Jerry Crafts

Jerry Wayne Crafts (born January 6, 1968) is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football at the University of Oklahoma for Barry Switzer and the University of Louisville.

Early years and college career

Crafts is a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he attended Metro Christian Academy. He began his college career at the University of Oklahoma before transferring to the University of Louisville after his sophomore season.

Professional career

Crafts was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the 11th round (292nd pick overall) of the 1991 NFL Draft, but was released during the preseason on August 16.^[1] After not making the Colts' roster, Crafts played for the Orlando Thunder of the World League of American Football (WLAF) in the spring of 1992. He was a backup to left tackle Rick Cunningham and right tackle Kevin Allen, before starting World Bowl '92 in the place of an injured Cunningham.

Following the World League season, Crafts signed with the Buffalo Bills on July 7.^[2] He played as a backup in the first six games of the 1992 NFL season before suffering a knee injury.^[3] On October 26, the Bills placed him on the injured reserve list, where he remained for the rest of the season.^[4]

Crafts would go on to play as a tackle/guard for the Buffalo Bills from 1992 to 1994, but was released by the Green Bay Packers in 1995 after being signed during the offseason. Out of the league, Crafts played the 1996 and 1997 seasons in the World League for the Amsterdam Admirals. His play would lead to a signing with the Philadelphia Eagles, for whom he played from 1997 to 1998. He was released in camp in 1999, and later by the Oakland Raiders in 2001.

In the latter years of his career, Crafts made stops across three different football leagues: the Arena Football League (AFL), the Canadian Football League (CFL), and the XFL. In the AFL, he played for the New Jersey Red Dogs (2000), Buffalo Destroyers (2001–2002), Las Vegas Gladiators (2003), and Detroit Fury (2004). Crafts was a member for the Toronto Argonauts (2000–2001), Montreal Alouettes (2002), and Hamilton Tiger Cats (2002) of the CFL. In the spring of 2001, he played for the Los Angeles Xtreme of the XFL, winning the league's championship.

Coaching career

Crafts is currently an assistant offensive line coach and scheduler at Jacksonville University, as well as an assistant coach with the Arena Football League's Jacksonville Sharks.

References

External links

• Jerry Crafts at Pro-Football-Reference.com