| No. 21 Baltimore Ravens | |
| Cornerback | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: October 12, 1985 | |
| Place of birth: Opelika, Alabama | |
| Height: 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | Weight: 179 lb (81 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College: Nicholls State | |
| NFL Draft: 2009 / Round: 3 / Pick: 88 | |
| Debuted in 2009 for the Baltimore Ravens | |
| Career history | |
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| Roster status: Active | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 16, 2011 | |
| Tackles | 153 |
| Sacks | 2.0 |
| Interceptions | 7 |
Lardarius "Lard" Webb (born October 12, 1985) is an American football cornerback for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He is the only player in NCAA Division I history to receive the conference awards of Offensive Player of the Week, Defensive Player of the Week, and Special Teams Player of the Week in a single season.[1] In 2007, Webb was named a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, an award given to the most outstanding defensive player of the year in the Football Championship Subdivision of college football.[2]
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Webb attended Beauregard High School in Alabama. Webb played both quarterback and defensive back in high school. As a junior, Webb rushed 1,011 yards with 12 touchdowns and passed for 731 yards and six touchdowns. On defense, he had 47 tackles, two fumble recoveries, and seven interceptions. In his senior season, Webb rushed for 738 yards with 15 rushing touchdowns and passed for 412 yards with four touchdowns. This was nearly enough to break Jesse Costa's record of 1,945 rushing yards for 19 touchdowns and 4,342 passing yards for 16 touchdown. On defense, Webb recorded 52 tackles, three fumble recoveries, and led the state of Alabama with 10 interceptions. For his efforts in high school football, Webb was named first team all-state defensive back for both his junior and senior year.[3] He was named Team MVP and participated in the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Game.
In 2004, Webb signed with the University of Southern Mississippi. In his freshmen year, Webb played in all 12 games for the Golden Eagles. In his sophomore year, Webb finished sixth on the team in tackles with 55.
Webb transferred to Nicholls State University in the spring of 2007. In his first ever game with the Colonels, the defensive back recorded three interceptions against Rice University, one of which he returned for a touchdown. Later in the season, the coaching staff for Nicholls made the decision to let Webb play running back as well as defensive back. In his first start as a quarterback against Azusa Pacific University, Webb rushed for 120 yards on eight carries and scored one touchdown. Following the end of the season, Webb was named an AP 1st team All-American and finished 10th out of 28 finalist for the honorable Buck Buchanan Award presented in FCS football.
Webb ran the fastest 40-yard dash for a cornerback at the 2009 NFL Combine with an official time of a 4.46. Webb also bench pressed 225 pounds 15 times, had a vertical jump of 36.5 inches, and a 20-yard shuttle of 4.1 seconds.[4]
Webb was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the 3rd round (88th pick overall) in the 2009 NFL Draft.
After becoming the team's starting kick returner in Week 5, Webb returned the opening third quarter kick off 95 yards for a touchdown in Week 8 against the Denver Broncos. However, on December 20, in a Week 15 win over the Chicago Bears, Webb tore his anterior cruciate ligament and missed the remainder of the season.[5] Although he only became a starter in the second half of the season, Webb quickly established himself as one of the team's best cornerbacks because of his ability to play on an island and fine tackling, especially in run support.[6][7][8] He finished his rookie season with 35 tackles (32 solo), 1 sack and 6 pass break-ups. He also returned 35 kick-offs for 918 yards (26.2 average) and a touchdown.
On November 8, 2010, Webb recorded his first career interception off a pass from Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne and returned it 32 yards. Webb would end the season with 54 tackles (47 solo), 9 pass break-ups and 2 interceptions. In addition, he returned 21 punts for 199 yards(9.5 average). Following the season, he was praised for his ability to defend deep passes.[9]
Early in the 2011 season, injuries forced Webb into the starting lineup, where he excelled and demonstrated he was the team's most talented corner. [10] Webb garnered considerable Pro Bowl buzz (although he was not voted in) after notching five interceptions during the regular season, returning one for a score, and not allowing a touchdown. [11] On December 4, 2011, Webb returned a punt for a 68-yard touchdown against the Cleveland Browns. This was Webb's first career punt return for a touchdown, and the team's first punt return for a touchdown since 2007. Webb attributed his elevated play to full recovery from his knee injury and his bulking up in the offseason to prepare to become the slot cornerback. Lardarius finished the regular season fourth on the team in tackles with 67 and first on the team in interceptions with five.[12]
Lardarious Webb is the cousin of former NBA star Mitch Richmond and he is friends with NFL WR Chad Ochocinco. [13] Webb regularly maintains his own Twitter account under the name LWebb21.
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