Randall Telfer facts for kids
Telfer with the Cleveland Browns in 2016
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| No. 86 | |||||
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| Position: | Tight end | ||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Born: | 16 May 1992 Rancho Cucamonga, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||
| Weight: | 260 lb (118 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school: | Rancho Cucamonga (CA) | ||||
| College: | USC | ||||
| NFL Draft: | 2015 / Round: 6 / Pick: 198 | ||||
| Career history | |||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||
Randall Telfer (born May 16, 1992) is a former American football player. He played as a tight end in the NFL. Telfer played college football for the University of Southern California (USC). The Cleveland Browns picked him in the 2015 NFL draft.
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Early Life and High School Football
Randall Telfer was born on May 16, 1992, in Rancho Cucamonga, California. His mother worked as a physical therapist.
Telfer went to Rancho Cucamonga High School. He was a good student, earning a 3.5 grade point average. He had never played football before high school. The head coach, Nick Baiz, convinced him to try out in his first year.
Because he was tall and fast, he started as a wide receiver. However, he was not good at catching the ball. He did not play much in his first year. He played a little more in his second year. By his third year, he had improved a lot. He became the team's second-best receiver. In 2008, he caught 42 passes for 677 yards. He also scored five touchdowns.
His team, Rancho Cucamonga, won the high school championship game. They beat Upland High School 21–7. Telfer caught a touchdown pass that helped his team win. By his senior year, Telfer was 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 225 pounds. He was known for his great blocking skills. Many colleges wanted him to play for them.
College Football Career
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College teams saw Telfer as a tight end more than a receiver. Eight different schools wanted him to play for them. These included Arizona State University, Stanford University, and the University of Oregon. He liked Oregon and USC the most.
Coach Pete Carroll convinced Telfer to join the University of Southern California (USC). He received a sports scholarship to play there. He did not play in his first year (2010). This is called being "redshirted." It means he could practice with the team but save a year of playing eligibility. After that year, Coach Carroll left USC.
In 2011, Telfer had a great second year under Coach Lane Kiffin. He caught 26 passes, and five of them were for touchdowns. He got hurt several times that season. But he kept playing through his injuries.
In his third year, USC was ranked the number one team. Telfer had more injuries. Despite this, he wanted to keep playing. His coaches let him. Telfer caught a touchdown pass that helped USC beat the University of Oregon 38-35. This win ended Oregon's 21-game winning streak at home. USC's 2012 season ended with a 7-6 record. They played in the 2012 Sun Bowl, but lost. After the game, some players had a disagreement in the locker room.
Telfer played with many leg injuries in 2013. His coaches allowed him to play. But they told him to be careful with his health. USC lost three of its first five games that season. Coach Kiffin was fired. Another coach, Ed Orgeron, took over temporarily. He led the team to a 6–2 record. Over two seasons, Telfer caught 18 more passes. Five of these were for touchdowns.
Steve Sarkisian became USC's new head coach. Telfer had knee surgery in the spring of 2014. This kept him from practicing. Many thought he would have a great final year. Coach Sarkisian even told him he would be an "offensive weapon." But Telfer mostly played as a blocker. USC finished their season in the 2014 Holiday Bowl. They won 45-42 against the University of Nebraska.
Telfer finished his college career with 63 catches. Twelve of these were for touchdowns. His teammates gave him the Chris Carlisle Courage Award. He earned it for playing every game in his last year, even with his injuries.
Randall Telfer earned a bachelor's degree in political science from USC in 2013. In 2014, he started working on a master's degree in communications management.
Telfer hurt his foot while playing in the Holiday Bowl. It was hard to figure out what was wrong. He had surgery for the injury in February 2015. Healing from this type of injury usually takes four to six months.
Professional Football Career
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns picked Telfer in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL draft. Telfer signed a four-year contract with the Browns on May 6, 2015. The deal was worth about $2.397 million. This included a $117,537 bonus for signing.
On July 28, 2015, Coach Mike Pettine said Telfer would not play in training camp. He would also miss games until at least mid-season. The team wanted to give his foot injury plenty of time to heal.
Telfer played 14 games in the 2016 season. Hue Jackson was the new head coach. Telfer caught two passes for four yards. He spent most of his time blocking for other players.
In May 2018, Telfer was going to be traded to the Kansas City Chiefs. But the trade was canceled two days later. The Browns then released him from the team.
Indianapolis Colts
On May 7, 2018, the Indianapolis Colts picked up Telfer. But they released him the next day. He did not pass his physical exam.
On August 24, 2018, Randall Telfer announced he was retiring from the NFL.
