DeMeco Ryans

DeMeco Ryans (/dɪˈmiːkoʊ/; born July 28, 1984) is an American football coach and former linebacker who is the inside linebackers coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Alabama, and received unanimous All-American honors. He was selected by the Houston Texans in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft, and was recognized as the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2006. He was selected to two Pro Bowls before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2012, where he spent four seasons.

DeMeco Ryans
Ryans with the Houston Texans in 2010
San Francisco 49ers
Position:Inside linebackers coach
Personal information
Born: (1984-07-28) July 28, 1984
Bessemer, Alabama
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:247 lb (112 kg)
Career information
High school:Bessemer (AL) Jess Lanier
College:Alabama
NFL Draft:2006 / Round: 2 / Pick: 33
Career history
As player:
As coach:
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles:971
Sacks:13.5
Forced fumbles:7
Fumble recoveries:10
Interceptions:7
Defensive touchdowns:1
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

Early years

Ryans was born in Bessemer, Alabama. He attended Jess Lanier High School in Bessemer, where he played high school football. In his senior season, he had 135 tackles, 11 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two interceptions. Considered a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, Ryans was listed as the No. 39 inside linebacker prospect in the nation from the class of 2002.[1] He picked Alabama over Mississippi State.

Playing career

College

Ryans attended the University of Alabama, where he played outside linebacker for coach Mike Shula's Alabama Crimson Tide football team from 2002 to 2005. Ryans started his career by earning a role on special teams and back up linebacker in his first season. By making great improvements every year in his college career, Ryans went on to become the SEC's Defensive Player of the Year for his performance in 2005. Later on, Ryans attributed much of his college success to his defensive coordinator at Alabama, Joe Kines. He was named the 2006 Cotton Bowl Classic defensive MVP in their 13-10 win over Texas Tech. Following his 2005 senior season, he received the Lott Trophy for his combination of athletic excellence and off-the-field achievements, and was recognized as a unanimous first-team All-American.

College awards and honors
  • 2006 NCAA Top Eight Award (Class of 2006)
  • 2006 Cotton Bowl Classic – Defensive MVP
  • 2005 Consensus first-team All-American
  • 2005 SEC – Defensive Player of the Year
  • 2005 First-team All-SEC
  • 2005 Lott Trophy
  • 2005 Bednarik Trophy Semifinalist
  • 2005 Butkus Award Finalist
  • 2005 Draddy Award Finalist
  • 2005 Nagurski Award Finalist
  • 2005 Lombardi Award Semifinalist
  • 2004 Second-team All-SEC

National Football League

2006 NFL Draft

Ryans was selected with the first pick of the 2nd round (33rd overall) in the 2006 NFL Draft by the Texans. He was the highest selected Alabama linebacker since Dwayne Rudd went 20th overall to the Minnesota Vikings in 1997.

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 1 1⁄4 in
(1.86 m)		 236 lb
(107 kg)		 4.65 s 1.64 s 2.74 s 4.18 s 7.19 s 39 in
(0.99 m)		 10 ft 9 in
(3.28 m)		 23 reps
All values from NFL Combine

Houston Texans

Ryans began his NFL career in 2006 with the Houston Texans. Though he had been an outside linebacker in college, he earned the starting middle linebacker position due to his excellent performance in the preseason. In his first game, he recorded a league-high 12 solo tackles. Ryans had an overwhelming impact as a rookie linebacker for the Texans, leading the team in tackles in the first half of the 2006 season. Many Texans fans began nicknaming him “D-Wreck” for his toughness and hard hits; other nicknames included D-ROY, intended to promote Ryans for the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year award, and "Cap'n Meco," due to his status as a Texans team captain and in reverence of his tremendous professionalism and leadership both on and off the field.

On January 3, 2007, Ryans was awarded the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award after finishing second in the league with 155 total tackles (Zach Thomas 165), 31 more tackles than the next rookie (Detroit Lions linebacker Ernie Sims). He received 36 of 50 votes by a nationwide panel of sports writers and broadcasters. Chicago Bears defensive end Mark Anderson, who was Ryans's teammate at Alabama, finished second with five votes. On December 18, 2007, Ryans was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time. Ryans wore the Texans' defensive transmitter to relay plays from the sideline into the huddle. This meant he was an every-down player.[2] On March 30, 2010, Ryans signed a six-year extension worth $48 million, including $21.75 million guaranteed.

Philadelphia Eagles

On March 20, 2012, after Brian Cushing replaced Ryans as starting middle linebacker, Ryans was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a 2012 fourth-round draft pick (used on Ben Jones) and a swap of third-round picks between the two teams (used on Brandon Brooks and Nick Foles) Ryans was immediately inserted as the team's starting Middle Linebacker.[3] Although the Eagles were 4-12, Ryans still made plays, leading the team in tackles with 113 while adding 1 sack and 1 interception to the total. In 2013, Ryans improved even further, leading the team in tackles once more with 127, while also recording career highs in sacks (4.0), interceptions (2), and interception return yardage (46). On January 4, 2014, he had 10 tackles and his first career playoff interception in his first career playoff game with the Eagles, a close 26-24 loss to the New Orleans Saints. On November 3, 2014, Ryans was placed on injured reserve after tearing his Achilles tendon during the win over his former team, the Houston Texans.

Ryans was released by the Eagles on February 24, 2016.[4]

After his release from the Eagles, Ryans did not play with another NFL team.

NFL career statistics
SeasonTeamGP–GSTacklesInterceptionsFumbles
TotalSoloAstSackSafetyPass Def.IntYardsAvgLongTDFFFRYardsTD
2006^Houston Texans 16–16156126303.50511616.01601100
2007†‡ 16–1612899292.007111.01013261
2008 16–1611286261.004000.00023470
2009† 16–1612393301.002000.00011290
2010 6–65432221.002000.0000000
2011 16–166444200.004000.0001000
2012Philadelphia Eagles 16–1611386271.004100.0000000
2013 16–16127102254.00724623.03600000
2014 8–8453690.004100.0000100
2015 14–134932170.005100.0001100
Career Total 93973223413.504176310.53606101021
^ Named Rookie of the Year.
† Named to the Pro Bowl.
‡ Named to the All-Pro team.

Coaching career

San Francisco 49ers

On February 28, 2017, Ryans hired by the San Francisco 49ers as a defensive quality control coach.[5] In 2018, Ryans was promoted to inside linebackers coach.

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References
  1. "Inside linebackers", Rivals100, February 5, 2002
  2. Texans to send defensive signals through helmet of linebacker Ryans
  3. Les Bowen (May 24, 2012). "Linebacker DeMeco Ryans mans the middle for the Eagles". philly.com. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  4. Patra, Kevin (February 24, 2016). "Philadelphia Eagles cut veteran LB DeMeco Ryans". NFL.com. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  5. "John Lynch makes first public comments following Foster's latest arrest". KNBR-AM. February 28, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
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