NFL · Draftees

Jalen Saunders

2014 · Round 4 · Pick 104 · WR · New York Jets

Jalen Saunders is from Stockton, California, and starred at Pleasant Grove High School in Elk Grove, where he ran a 10.54 100 meters. He began at Fresno State and was first-team All-WAC in 2011, with 1,065 yards and a conference-leading 12 touchdown catches. He transferred to Oklahoma in 2012 and was cleared to play right away. Against Notre Dame that season he tied the school record with 15 catches and set a record with eight catches in the first quarter. In 2013 he was second-team All-Big 12 and caught two touchdowns in the Sugar Bowl win over Alabama. The New York Jets drafted him in the fourth round, 104th overall, in 2014. He moved through several NFL teams and later played in the CFL and XFL. He played 15 NFL games, mostly as a returner, and is retired. The Oklahoman wrote on December 5, 2012: "Saunders joined the Sooners after playing his first two seasons at Fresno State; he transferred after a coach Pat Hill was fired, and after learning the school is located in an area making him susceptible to San Joaquin Valley Fever, which his father suffers from."

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalen_Saunders | https://soonersports.com/sports/2019/8/13/208798496 | https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SaunJa00.htm | The Oklahoman, 2012-12-05, "Sooners may be without WR - SAUNDERS - NO WORD ON RECEIVER'S STATUS, BUT STOOPS HAS SET PRECEDENT" (via NewsBank The Oklahoman)

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