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). A running back is a player who primarily carries the ball.
Booker was chosen by the Miami Dolphins in the 2007 NFL draft. He also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Hartford Colonials, Minnesota Vikings, and Chicago Bears.
Early Life and High School Football
Lorenzo Booker was born in Oxnard, California. He went to St. Bonaventure High School in Ventura, California. There, he was a star in both football and track.
High School Football Achievements
As a senior, Booker ran for an amazing 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. He also earned USA Today All-USA first-team honors.
In his junior year, Booker had 3,103 yards and 49 touchdowns. Over his three years in high school, he gained 8,502 rushing yards. He scored 137 touchdowns, which were state records. During this time, his team had a perfect 42–0 record.
Track and Field
Booker also competed in track and field. He was a sprinter and a jumper. He ran the 100-meter dash in 10.8 seconds. He also ran the 200-meter dash in 22.2 seconds. In jumping, he could jump over 22 feet (about 6.8 meters) in the long jump.
College Choice
After high school, Booker chose to play for Florida State. He picked Florida State over Notre Dame and USC. He announced his decision on ESPN. He also played in the 2002 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. After his senior year, he won the Gatorade High School Heisman award. This award honors the top high school athlete in the nation.
College Football Career
Booker took a "redshirt" year in his first year at Florida State. This means he practiced with the team but did not play in games. This allowed him to gain an extra year of eligibility.
Playing for the Seminoles
In 2003, his freshman year, Booker was fourth on the team in carries. He had 62 carries for 334 rushing yards. He also scored three rushing touchdowns. He caught 19 passes for 86 yards.
In 2004, his sophomore year, Booker led the team in carries with 173. He was second in rushing yards with 887. He scored four touchdowns. He also caught 24 passes for 160 yards.
In 2005, his junior year, Booker led the Seminoles in rushing yards, carries, and touchdowns. He had 119 carries for 552 yards. He scored four touchdowns. He also caught 38 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns. While in college, Booker earned the nickname L-Boogie.
Professional Football Career
Lorenzo Booker was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 2007. He was the 71st player chosen overall. He signed a four-year contract with the Dolphins.
Miami Dolphins (2007)
Booker first played a big role for the Dolphins in December 2007. He was mostly used as a receiver. He had one carry for six yards. He also caught six passes for 63 yards in that game.
Philadelphia Eagles (2008)
Booker was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in April 2008. He rushed for 53 yards on 20 carries in 2008. He also caught six passes for 11 yards. He was released by the Eagles in September 2009.
Hartford Colonials (2010)
Booker signed with the Hartford Colonials in the United Football League in August 2010. He was named the UFL Offensive Player of the Week for one game. In that game, he rushed for 147 yards and a touchdown.
Booker later had a disagreement with the league. He and other players protested a fee that teams had to pay if a player signed with an NFL team. Booker was suspended by the UFL for this protest.
Minnesota Vikings (2010–2011)
In December 2010, Booker signed with the Minnesota Vikings. This happened after the UFL fee was lowered.
With the Vikings, Booker was mainly a kick returner. He returned 18 kicks for 429 yards. This was an average of 23.8 yards per return. He also caught 5 passes for 32 yards.
Chicago Bears (2012)
Booker signed with the Chicago Bears in July 2012. In a preseason game, 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 competed for a spot as a running back. He won the spot, and another player was released. However, Booker was later placed on Injured Reserve in September 2012. He was released from Injured Reserve shortly after.
