Jamal Perry facts for kids
| Position: | Cornerback | ||||||||
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| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | October 23, 1994 Galena Park, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 182 lb (83 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | North Shore (Houston, Texas) | ||||||||
| College: | Iowa State | ||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2017 | ||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||
Jamal Perry (born Jomal Wiltz; October 23, 1994) is an American professional football player. He plays as a cornerback, which is a defensive position. Perry played college football at Iowa State University.
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Early Life and High School Sports
Jamal Perry grew up in Galena Park, Texas. When he was in high school, he was great at two sports: football and track & field. In football, he was chosen for the second-team all-district team. This means he was one of the best players in his area.
In track & field, he also did very well. At the state meet in 2013, he finished third in the long jump. He also placed eighth in the 100-meter dash, which is a very fast running race.
College Football Journey
After high school, Jamal Perry continued his football career. He first went to a place called Trinity Valley Community College.
Playing at Trinity Valley Community College
At Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas, Perry played football for two seasons. In his first year, his team won 10 games and lost 2. They were ranked fifth among similar colleges. In his second year, his team had an amazing season, winning all 12 games! They were ranked second in the country.
In his second season, Perry made 79 tackles. He also stopped opponents from gaining yards three times. He caught one interception (meaning he caught a pass meant for the other team). He also broke up 14 passes, stopping them from being caught. Because of his great play, he was named to the first-team all-conference team.
Moving to Iowa State University
After two successful years at Trinity Valley, Perry decided to go to Iowa State University. Other big universities like California and Tulsa also wanted him to play for them. Experts at ESPN thought he was the eighth-best junior college cornerback in the country.
In his first season at Iowa State (2015), he played in all 12 games. He started seven of those games. He made 41 tackles. He also helped his team by returning kick returns, averaging 22.6 yards each time. His best game was against Texas Tech, where he made six solo tackles. He also had three tackles and broke up two passes against West Virginia.
In 2016, Perry started 11 out of 12 games. He was one of the best players on his team at catching interceptions, tying for the team lead with two. He also made 49 tackles and stopped opponents from gaining yards twice. He was also very good at breaking up passes, with 11 pass breakups, which was seventh-best in his conference.
Some of his best moments in 2016 included making eight tackles against UNI. He also had seven tackles against Oklahoma. A very important play was his game-winning interception against Kansas, which helped his team secure the victory.
At the end of the 2016 season, Jamal Perry won an award for being the team's best defensive player. He was also recognized as an honorable mention All-Big 12 player. This means he was one of the top players in his conference.
Professional Football Career
Jamal Perry then moved on to play professional football in the NFL.
Philadelphia Eagles
In 2017, Perry joined the Philadelphia Eagles. He was an "undrafted free agent," meaning he wasn't chosen in the NFL draft but was still signed by a team. He was later released by the Eagles.
New England Patriots
Soon after, in September 2017, Perry was signed by the New England Patriots to their practice squad. A practice squad is a group of players who train with the team but don't usually play in games. He was released and then re-signed a few days later. In 2018, he signed a "reserve/future contract," which means he would be on the team for the next season.
He was released again in September 2018 but quickly rejoined the practice squad. While with the Patriots, Jamal Perry was part of the team that won Super Bowl LIII. The Patriots beat the Los Angeles Rams 13–3 in that championship game.
Miami Dolphins
In February 2019, Perry signed with the Miami Dolphins. He played in his first NFL game in Week 1 of 2019 against the Baltimore Ravens. In that game, he made his first professional tackle. Later that season, in Week 9 against the New York Jets, he caught his first career interception from quarterback Sam Darnold. The Dolphins won that game 26–18.
In December 2020, Perry was placed on the team's COVID-19 list, meaning he had to take time off due to the virus. He returned to play later that month.
In 2021, the Dolphins kept Perry by giving him an "exclusive-rights free agent tender." This allowed them to sign him for another year. He was later released and then re-signed to the practice squad. He was moved to the main roster but then placed on injured reserve due to an injury.
He was signed to the Dolphins' practice squad again in October 2022. In August 2023, he re-signed with the Dolphins but was released later that month.
Michigan Panthers
In January 2024, Jamal Perry signed with the Michigan Panthers. This team plays in the United Football League (UFL). He was released by the Panthers in March 2024.
Personal Life
In March 2020, Jamal Perry legally changed his name. His birth name was Jomal Wiltz, but he is now known as Jamal Perry.
