Ryan Switzer

Ryan Switzer (born November 4, 1994) is an American football wide receiver and punt returner for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). Switzer played college football at North Carolina and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round (133rd overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft.

Ryan Switzer
Switzer with the Oakland Raiders in 2018
No. 10 – Pittsburgh Steelers
Position:Wide receiver
Punt Returner
Personal information
Born: (1994-11-04) November 4, 1994
Charleston, West Virginia
Height:5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight:182 lb (83 kg)
Career information
High school:George Washington
(Charleston, West Virginia)
College:UNC
NFL Draft:2017 / Round: 4 / Pick: 133
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
  • PFWA All-Rookie Team (2017)
  • NCAA punt return leader (2013)
  • All-American (2013, 2015) (All-purpose/specialist)
  • First-team All-ACC (2013) (All-purpose/specialist)
  • Third-Team All-ACC (2014) (Wide receiver)
  • First-Team All-ACC (2015) (All-Purpose/Specialist) (Coaches)
  • Second-team All-ACC (2015) (All-purpose/specialist)
  • Third-team All-ACC (2015) (Wide receiver)
  • First-team All-ACC (2016) (Wide receiver)
Career NFL statistics as of 2019
Receptions:50
Receiving yards:321
Rushing yards:26
Return yards:1,851
Total touchdowns:2
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

Switzer was also an offseason member of the Oakland Raiders.

Early years

Switzer attended George Washington High School in Charleston, West Virginia, where he played on his high school football team, the Patriots.[1] As a junior, he led the team in receiving and scored 12 total touchdowns (receiving, rushing and return combined), averaging over 110 yards all purpose yards per game for the No. 1 ranked team in the state. He finished his senior season with 206 carries for 2,379 yards and 32 touchdowns; he also caught 20 passes for 253 yards and four touchdowns and returned three interceptions for scores.[2]

In addition to football, Switzer participated in basketball, helping lead George Washington to the 2011 AAA state basketball title as their starting point guard.

Also a standout track and field athlete, Switzer finished 5th in the 2010 AAA state track meet in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.1 seconds and 6th in the long jump at 20 feet 6 inches (6.25 m) and was the lead man on the 4×100 and 4×200 teams that won state championships. He was timed at 4.33 in the 40-yard dash, completed the 60-yard shuttle in 7.3 seconds and had a vertical leap of 34 inches.[3] He committed to the University of North Carolina to play college football, and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys.[4]

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight 40‡ Commit date
Ryan Switzer
WR		 Charleston, WV George Washington HS 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 168 lb (76 kg) 4.52 Mar 28, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 80
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 47 (WR)   Rivals: 22 (WR)  ESPN: 59 (WR)
  • ‡ Refers to 40 yard dash
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height, weight and 40 time.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "North Carolina Commit List for 2013". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  • "Scout.com Football Recruiting: North Carolina". Scout.com. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  • "RecruitTracker 2013: North Carolina". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  • "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  • "2013 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 11, 2013.

    College career
    Switzer in 2012

    As a freshman at UNC (University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill) in 2013, Switzer led all NCAA major college players with an average of 20.9 yards per punt return. He accounted for five punt return touchdowns during the season and also had 32 receptions for 341 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.[5][6] On November 2, against NC State, he threw a 59-yard passing touchdown to Quinshad Davis in the 27–19 victory.[7] As a sophomore in 2014, he caught 61 passes for 757 yards and four touchdowns.[8][9] On September 20, against East Carolina, he threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to T. J. Thorpe in the 70–41 loss.[10]

    As a junior in 2015, Switzer recorded a team-high 55 receptions for 697 yards and six touchdowns and also returned two punts for scores.[11][12] In October 2015, a controversial decision by the ACC negated a 70-yard punt return by Switzer, ruling that he had given an "invalid signal" before the return.[13]

    In his senior season, Switzer set a school single-season record with 96 receptions for 1,112 yards and scored six touchdowns.[14] He left North Carolina as the career record holder in both receptions and receiving yards.[15]

    Collegiate statistics

    Receiving/rushing statistics
    Year School Class G Rec Yds Avg TD Rush Yds Avg TD
    2013 North Carolina FR 13 32 341 10.7 3 10 29 2.9 0
    2014 North Carolina SO 13 61 757 12.4 4 8 29 3.6 0
    2015 North Carolina JR 14 54 693 12.8 6 4 10 2.5 0
    2016 North Carolina SR 13 96 1,112 11.6 6 3 14 4.7 0
    Career 243 2,903 11.9 19 25 82 3.3 0

    Return statistics
    Year School Class G PR Yds Avg TD KR Yds Avg TD
    2013 North Carolina FR 13 24 502 20.9 5 0 0 0
    2014 North Carolina SO 13 37 172 4.6 0 1 17 17.0 0
    2015 North Carolina JR 14 22 302 13.7 2 1 8 8.0 0
    2016 North Carolina SR 13 16 106 6.6 0 0 0 0
    Career 99 1,082 10.9 7 2 25 12.5 0

