Willie Harvey Jr. facts for kids
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Harvey with the St. Louis BattleHawks in 2023
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| No. 51 – St. Louis Battlehawks | |||
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Born: | January 9, 1996 Hastings, Florida, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Weight: | 230 lb (104 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | Pedro Menendez (St. Augustine, Florida) | ||
| College: | Iowa State | ||
| Undrafted: | 2019 | ||
| Career history | |||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||
Willie Harvey Jr. (born January 9, 1996) is an American professional football player. He plays as a linebacker for the St. Louis Battlehawks in the United Football League (UFL). Before joining the UFL, he played college football at Iowa State. He also played for the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL).
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Early Life and High School Football
Willie Harvey Jr. grew up in Hastings, Florida. He went to Pedro Menendez High School. During his senior year, he was a star linebacker on the football team. He made 131 tackles, which means he stopped the opposing team's players many times. He also had four sacks, which is when a player tackles the quarterback. His great performance earned him a spot on the first-team all-state list.
College Football Career
Harvey played college football for the Iowa State Cyclones from 2014 to 2018. He played in different linebacker positions.
Starting Strong at Iowa State
After his first year, where he didn't play in games (called "redshirting"), he became a starter. In his first full season, he was one of the top tacklers on the team. In his second year, he led the team in tackles with 78. He also had many tackles for loss and sacks. Because of his strong play, he was named Honorable Mention All-Big 12. This means he was recognized as one of the best players in his conference.
Continued Success and Recognition
As a junior, Harvey started every game. He continued to be a key player, making 76 tackles. He also had an interception and forced a fumble. For the second time, he was named Honorable Mention All-Big 12. In his final year (2018), he started all 13 games. He again finished second on the team in tackles. He earned Honorable Mention All-Big 12 for the third year in a row. After college, he was chosen to play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. This game showcases top college players for NFL teams.
Professional Football Career
Willie Harvey Jr. began his professional career in 2019.
Time with the Cleveland Browns
After the 2019 NFL draft, Harvey was not chosen by any team. However, he signed with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent. This means a team signs a player who wasn't drafted. He spent time on the Browns' practice squad. A practice squad is a group of players who train with the team but don't play in games unless they are moved to the main roster. He was promoted to the active roster in September 2019. However, he was later placed on injured reserve due to an injury.
Harvey was with the Browns for parts of three seasons. He was signed and waived (released) by the team multiple times. He last signed with the Browns in January 2022. He was waived again in August 2022.
Playing for the St. Louis BattleHawks
In November 2022, Harvey was drafted by the St. Louis BattleHawks of the XFL. The XFL is another professional football league. He quickly became an important player for the BattleHawks. He re-signed with the team in January 2024. His excellent performance led to him being named to the 2024 All-UFL team in June 2024. The UFL is a new league formed by the XFL and USFL.
Short Stint with the Dallas Cowboys
After his strong showing in the UFL, Harvey signed with the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL in June 2024. This was a chance for him to return to the NFL. However, he was waived by the Cowboys in August 2024.
Return to the St. Louis BattleHawks
In January 2025, Harvey re-signed with the St. Louis BattleHawks. He continued his impressive play in the UFL. He was named to the 2025 All-UFL Team, showing he is one of the best players in the league.
