Marcus Demps facts for kids

Marcus L. Demps (born August 19, 1983) is a former American football player. He played as a safety, which is a defensive position in football. Marcus played college football for the San Diego State team.

He is also the younger brother of another safety, Will Demps, who also played professional football.

Early Life and High School Football

Marcus Demps grew up in Palmdale, California, and went to Highland High School. He was a key player on his high school football team, starting for two years as a strong safety.

During his time in high school, Marcus was recognized for his skills. He was chosen twice for the all-Golden League team. Even though he missed some games in his senior year due to a foot injury, he was still named to the first-team all-Valley by a local newspaper. Besides football, Marcus also competed in track.

College Football Journey

Marcus Demps attended San Diego State University. While playing football, he studied criminal justice.

Starting Out: Freshman Year (2001)

When Marcus first joined the San Diego State team in 2001, he was hoping to play right away. However, he broke his finger early in the season and needed surgery. Because of this injury, he didn't play in any games that year. This is called a "redshirt" year, which means he could still play for four more years later.

First Games: Red-shirt Freshman (2002)

In 2002, Marcus played in nine games. He mostly played on special teams (teams that handle kickoffs, punts, etc.) and as a safety. He made 24 tackles during the season. A tackle is when a defensive player stops an offensive player who has the ball. His best game that year was against Air Force, where he made 12 tackles in his first start.

Becoming a Starter: Red-shirt Sophomore (2003)

In 2003, Marcus started the season as a backup player. But he got a chance to become a starter when another player got sick. Unfortunately, Marcus then got an ankle injury himself, which made him miss three games. Even with the injury, he started in five games that season. He made 39 tackles and even had a sack (tackling the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage) against Air Force. He also recovered a fumble and blocked a punt.

Changing Positions: Red-shirt Junior (2004)

After playing safety for two years, Marcus changed his position to cornerback in 2004. A cornerback's job is to cover wide receivers and prevent passes. He made 35 tackles that year. He was also good at breaking up passes (stopping the ball from reaching the receiver) and forcing fumbles (making the offensive player drop the ball). He even caught an interception against a highly ranked team, Michigan. Marcus was slowed down by a knee injury late in the year, but he didn't miss any games.

Senior Year Success: Red-shirt Senior (2005)

The 2005 season was Marcus's final year in college, and it was a very strong one. He finished the season with 72 tackles, two sacks, and four interceptions. An interception is when a defensive player catches a pass meant for an offensive player.

He had many impressive games, including nine tackles against Ohio State and a season-high 12 tackles against New Mexico. He also scored a touchdown, which is rare for a defensive player! His excellent performance that year earned him a spot on the First-team All-Mountain West Conference team.

Professional Football Opportunity

After college, Marcus Demps was not chosen in the 2006 NFL draft. However, he was signed by the Detroit Lions as an "undrafted free agent" in May 2006. This means a team still wanted him to try out even though he wasn't drafted.

He joined the Lions for their rookie mini-camp. He was later signed to their practice squad, which is a group of players who train with the team but aren't on the main roster. Unfortunately, he was placed on the injury list in September 2006 due to a knee injury, which ended his time with the team.

Personal Life

Marcus Demps' parents are Kye and William Demps. As mentioned before, his older brother, Will Demps, also played as a safety in professional football.