    Professional career
    Pre-draft measurables
    Height Weight Arm length Hand size 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
    5 ft 8 1⁄2 in
    (1.74 m)    		 181 lb
    (82 kg)    		 28 in
    (0.71 m)    		 9 1⁄4 in
    (0.23 m)    		 4.51 s 1.56 s 2.63 s 4.00 s 6.77 s 32 in
    (0.81 m)    		 9 ft 8 in
    (2.95 m)    		 11 reps
    All values from 2017 NFL Combine.[16]

    Dallas Cowboys

    Switzer was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round (133rd overall) in the 2017 NFL Draft.[17] He was the fourth of five North Carolina Tar Heels to be selected that year.[18] A hamstring injury forced him to miss multiple training camp practices and the first two preseason games.[19][20]

    On September 10, 2017, Switzer made his NFL debut in the season opener against the New York Giants. In the game, his role was being the kickoff and punt returner. He fielded two kick returns for 42 net yards and one punt return for no yards.[21] On September 25, against the Arizona Cardinals, he recorded a three-yard rush on the first carry of his career.[22]

    On October 1, against the Los Angeles Rams, he fumbled a punt that the Rams recovered at the Cowboys' 18 yard line and led to a touchdown score five plays later, contributing to a 30-35 loss.[23] On November 30, 2017, Switzer had an 83-yard punt return against the Washington Redskins to score his first career touchdown, and the first Cowboys' punt return touchdown in four years.[24] Outside of the season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles, he was not given much of a chance at wide receiver, finishing with 4 receptions for 32 yards.[25][26]

    He led the team in both punt and kickoff returns.[27] He averaged 8.8 yards per punt return and was ninth-best in the NFL among 20 returners with at least 25 attempts. He averaged 25 yards per kickoff attempt and was third-best in the league among the 10 kick returners with at least 24 attempts.[28]

    Oakland Raiders

    On April 28, 2018, after the Cowboys acquired Tavon Austin and drafted two wide receivers, Switzer was traded to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for defensive tackle Jihad Ward.[29] He was acquired to be the Oakland Raiders' return specialist, reuniting with Rich Bisaccia who was his special teams coach with the Cowboys.[30]

    Pittsburgh Steelers

    On August 27, 2018, Switzer was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers along with a 2019 sixth-round draft pick for a 2019 fifth-round draft pick.[31] During the Steeler’s Week 3 win versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football, Switzer recorded his first receiving touchdown as a Steeler on a one-yard reception from Ben Roethlisberger.[32] On November 25, 2018, against the Denver Broncos, Switzer had six receptions for a season-high 67 yards during the loss.[33] Switzer finished the 2018 season with 36 receptions for 253 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.[34]

    On November 14, 2019, Switzer was placed on injured reserve.[35] He was designated for return from injured reserve on December 26, 2019, and began practicing with the team again, but was not activated as the Steelers failed to make the playoffs.[36]

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    See also

    References
    1. Taylor, Derek. "GW's Ryan Switzer receives recognition". The Herald-Dispatch. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    2. "10 things to know about Ryan Switzer". SportsDay. February 4, 2018. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    3. Ryan Switzer's Football Recruiting Profile
    4. Pianovich, Stephen. "Ryan Switzer Commits To North Carolina". The Daily Collegian. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    5. "Football Bowl Subdivision Records" (PDF). NCAA. 2015. pp. 72–74.
    6. "Ryan Switzer 2013 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    7. "North Carolina at North Carolina State Box Score, November 2, 2013". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    8. "Ryan Switzer". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
    9. "Ryan Switzer 2014 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    10. "North Carolina at East Carolina Box Score, September 20, 2014". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    11. "Ryan Switzer 2015 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    12. "2015 North Carolina Tar Heels Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    13. "ACC stands by controversial call that negated Ryan Switzer punt return". The Charlotte Observer. October 19, 2015.
    14. "Ryan Switzer 2016 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    15. "North Carolina Tar Heels Receiving". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    16. "Ryan Switzer Draft Profile". NFL.com.
    17. Sessler, Marc (April 29, 2017). "Cowboys add slot receiver Ryan Switzer". NFL.com.
    18. "2017 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    19. "Cowboys WR Ryan Switzer isn't too concerned about hamstring injury". star-telegram. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    20. "Cowboys' Ryan Switzer: In line to play Thursday". CBSSports.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    21. "New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys - September 10th, 2017". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
    22. "Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals - September 25th, 2017". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
    23. "Los Angeles Rams at Dallas Cowboys - October 1st, 2017". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    24. "Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys - November 30th, 2017". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    25. "Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles - December 31st, 2017". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    26. "Ryan Switzer 2017 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    27. "2017 Dallas Cowboys Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    28. "2017 NFL Kick & Punt Returns". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    29. Teope, Herbie (April 28, 2018). "Cowboys trade Ryan Switzer to Raiders for Jihad Ward". NFL.com.
    30. "Cowboys Trade Receiver and Kick Returner Ryan Switzer". NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. April 28, 2018. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
    31. Shook, Nick (August 27, 2018). "Oakland Raiders trading Ryan Switzer to Steelers". NFL.com.
    32. "Pittsburgh Steelers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - September 24th, 2018". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
    33. "Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos - November 25th, 2018". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
    34. "Ryan Switzer 2018 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
    35. "Nix, Switzer placed on IR". Steelers.com. November 14, 2019.
    36. Varley, Teresa (December 26, 2019). "Nix and Switzer designated for return". Steelers.com. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
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