Marcus Easley facts for kids
Easley with the Buffalo Bills in 2011
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| Position: | Wide receiver / Special teamer | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | November 2, 1987 Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 225 lb (102 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Stratford (CT) Bunnell | ||||||||||
| College: | Connecticut | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2010 / Round: 4 / Pick: 107 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Marcus Landon Easley (born November 2, 1987) is a former American football player. He played as a wide receiver and a special teamer. The Buffalo Bills picked him in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL draft. Before joining the pros, he played college football at the University of Connecticut. He also went to Frank Scott Bunnell High School in Stratford, Connecticut.
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College Football Journey
Marcus Easley went to Frank Scott Bunnell High School. He was offered a special scholarship to the University of Connecticut. Even though he didn't get the scholarship, he was still accepted into the school.
He joined the UConn football team as a "walk-on" player. This means he joined the team without a scholarship at first. He didn't play in games until his second year.
Playing for UConn
In his sophomore year, Marcus played in 10 games. He mostly played on special teams and as a backup wide receiver. He made his first catch that year, gaining 10 yards against Maine.
During his junior year, he played in 12 games and started 4 of them. He finished the season with 4 catches for 94 yards.
His senior year was his best. He played in all 13 games and started 7. He led his team with 48 catches for 893 yards. He also scored 8 touchdowns. His first touchdown was against Pitt.
Marcus had a career-high 157 receiving yards in a game against West Virginia. He also made a career-high 8 catches in a game against South Florida. After this great season, he was invited to a special all-star game called the 2010 Texas vs The Nation game.
He finished his college career with 53 catches for 997 yards and 8 touchdowns.
Professional Football Career
The Buffalo Bills chose Marcus Easley in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL draft. He was the 107th player picked overall. He was the first wide receiver from the University of Connecticut to be drafted into the National Football League. He was also the only wide receiver the Bills picked that year.
Early Challenges
Before his first season, Marcus had surgery for a knee injury. This meant he had to miss his rookie year.
In 2011, he faced another challenge. He had a heart problem, which meant he missed his second season in a row.
Joining the Bills Roster
On August 31, 2012, the Bills decided to let Marcus go from the main team. But they signed him to their practice squad the very next day. A practice squad is where players train with the team but aren't on the main roster.
Later that year, on November 6, 2012, he was moved back to the main 53-man roster. He played his first NFL game on December 2, 2012, against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In that game, he returned a kickoff for 55 yards, which helped set up a touchdown for his team.
He played again on December 16, 2012, on special teams, but left the game with a hamstring injury. He returned on December 30, 2012, against the New York Jets. In that game, he forced a fumble and made two tackles on special teams.
Key Special Teams Player
In 2013, Marcus earned a spot on the Bills' main team. He played in all 16 games that season. He led the entire NFL with 22 tackles on special teams.
On September 29, 2013, he made four special teams tackles in a game against the Baltimore Ravens. On November 10, 2013, he made his first NFL catch against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He finished that game with 2 catches for 13 yards.
In the 2014 season, Marcus played in 9 games on special teams. He made 9 special teams tackles that year.
Career-Ending Injury
On December 27, 2015, during a game against the Dallas Cowboys, Marcus suffered a serious knee injury. He dislocated his kneecap and broke his knee in three places. He was taken off the field and placed on injured reserve the next day.
On March 8, 2017, the Buffalo Bills released Marcus Easley. He had played with the team for six years.
