.png) Dupree in 2022 | |||||||||||||||||
| No. 48 –Los Angeles Chargers | |||||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born: | (1993-02-12)February 12, 1993 (age 32) Macon, Georgia, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 269 lb (122 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| High school: | Wilkinson County (Irwinton, Georgia) | ||||||||||||||||
| College: | Kentucky (2011–2014) | ||||||||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2015: 1st round, 22nd pick | ||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of Week 15, 2024 | |||||||||||||||||
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Alvin "Bud"Dupree Jr. (born February 12, 1993) is an American professionalfootballlinebacker for theLos Angeles Chargers of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football atKentucky, and was drafted in the first round of the2015 NFL draft by thePittsburgh Steelers. He has also played for theTennessee Titans andAtlanta Falcons.
Dupree attendedWilkinson County High School inIrwinton, Georgia.[1] He was a three-year starter atdefensive end and four-year starter attight end. As asenior, he had over 1,000 receiving yards and 10touchdowns on offense and 62tackles and 10sacks on defense. He was also voted First-team all state by the Georgia Sports-writer Association and Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Dupree was ranked byRivals.com as a three-star recruit.[2] He also playedbasketball for his high school, was on the honor roll, and a member of the Future Business Leaders of America.
As a true freshman atUniversity of Kentucky in2011, Dupree played in 12 games with three starts atlinebacker. During games againstGeorgia andVanderbilt, he had a season high five tackles in each game. He finished the season with 21 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and onefumble recovery.[3]
As a sophomore in2012, Dupree started all 12 regular season games and recorded 91 tackles, 12.5tackles-for-loss and 6.5 sacks. He recorded a season high 12 tackles againstWestern Kentucky. For his sophomore season he ranked 10th in theSoutheastern Conference (SEC) in tackles and seventh in theFBS for sacks and tackles for loss.[4] After this season he would switch from linebacker todefensive lineman for his last two years at Kentucky.[3]
As a junior, in2013, he played in 11 games, ranking second on his team with 61 tackles, first on the team with 9.5 tackles-for-loss atdefensive end. He also had seven sacks and two forced fumbles. AgainstMississippi State, Dupree recorded a career-high 13 tackles. In the SEC he finished sixth in sacks.[5][6]
Dupree returned as a starter at defensive end his senior season in2014 and was votedteam captain for the Wildcats that year.[7][8][9] For the season he had 74 tackles, 12.5 tackles-for-loss, and eight sacks. He also started all 12 games and recorded his first careerinterception which he returned for a game-winning touchdown in a 45–38 win againstSouth Carolina.[3][10] On Saturday, May 9, 2015, he graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in community and leadership development.[11]
Coming out of college, Dupree was projected to be a first round draft pick by the majority of NFL analysts. He received an invitation to theNFL combine and completed the majority of combine drills. Dupree was unable to perform the bench due to apectoral injury and opted to not run theshort shuttle andthree-cone drill after suffering agroin injury. On March 12, 2015, he participated at Kentucky'spro day and performed very well in positional drills, the short shuttle, and three cone drills for scouts and teams representatives from 26 NFL teams.Minnesota Vikings head coachMike Zimmer,Cincinnati Bengals head coachMarvin Lewis, andPittsburgh Steelers head coachMike Tomlin attended to scout Dupree,Za'Darius Smith, Braylon Heard, and 15 other prospects.[12] Analysts and scouts gave him positive reviews for his freakish athleticism, explosive burst, large frame, outstanding power and strength, ability to play zone coverage, and character. The only criticisms he received were due to his below-average instincts and lack of consistency.[13] He was also ranked the top defensive end out of the 148 available by NFLDraftScout.com, was ranked the fourth bestoutside linebacker bySports Illustrated, the fifth bestedge rusher by NFL analystCharles Davis, and was ranked the second best edge rusher by NFL analystMike Mayock.[14][15][16][17]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 269 lb (122 kg) | 32+5⁄8 in (0.83 m) | 9+3⁄4 in (0.25 m) | 4.56 s | 1.60 s | 2.65 s | 4.48 s | 7.52 s | 42.0 in (1.07 m) | 11 ft 6 in (3.51 m) | ||
| All values fromNFL Combine[13][18][19] | ||||||||||||
The Steelers selected Dupree in the first round (22nd overall) of the2015 NFL draft.[20] He was the first University of Kentucky player taken in the first round since defensive tackleDewayne Robertson went with the fourth overall pick to the New York Jets in the2003 NFL draft.[21] He was the second linebacker selected in the draft, behindVic Beasley who was selected with the eighth overall pick.[22]
On May 15, 2015, the Steelers signed Dupree to a four-year contract worth$9.22 million with $8.63 million guaranteed and asigning bonus of $4.97 million.[23][24]
He began his rookie season as the backup left outside linebacker behind veteranArthur Moats. Dupree made his professional regular season debut in the Steelers' regular-season opener against theNew England Patriots and finished the 28–21 loss with two solo tackles andsackedTom Brady. The next game, he made a season-high four combined tackles and a sack during the Steelers' 43–18 victory over theSan Francisco 49ers. On November 29, 2015, he made his first career start against theSeattle Seahawks and made one solo tackle. He finished hisrookie season with 26 combined tackles, four sacks, and a pass deflection while playing in all 16 regular-season games and five starts.[25]
