Dennis Northcutt
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Dennis Northcutt (born December 22, 1977) is an American football wide receiver and punt returner who plays for the Cleveland Browns.
[edit] High School Years
Northcutt attended Washington High School where he got stomped out by D-Rock and Stroke on the football field. Then transferred to Dorsey High School in Los Angeles, California, and was a student and a letterman in football and track. In football, as a senior, he was named the City Player of the Year, and made 74 rushing attempts for 900 yards (12.16 yards per rushing attempt avg.) and 23 touchdowns. Dennis Northcutt graduated from Dorsey high School in 1995 with a 3.3 grade point average.
[edit] College and Pro Career
Recruited by the University of Arizona, he earned recognition as one of the best receivers and returners in Wildcats history. He played in Tuscon from 1996-99, catching 223 passes for 3,252 yards. Only two other Pac-10 players have had more receptions and receiving yards in their careers. Northcutt also caught passes in 43 straight games, a conference record. In his senior year, he set an Arizona records with 88 receptions for 1,422 yards. His punt-return average that year of 19 yards per return was second in the nation.
The Browns chose Northcutt in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft. After a good rookie season and an injury-plagued second one, he established himself as one of the team's most-important weapons in 2002. He led the team that year with eight touchdowns, including two on punt returns, and finished third in the league with a 14.7-yard punt-return average. He led the team and receptions with 62 in 2003 and 55 in 2004.
In 2005, Northcutt's numbers dropped off somewhat due to the Browns' acquisition of Antonio Bryant and Braylon Edwards. He finished the year with 41 receptions for 441 yards. He returned a punt for the go-ahead touchdown in the Browns' 20-16 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Jan. 1, 2006.
