Lorenzo Booker facts for kids
Booker at Philadelphia Eagles training camp in 2009
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | June 14, 1984 Oxnard, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 201 lb (91 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | St. Bonaventure (Ventura, California) |
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| College: | Florida State | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2007 / Round: 3 / Pick: 71 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
Lorenzo Adarryll Booker (born June 14, 1984) is a former professional football player. He played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL). The Miami Dolphins picked him in the third round of the 2007 NFL draft. He also played college football for the Florida State Seminoles.
Booker also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Hartford Colonials, Minnesota Vikings, and Chicago Bears.
Contents
Early Life and High School Football
Lorenzo Booker grew up in Ventura, California. He went to St. Bonaventure High School. There, he was a star in both football and track.
In high school football, he was an amazing running back. In his senior year, he ran for 2,878 yards. He also scored 50 touchdowns. He caught 16 passes for 300 yards and three more touchdowns.
Many people thought he was the best running back prospect in the country. He was named a Parade All-American. This means he was one of the best high school players in the nation. He also got honors from USA Today.
In his junior year, Booker had 3,103 rushing yards and 49 touchdowns. Over his three years, he had 8,502 rushing yards and 137 touchdowns. Both of these were state records! He helped his team win 42 games in a row.
Track and Field Achievements
Besides football, Lorenzo was also a talented athlete in track & field. He competed as a sprinter and a jumper. He ran the 100-meter dash in 10.8 seconds. He also jumped over 22 feet in the long jump.
After high school, Booker chose to play for Florida State. He picked them over other big schools like Notre Dame and USC. This decision was even shown on ESPN. After his senior year, he won the Gatorade High School Heisman award. This award goes to the top high school athlete in the country.
College Football Career
When Lorenzo Booker first arrived at Florida State, he took a "redshirt" year. This means he practiced with the team but did not play in games. It allowed him to train and get ready for college football.
In his first year playing in 2003, he was a strong runner for the Seminoles. He had 334 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He also caught 19 passes.
In 2004, his sophomore year, Booker led his team in carries. He was second in rushing yards with 887. He also scored four touchdowns. He became known by the nickname L-Boogie while in college.
Professional Football Journey
Joining the Miami Dolphins
The National Football League (NFL) holds a special event each year called the NFL Draft. Teams pick new players from colleges. In 2007, the Miami Dolphins chose Lorenzo Booker in the third round. He was the 71st player picked overall. He signed a four-year contract with the Dolphins.
Booker got his first big chance to play in a game on December 12, 2007. He was mostly used as a receiver in that game. He had one carry for six yards and caught six passes for 63 yards.
Time with the Philadelphia Eagles
On April 26, 2008, Booker was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. He played for them in 2008. He rushed for 53 yards and caught six passes. The Eagles let him go in September 2009.
Playing in the United Football League
Booker then signed with the Hartford Colonials. This team was part of the United Football League (UFL). He joined them on August 17, 2010. He had a great game in week 7 of the 2010 season. He ran for 147 yards and scored a touchdown. This earned him the UFL Offensive Player of the Week award.
Later, Booker had a disagreement with the UFL. This was about a fee that teams had to pay if a player left for the NFL. He wanted to play in the NFL. He was suspended by the UFL because of this issue.
With the Minnesota Vikings
On December 6, 2010, Booker signed with the Minnesota Vikings. This happened after the UFL reduced the fee.
During his four games with the Vikings, Booker was mainly a kick returner. He returned 18 kicks for 429 yards. This means he averaged 23.8 yards per return. He also caught 5 passes for 32 yards.
Final Stop with the Chicago Bears
Booker signed with the Chicago Bears on July 17, 2012. In a preseason game against the Washington Redskins, he returned a kickoff 105 yards for a touchdown! This would have been the longest kick return in Bears history if it had happened in a regular season game.
Booker earned a spot on the team as a running back. However, he was later placed on Injured Reserve on September 8, 2012. He was released from Injured Reserve shortly after.
