| No. 80 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Tight end | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born | (1994-01-07)January 7, 1994 (age 32) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. | ||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | ||||||
| Listed weight | 285 lb (129 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school | Riverside Academy (Reserve, Louisiana) | ||||||
| College | Baylor | ||||||
| NFL draft | 2016: 6th round, 217th overall pick | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Rickadon | |
|---|---|
| Born | Rico Gathers |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 2018–present |
Ricardo Darnell Gathers (born January 7, 1994) is an Americanrapper and former professionalfootballtight end. He was selected by theDallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the2016 NFL draft. He playedcollege basketball atBaylor University and did not playcollege football.
Gathers attendedRiverside Academy. He was namedLouisiana Mr. Basketball while atRiverside Academy inReserve, Louisiana.[1] As a sophomore, he contributed to his team winning the state title, while averaging 19.8 points, 11.5rebounds, 4.5blocks and earning Most Outstanding Player honors at the state tournament.
As a junior, he averaged 20.7 points, 16.2 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game. As a senior, he helped his team reach the Class 2A state championship game, while averaging 22 points, 17 rebounds, 4.1 blocks, 2.1 assists and 1.1steals per game.
Gathers accepted a basketball scholarship fromBaylor University. He became a starter atpower forward as a junior, averaging 11.6 points (second on the team), 11.6 rebounds (led the team), 1.2 steals and one block and in 29.9 minutes per game. At the end of the season, he received All-Big 12 Conference, honorable-mentionAll-American and Big 12 All-Defensive Team honors.[2] He led the conference indouble-doubles with 17 and recorded a school record 28 rebounds in a win overHuston-Tillotson.[3]
As a senior, he averaged 11.4 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. He finished as Baylor's All-Time leading rebounder. He also was the first player ever to reach over 1,000+ points and 1,000+ rebounds in school history.
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft6+1⁄4 in (1.99 m) | 273 lb (124 kg) | 35 in (0.89 m) | 11.2 in (0.28 m) | 4.66 s | 1.71 s | 2.79 s | 4.56 s | 34.5 in (0.88 m) | 9 ft 7 in (2.92 m) | 16 reps | ||
| All values from Baylorpro day.[4] | ||||||||||||
Although he had not played a down of football sincemiddle school as a 13-year-old,[5] Gathers informedBaylorhead coachArt Briles that he would be joining the Bears football team for the2016 season.[6] However, he later decided to forgo playing for Baylor and entered the2016 NFL draft after the Baylor men's basketball team lost in the first round of the2016 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament toYale.[5]
Gathers was selected by theDallas Cowboys in the sixth round (217th overall) of the 2016 NFL draft,[7] based on the potential he showed during his pre-draft workout.[8] In rookieminicamp the team considered playing him atdefensive end, but decided to keep him attight end instead. On September 3, he was released and was signed to thepractice squad the next day.[9][10] He signed a reserve/future contract on January 17, 2017.[11]
After a strongtraining camp and preseason, Gathers made the Cowboys' initial 53-man roster in 2017. However, he suffered a concussion in the preseason, and was placed on theinjured reserve on September 4, which made him eligible to return in week 8 at the earliest.[12] Despite practicing with the squad since week 9, after week 13, he was shut down for the season.[13] It was later revealed that he also suffered jaw and neck injuries as well.[14]
In 2018, the Cowboys made the unconventional move of keeping him as the fourth tight end to avoid losing him to waivers, even though he was arrested on the eve of cuts for marijuana possession.[15] He was the fourth-string tight end behindGeoff Swaim,Blake Jarwin and rookieDalton Schultz. In Week 5, he recorded his first professional catch against theHouston Texans.[16] He finished with 3 receptions for 45 yards.
On June 14, 2019, it was announced that Gathers was suspended for the first game of the season, after violating the NFL's policy and program on substances of abuse.[17] On August 5, Gathers was waived by the Cowboys.[18]
On August 11, 2019, he was signed as afree agent by theCleveland Browns.[19] He was placed on the reserve/suspended list on August 31.[20] Gathers was waived by the Browns on September 10, after being reinstated from the suspension.[21]
Gathers' father is the cousin ofHank Gathers, anAll-American and formerLoyola Marymount star.[22] Gathers is married and has a child.[23] During his time away from football, he self-taught himself to create, arrange and produce hip-hop music under the pseudonym Rickadon.[24]
On August 31, 2018, he was arrested for possession of marijuana in Frisco, Texas.[25]