:Jonathan Meeks
{{Short description|American football player (born 1989)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Jonathan Meeks
| image = File:Jonathan Meeks.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Meeks with the Clemson Tigers in 2012
| current_team =
| number = 36
| position = Safety
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|11|8|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Rock Hill, South Carolina, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lbs = 210
| high_school = Rock Hill
| college = Clemson
| draftyear = 2013
| draftround = 5
| draftpick = 143
| pastteams =
- Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|2013}}–{{NFL Year|2016}})
| status =
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 31
| statlabel2 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue2 = 1
| statlabel3 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue3 = 1
| statlabel4 = Pass deflections
| statvalue4 = 1
| pfr = MeekJo01
}}
Jonathan Meeks (born November 8, 1989) is an American former professional football safety. He played college football for Clemson University and was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL draft.
Early life
Meeks attended Rock Hill High School in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where he played quarterback and free safety as a senior. He had 896 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, and 612 passing yards and seven touchdowns. Defensively, he recorded 69 tackles and two interceptions. He spent one semester at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia following high school, in order to raise his necessary test scores for NCAA standards.
He was rated a four-star recruit by Rivals.com.[https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Jonathan-Meeks-87408 Jonathan Meeks - Yahoo Sports]
College career
While attending Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina, Meeks played for the Clemson Tigers football team from 2009 to 2012.
Professional career
He was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round, 143rd overall, of the 2013 NFL draft.[http://www.tigernet.com/update/player/Meeks-drafted-Bills-5th-Round-10870 Meeks drafted by Bills in the 5th Round]{{Cite web |title=2013 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2013/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
Expected to back up Aaron Williams at strong safety with Duke Williams, who was also selected in the 2013 NFL draft. He was injured while playing against Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4 and was placed on the injured reserve designated to return list.[http://www.fantasysp.com/player/nfl/Jonathan_Meeks/3114654/bills-placed-s-jonathan-meeks-on-injured-reservedesignated Bills placed S Jonathan Meeks on injured reserve/designated] He was released by the Bills on September 5, 2015.{{cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/buffalo-bills-release-qb-matt-cassel-0ap3000000523174 |title=Buffalo Bills release QB Matt Cassel |last=Orr |first=Conor |date=September 5, 2015 |website=NFL.com |access-date=September 14, 2015}} On September 6, 2015, the Bills signed Meeks to their practice squad.{{cite web |url=http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-1/Bills-add-C-Gabe-Ikard-to-53-man-roster-Five-signed-to-practice-squad/8e534eab-b78e-48db-88c6-857e9eb9d158 |title=Bills add C Gabe Ikard to 53-man roster; Five signed to practice squad |author= |date=September 6, 2015 |website=BuffaloBills.com |accessdate=September 14, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150908194409/http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-1/Bills-add-C-Gabe-Ikard-to-53-man-roster-Five-signed-to-practice-squad/8e534eab-b78e-48db-88c6-857e9eb9d158 |archive-date=September 8, 2015 |url-status=dead }} On September 23, 2015, Meeks was promoted to the active roster from the practice squad.{{cite web |url=http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-1/Jonathan-Meeks-added-to-53-man-roster/c9ff44b4-25db-4410-b3e6-9c6eb8cbc6f6 |title=Jonathan Meeks added to 53-man roster |last=Brown |first=Chris |date=September 23, 2015 |website=BuffaloBills.com |accessdate=September 29, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926190520/http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-1/Jonathan-Meeks-added-to-53-man-roster/c9ff44b4-25db-4410-b3e6-9c6eb8cbc6f6 |archive-date=September 26, 2015 |url-status=dead }}
=NFL statistics=
| class="wikitable sortable" | |||||||||||||||
| Year | Team | {{tooltip|GP|Games played}} | {{tooltip|COMB|Combined tackles}} | {{tooltip|TOTAL|Total tackles}} | {{tooltip|AST|Assisted tackles}} | {{tooltip|SACK|Sacks}} | {{tooltip|FF|Forced fumbles}} | {{tooltip|FR|Fumble recoveries}} | {{tooltip|FR YDS|Fumble return yards}} | {{tooltip|INT|Interceptions}} | {{tooltip|IR YDS|Interception return yards}} | {{tooltip|AVG IR|Average interception return}} | {{tooltip|LNG|Longest interception return}} | {{tooltip|TD|Interceptions returned for touchdown}} | {{tooltip|PD|Passes defensed}} |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | BUF | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | BUF | 12 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | BUF | 16 | 17 | 12 | 4 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| class="sortbottom"
| Career | 36 | 31 | 22 | 9 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Legacy & awards
In 2024, Meeks was inducted into the York County Sports Hall of Fame.{{Cite web |title=Jonathan Meeks |url=https://www.visityorkcounty.com/york-county-sports-hall-of-fame-jonathan-meeks/ |access-date=2024-05-09 |website=www.visityorkcounty.com |language=en-us}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20130613200203/http://www.clemsontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=28500&ATCLID=205529361 Clemson Tigers bio]
{{Bills2013DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meeks, Jonathan}}
Category:American football safeties
Category:Clemson Tigers football players
Category:Buffalo Bills players
Category:Players of American football from Rock Hill, South Carolina