Jonathan Wilhite facts for kids
Wilhite in 2011
|
|||||||||
| No. 24, 29 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Cornerback | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | February 23, 1984 Monroe, Louisiana, U.S. |
||||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 183 lb (83 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Ouachita Parish (LA) | ||||||||
| College: | Butler Community College (2004) Auburn (2005–2007) |
||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2008 / Round: 4 / Pick: 129 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
Jonathan Wilhite (born February 23, 1984) is a former American professional football player. He played as a cornerback, a defensive position in football. Jonathan played college football for Auburn University. Later, the New England Patriots picked him in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL draft. He also played for the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears.
Contents
Early Life and High School Football
Jonathan Wilhite grew up in Monroe, Louisiana. He went to Ouachita Parish High School. There, he was a talented football player. He played both as a running back and a receiver. His skills earned him a spot on the All-Northeast Louisiana team. He was also a second-team All-District player.
College Football Journey
Playing at Butler Community College
In 2004, Jonathan attended Butler Community College. He had a great year, making 44 tackles. He also broke up seven passes and caught five interceptions. His excellent performance earned him a spot on the National Junior College All-American team. He was also named first-team All-Conference. Many considered him the best Junior college cornerback in the country.
Time with the Auburn Tigers
2005 Season Highlights
In 2005, Jonathan joined the Auburn team as a sophomore. He played in 12 games and started the last seven. He was very good at breaking up passes, with seven deflections that season. He also made 47 tackles, which was fifth-best on Auburn's defense. One of his best games was against Kentucky. He made seven tackles and caught an interception. This performance earned him the title of SEC Defensive Player of the Week.
2006 Season Overview
As a junior in 2006, Jonathan started in 10 games. He recorded 24 tackles during the season. He had six tackles against Alabama and three against Georgia. Unfortunately, he got injured against LSU. Because of this injury, he could not play in the Cotton Bowl Classic.
2007 Senior Year
In his senior year (2007), Jonathan started six games. He played as a cornerback and also as a nickel back. He made 30 tackles, got a sack, and recovered a fumble. He also caught two interceptions and broke up two passes.
Jonathan was known for his humor during his college years. He was often called the "team jokester." He was very good at imitating his coaches and teammates. Auburn's Director of High School and NFL relations said,
He’s very funny, and that keeps everybody loose. He could be a stand-up comedian. He can imitate everybody, including all the coaches on our staff. Most of them have heard his impressions of them, and they love it."
This shows how much his teammates and coaches enjoyed his personality.
Professional Football Career
Joining the New England Patriots
The New England Patriots chose Jonathan in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL draft. He was the 129th player picked overall. He signed his contract with New England on July 17, 2008. Jonathan made his first NFL appearance on September 7 against Kansas City. He had a season-high six tackles against St. Louis on October 26. His first professional interception happened on December 14, when he caught a pass from JaMarcus Russell of the Oakland Raiders. He became a starter for the last four weeks of the 2008 season.
In 2009, Jonathan played in 14 games and started eight. He caught two interceptions and made 45 tackles. He also defended five passes. For the 2010 season, he played in the first nine games. He missed four games due to a hip injury. On December 15, he was placed on injured reserve because of a hamstring injury. He finished that season with 20 tackles. The Patriots released him on August 29, 2011.
Playing for the Denver Broncos
Jonathan signed with the Denver Broncos on September 4, 2011. He played one season with them.
Brief Time with the Chicago Bears
On April 5, 2012, Jonathan signed with the Chicago Bears. However, he was released by the team on August 31, 2012.
Personal Life
In 2011, during the NFL lockout, Jonathan Wilhite married Sheena Davis.