Dupree was named the starting left outside linebacker ahead of Moats to begin the2016 regular season.[26] On September 4, 2016, Dupree was placed oninjured reserve after suffering agroin injury.[27] He was activated off injured reserve on November 19, 2016, prior to Week 11.[28] He played in his first game of the season the following game. On November 24, 2016, he recorded two solo tackles in a 28–7 victory at theIndianapolis Colts. On December 11, 2016, he made his first start of the season and recorded a career-high five solo tackles, an assisted tackle, and sacked Bills' quarterbackTyrod Taylor 2.5 times during a 27–20 victory over theBuffalo Bills.[25]
Head coachMike Tomlin named Dupree the left outside linebacker to begin the season, oppositeT. J. Watt.[29]
Dupree was unable to play in the season-opener against theCleveland Browns due to a shoulder injury.[30] On September 17, 2017, he made his season-debut and collected two combined tackles, deflected a pass, and sacked Vikings quarterbackCase Keenum during a 26–9 victory. In Week 4, Dupree recorded four solo tackles and sackedJoe Flacco, as the Steelers defeated theBaltimore Ravens 26–9.[25]
On April 23, 2018, the Steelers picked up the fifth-year option on Dupree's contract worth $9.23 million[31] On September 24, Dupree intercepted his first career pass offRyan Fitzpatrick, and returned it for a touchdown.[32]Dupree finished the 2018 season with 42 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 3 passes defended, and 1 interception returned for a touchdown. He received an overall grade of 60.5 fromPro Football Focus in 2018, which ranked as the 78th highest grade among all qualifying edge defenders.[33]
In week 4 against theCincinnati Bengals, Dupree forced a fumble offAndy Dalton in the 27–3 win.[34]In week 9 against theIndianapolis Colts, Dupree recorded two sacks onBrian Hoyer, one of which was a strip sacked that he forced and recovered, in the 26–24 win, earning AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.[35][36]In week 12 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Dupree recorded a strip sack onRyan Finley and recovered the football in the 16–10 win.[37]In the following week's game against theCleveland Browns, Dupree sackedBaker Mayfield 1.5 times, one of which included another strip sack that was recovered byCam Heyward, in the 20–13 win.[38]Dupree had a career year in 2019 recording 11.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, and 68 combined tackles.
The Steelers placed thefranchise tag on Dupree on March 16, 2020.[39] He signed the one-year tender on April 23, 2020.[40] In Week 2 against theDenver Broncos, Dupree recorded his first sack of the season onDrew Lock during the 26–21 win. Dupree's sack forced Lock to fumble the football and it was recovered by the Steelers.[41] In week 12, against theBaltimore Ravens, Dupree tore his ACL and was placed on season-ending injured reserve the following day.[42]
Dupree signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract with theTennessee Titans on March 19, 2021.[43][44][45] Heading into training camp, Dupree was placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list on July 24, 2021.[46] He was activated off the list on August 6, 2021, playing in his first practice the same day.[47] He suffered an abdominal injury in Week 10 and was placed on injured reserve on November 20, 2021.[48] He was activated on December 18.[49]
In the 2022 season, Dupree recorded four sacks, 18 total tackles (ten solo), one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries.[50]
The Titans released Dupree on March 16, 2023.[51]
On April 14, 2023, Dupree signed with theAtlanta Falcons.[52] He started 16 games and tied for the team-lead with 6.5 sacks.[53]
On May 11, 2024, Dupree signed a two-year contract with theLos Angeles Chargers.[54]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
| Regular season statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||||
| GP | GS | Comb | Solo | Ast | Sack | TFL | QBH | Int | Yds | Avg | TD | PD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | |||||
| 2015 | PIT | 16 | 5 | 26 | 17 | 9 | 4.0 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2016 | PIT | 7 | 4 | 24 | 19 | 5 | 4.5 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2017 | PIT | 15 | 15 | 40 | 31 | 9 | 6.0 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2018 | PIT | 16 | 15 | 42 | 30 | 12 | 5.5 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2019 | PIT | 16 | 16 | 68 | 49 | 19 | 11.5 | 16 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2020 | PIT | 11 | 11 | 31 | 23 | 8 | 8.0 | 8 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2021 | TEN | 11 | 6 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 3.0 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2022 | TEN | 11 | 11 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 4.0 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |||
| 2023 | ATL | 16 | 16 | 39 | 17 | 22 | 6.5 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Career | 119 | 99 | 305 | 213 | 92 | 53.0 | 70 | 90 | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 1 | 15 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 0 | ||||
Dupree was raised inToomsboro, Georgia. His father is Alvin Dupree Sr. and his mother is Sophia Stephens. He is also an avid dog lover.[55] The nickname "Bud" was given to him by hisgodmother. She said while his mother was pregnant with him she had a dream of people calling him Bud and him playing football.[56]
In the early hours of February 18, 2022, Dupree turned himself in to police after being cited formisdemeanor battery charges for an attack against an employee at aNashvilleWalgreens after a game against theMiami Dolphins. Before fleeing the scene, Dupree grabbed the employee and later tried to take his phone. Allegedly, Dupree had been "heckled and threatened" before the incident occurred. A court hearing was scheduled for a later date.[57][needs update]
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