a four-year contract with the Dolphins. It was worth over $8 million. He quickly 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 few games, he played very well. He was seen as a big improvement for the team. He started all 16 games for the Dolphins in 2014. Because of his great play, he was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. This means he was one of the best new players in the league.
Injuries and Continued Play
In 2015, Ja'Wuan started the season as the right tackle again. However, he got a toe injury after seven games. This injury ended his season early.
He returned as the starting right tackle for the 2016 season. He played in all 16 games that year. He helped the Dolphins have a good season and make it to the playoffs. This was his first time playing in a playoff game.
In 2017, the Dolphins decided to keep Ja'Wuan for another year. He started the first eight games. But he got a hamstring injury in Week 9. This injury also ended his season early.
In 2018, Ja'Wuan started 15 games at right tackle. He missed only one game due to a knee injury.
Denver Broncos
In March 2019, Ja'Wuan signed a new contract with the Denver Broncos. It was a four-year deal worth $51 million. However, he only played in three games in 2019. He had a knee injury that kept him out.
In August 2020, Ja'Wuan decided not to play in the 2020 season. He chose to opt out because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In May 2021, Ja'Wuan suffered a serious injury. He tore his Achilles tendon while training. This injury kept him from playing for the Broncos.
Baltimore Ravens
In June 2021, Ja'Wuan signed a two-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens. He was placed on a special injury list at the start of the 2021 season. He was later allowed to return to practice.
In September 2022, the Ravens placed Ja'Wuan on injured reserve again. He tore his Achilles tendon for a second time in the first game of the 2022 season. This injury ended his season.
NFL Career Statistics
Ja'Wuan James played in 65 games during his NFL career. He started all 65 of those games.
| 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
On July 12, 2017, Ja'Wuan James announced that he was engaged to his longtime college girlfriend, Rainey Gaffin. Rainey played for the Tennessee softball team from 2013 to 2016.
