LaDaris Vann facts for kids

LaDaris Tremaine Vann, born on October 7, 1980, is a former American football player. He played as a wide receiver in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He also played for the Frankfurt Galaxy in NFL Europe, which was a league for American football in Europe. Before playing professionally, he played college football at the University of Cincinnati.

Early Life and High School Football

LaDaris Vann went to Fort Pierce Central High School. When he was a sophomore, he did not play football. In his junior year, he became the starting quarterback. He also played baseball and basketball.

In 1998, during his senior year, he had an issue with a teacher. This led to a suspension and affected his chances for a scholarship to a top college sports program (NCAA Division I). After this, he moved to Spanish River Community High School.

At Spanish River, Vann became the starting quarterback. He played alongside future professional football players like Lance Frazier and Jason Geathers. However, he only played in four games. The Florida High School Activities Association (FHSAA) ruled him unable to play because he did not meet their rules for transferring schools.

He was also interested in playing Minor League Baseball for the Atlanta Braves. But he chose to go to college instead.

College Football Career

LaDaris Vann received a football scholarship from the University of Cincinnati. In his first year, he was a "redshirt" freshman. This means he practiced with the team but didn't play in games to save a year of eligibility. He changed his position to a wide receiver. He played in 11 games as the third receiver on the team. He caught 37 passes for 547 yards and scored 4 touchdowns.

As a sophomore, he played in 10 games. He had 26 catches for 332 yards and 2 touchdowns. He missed one game because of an injury.

In his junior year, he became a starting wide receiver. He led his team with 73 catches for 902 yards. He also scored 3 touchdowns. In one game against Purdue University, he caught 9 passes for 102 yards and 2 touchdowns. He had a career-high 12 catches for 134 yards against the Army.

As a senior, he continued to play well. He caught 71 passes for 844 yards and 5 touchdowns. He tied his career high with 12 catches in a game against the University of Tulane.

Vann finished his college career with impressive records. He played in 46 games and started 33 of them. He set a school record with 207 catches and 2,625 receiving yards. He also had 14 receiving touchdowns, which was fourth in school history. He had eight games where he gained over 100 receiving yards. He also set a school record by catching a pass in 46 straight games.

Besides football, he also played as an outfielder for the university's baseball team during his junior year.

Professional Football Journey

On May 16, 2003, LaDaris Vann signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League. He played in 10 games for them. He caught 21 passes for 324 yards and scored 2 touchdowns. He also returned punts and kickoffs. He was released by the team on September 30, 2003.

Later that year, on November 6, 2003, he signed with the Indiana Firebirds in the Arena Football League.

On February 3, 2005, he signed with the Buffalo Bills as a free agent. This means he was not under contract with any team. He was first sent to the Berlin Thunder in NFL Europe. But he was then moved to the Frankfurt Galaxy. He played in 2 games for the Galaxy. He had one catch for 12 yards and one kickoff return. On July 29, 2005, he was placed on the NFL Europe injured reserve list due to an injury. The Bills released him on April 17, 2006.

On May 10, 2007, he signed with the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League. However, he was dealing with an injury and was released before the season began.