Jamal Perry facts for kids

Jamal Perry, born Jomal Wiltz on October 23, 1994, is an American professional football player. He plays as a cornerback, which is a defensive position in football. Jamal played college football at Iowa State University.

Early Life and High School Sports

Jamal Perry was a great athlete in high school. He excelled in both football and track & field. In football, he was recognized as one of the best players in his district. For track & field, he competed at the state level in 2013. He finished third in the long jump and eighth in the 100-meter dash.

College Football Journey

Playing at Trinity Valley Community College

After high school, Jamal continued his football career at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas. His team had two very successful seasons. In 2013, they finished with a 10–2 record. The next year, in 2014, they had an amazing 12–0 record. During his second season, Jamal made 79 tackles and defended 14 passes. He also had one interception, which is when a defensive player catches a pass meant for an offensive player. His strong performance earned him a spot on the first-team all-conference list.

Moving to Iowa State University

After two successful years at Trinity Valley, Jamal decided to play for Iowa State University. Other big schools like California, Tulsa, and UNLV were also interested in him. Experts at ESPN ranked him as the eighth-best junior college cornerback during that time.

First Season at Iowa State (2015)

In his first year at Iowa State in 2015, Jamal played in all 12 games. He started in seven of those games. He made 41 tackles and was also good at returning kickoffs, averaging 22.6 yards per return. His best game was against Texas Tech, where he made six solo tackles. He also had a strong game against West Virginia with three tackles and two pass breakups.

Second Season at Iowa State (2016)

In 2016, Jamal started 11 out of 12 games. He tied for the team lead with two interceptions. He also recorded 49 tackles and was one of the top players in the Big 12 Conference with 11 pass breakups. Some of his highlights included eight tackles against UNI and a game-winning interception against Kansas.

At the end of the 2016 season, Jamal was recognized as the team's best defensive player. He was also named an honorable mention All-Big 12 player.

Professional Football Career

Starting with the Philadelphia Eagles

Jamal Perry began his professional career in 2017. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent. This means he wasn't chosen in the NFL draft but was still given a chance to play. He was with the Eagles for a short time before being released.

Time with the New England Patriots

Soon after, in September 2017, Jamal joined the New England Patriots' practice squad. A practice squad is a group of players who train with the team but are not on the main roster. He was released and then re-signed a few days later. In February 2018, he signed a contract to stay with the Patriots.

In 2018, Jamal was again waived by the Patriots but quickly re-signed to their practice squad. He was part of the Patriots team that won Super Bowl LIII in 2019. They defeated the Los Angeles Rams with a score of 13–3.

Playing for the Miami Dolphins

In February 2019, Jamal Perry signed with the Miami Dolphins. He played in his first NFL game in Week 1 of the 2019 season against the Baltimore Ravens. In that game, he recorded his first professional tackle. Later that season, in Week 9 against the New York Jets, Jamal made his first career interception. He caught a pass thrown by quarterback Sam Darnold, helping the Dolphins win 26–18.

Jamal continued to play for the Dolphins. In 2020, he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list but was activated later that month. He signed a new one-year contract with the Dolphins in April 2021. He was later placed on injured reserve in November 2021. In October 2022, he rejoined the Dolphins' practice squad. He re-signed with the Dolphins in August 2023 but was released later that month.

Joining the Michigan Panthers

On January 19, 2024, Jamal Perry signed with the Michigan Panthers. This team is part of the United Football League (UFL). He was released by the Panthers in March 2024.

Personal Life

Jamal Perry's birth name was Jomal Wiltz. He legally changed his name to Jamal Perry in March 2020.