Vidal Hazelton facts for kids
Hazelton after a 2008 USC fall practice
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | January 29, 1988 New York, New York, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Staten Island (NY) Moore | ||||||||
| College: | Cincinnati | ||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2011 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| CFL status: | International | ||||||||
| Career CFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Player stats at CFL.ca | |||||||||
Vidal Hazelton, born on January 29, 1988, is a former American football player. He played as a wide receiver, catching passes for his team. He began his professional career with the San Diego Chargers in 2011. Before that, he played college football at both the University of Southern California (USC) and the University of Cincinnati.
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Early Life and High School Football
Vidal Hazelton grew up in New York, New York. He attended Moore Catholic High School in Staten Island. In 2005, during his junior year, he was a star player. He caught 39 passes for 784 yards and scored 17 touchdowns. He also ran for 240 yards and scored 4 more touchdowns. On defense, he made 38 tackles, 3 sacks, and had 2 interceptions that he returned for touchdowns.
For his senior year, Hazelton transferred to Hargrave Military Academy. There, he continued to excel in football. In 2005, he had 41 receptions for 942 yards. He also scored 13 touchdowns. Because of his amazing skills, Vidal was chosen to play in the 2006 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. This is a special game for the best high school football players in the country.
College Football Career
Playing for USC Trojans
Vidal Hazelton joined the USC football team as one of the top recruits in the nation. In his first year, he played in only two games. USC had a great season, winning the 2007 Rose Bowl against Michigan. Hazelton was a backup to two very talented receivers. He caught one pass for eight yards and had one run for seven yards.
In 2007, Hazelton was expected to be a starting player for the Trojans. He showed great skill during practice. In the first game of the season against Idaho, he made an amazing one-handed touchdown catch. He finished the season as USC's top wide receiver. He caught 50 passes and scored four touchdowns.
His 2008 season with the Trojans was more challenging. He hurt his ankle in the first game against Virginia. After he recovered, it was hard for him to get back into the starting lineup. Other talented players had stepped up. Also, his grandfather became sick with cancer, and Vidal wanted to be closer to him in Georgia. So, in December 2008, he decided to transfer to another school. He later chose to play for the Cincinnati Bearcats.
Professional Football Journey
Starting with the NFL
After college, Vidal Hazelton was not chosen in the 2011 NFL draft. However, he was still signed by the San Diego Chargers in July 2011. This means a team picked him up even though he wasn't drafted. He later joined the practice squad for the Cincinnati Bengals in December 2011. He also spent some time with the Tennessee Titans practice squad in 2012.
In 2013, Hazelton signed with the New York Jets. Unfortunately, he suffered a leg injury and was placed on the team's injured reserve list.
Playing in the CFL
In March 2015, Hazelton signed with the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League (CFL). In his first year, he played in 16 games. He caught 70 passes for 803 yards and scored 6 touchdowns. He was even a runner-up for the CFL Rookie of the Year award in 2015.
Vidal started the 2016 CFL season as a main receiver for the Argonauts. He scored the first touchdown for the team at their new home stadium, BMO Field. He played in 8 games that season, but missed 6 games due to injuries. Later in the season, he was released by the Argonauts. In those 8 games, he caught 27 passes for 361 yards and 3 touchdowns.
After leaving Toronto, Hazelton signed with the Edmonton Eskimos (CFL) in October 2016. He didn't play in any games that year. However, he re-signed with the Eskimos in 2017. In his first full season with Edmonton, he caught 55 passes for 709 yards. He also scored four touchdowns. He continued to play for the Eskimos in 2018.
