Brody Eldridge
{{Short description|American football player (born 1987)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Brody Eldridge
| image = Brody Eldridge.JPG
| caption = Eldridge with the Indianapolis Colts in 2010
| number = 81
| position = Tight end
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|03|31}}
| birth_place = La Cygne, Kansas, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| weight_lbs = 265
| high_school = Prairie View {{nowrap|(La Cygne, Kansas)}}
| college = Oklahoma
| draftyear = 2010
| draftround = 5
| draftpick = 162
| pastteams = * Indianapolis Colts ({{NFL Year|2010}}–{{NFL Year|2012}})
- St. Louis Rams ({{NFL Year|2012}})*
- Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|2012}}–{{NFL Year|2013}})
| status =
| highlights = * Second-team All-Big 12 (2009)
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 27
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 16
| statlabel3 = Receptions
| statvalue3 = 14
| statlabel4 = Receiving yards
| statvalue4 = 84
| pfr = EldrBr00
}}
William Brody Eldridge (born March 31, 1987) is an American former professional football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma. He was a member of the Indianapolis Colts, St. Louis Rams and Chicago Bears.
Early life
Eldridge attended Prairie View High School in La Cygne, Kansas where he played a number of different positions including tight end, linebacker and defensive end. During his junior year, he totaled 130 tackles and eight sacks and also played tight end where he recorded 35 receptions and four touchdowns. For this he garnered All-State Kansas honors. During his senior season, Eldridge broke his ankle in the second game and did not play the rest of the season. Despite this, he was rated the No. 43 strongside defensive end in the country by Rivals.com[https://sports.yahoo.com/oklahoma/football/recruiting/player-Brody-Eldridge-29583 Rivals Profile] and No. 16 player in the Midlands by Scout.com.[http://kansas.scout.com/a.z?s=172&p=8&c=1&nid=1414230 Scout Profile]
He was eventually recruited by the University of Oklahoma.
College career
Eldridge redshirted the 2005 season but as a Freshman in 2006 he converted to tight end and did most of his work in three-tight end sets or as a blocking back. He was characterized by coaches as one of the top blockers on the team and had three receptions on the season, including a long of 10 yards against Oregon.
As a Sophomore he saw playing time at fullback position where he was an All-Big 12 award winner[http://www.big12sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10410&ATCLID=1522092 Big 12 2007 Winner List] and had six starts as a tight end, playing in two or three-tight end sets or as a blocking back. He had two receptions for 23 yards against Texas A&M, including a career-long 12-yard catch.
In 2008 as a Junior he continued to play primarily as a blocking tight end and fullback starting the first 4 games of the season before suffering an ankle injury which caused him to miss 3 games. He registered his first career touchdown with a one-yard reception against Oklahoma State and had a season-long 11-yard catch against Missouri in the Big 12 Championship.[https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/13359/brody-eldridge Receiving stats]
As a Senior in 2009, Eldridge started at center, tight end and left guard before suffering a season ending neck injury against Nebraska. He finished the season with 2 receptions for 19 yards.
Professional career
= Pre-draft =
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 4 3/4
| weight = 261
| dash = 4.72
| ten split = 1.63
| twenty split = 2.65
| shuttle = 4.44
| cone drill = 7.27
| vertical = 31.5
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 4
| bench = 20
| arm span = 32 1/2
| hand span = 9 5/8
| note = Sources:{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/brody-eldridge/3200454c-4455-3860-ed44-b5513a3a92fe |title=Brody Eldridge Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=April 24, 2023}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=72897&DraftYear=2010 |title=2010 NFL Draft Scout Brody Eldridge College Football Profile |access-date=April 24, 2023 |website=DraftScout.com}}
}}
Eldridge was considered the best blocking tight end in the draft and was thought of as a late-round pick.
=Indianapolis Colts=
Eldridge was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in round 5 with the 162nd pick of the 2010 NFL draft. He was the second tight end drafted from the University of Oklahoma that year following Jermaine Gresham in the first round.{{Cite web |title=2010 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2010/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He agreed to a four-year, $1.95 million contract with the Colts.[http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Source-Colts-agree-to-terms-with-Brody-Eldridge.html Contract Info] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110316201847/http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Source-Colts-agree-to-terms-with-Brody-Eldridge.html |date=March 16, 2011 }}
Eldridge was waived by the Colts on May 17, 2012.
=St. Louis Rams=
On May 18, 2012, Eldridge was claimed by the St. Louis Rams. On July 2, 2012, it was reported that he would be suspended for the first four games of 2012 season due to violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances. He was able to participate in all offseason and preseason practices and games, but could not be added to the active roster until after facing the Seattle Seahawks on September 30.{{cite web|work=NFL.com|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/brody-eldridge-st-louis-rams-te-suspended-four-games-09000d5d82a4a506|title=Brody Eldridge, St. Louis Rams TE, suspended four games|date=July 2, 2012|access-date=July 3, 2012}}
=Chicago Bears=
On October 15, 2012, Eldridge was signed to the Chicago Bears.{{cite news |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-bears-set-to-release-rb-bell-20121015,0,4263161.story |title=Bears set to release RB Bell |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=July 16, 2012 |access-date=October 15, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017041910/http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-bears-set-to-release-rb-bell-20121015,0,4263161.story |archive-date=October 17, 2012 |url-status=dead }} On November 13, 2012, Eldridge was released by the Bears to make room for Josh McCown after starting quarterback Jay Cutler suffered a concussion.{{cite web|url=http://www.fantasysp.com/player/nfl/Brody_Eldridge/2536171/bears-released-te-brody-eldridge |title=Bears released TE Brody Eldridge |access-date=November 13, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140420055107/http://www.fantasysp.com/player/nfl/Brody_Eldridge/2536171/bears-released-te-brody-eldridge |archive-date=April 20, 2014 }} Eldridge was brought back on January 9, 2013.{{cite web |agency=Associated Press |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/bears-sign-eldridge-future-deal-030333269--nfl.html |title=Bears sign Eldridge to reserve/future deal |publisher=Yahoo! Sports |date=January 9, 2013 |access-date=January 10, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130113064222/http://sports.yahoo.com/news/bears-sign-eldridge-future-deal-030333269--nfl.html |archive-date=January 13, 2013 }}
Eldridge was waived on August 3, 2013.{{cite web|agency=Associated Press|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/news/20130803/leonard-pope-signs-with-chicago-bears.ap/index.html?section=si_latest|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021060222/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/news/20130803/leonard-pope-signs-with-chicago-bears.ap/index.html?section=si_latest|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 21, 2013|title=Bears sign TE Leonard Pope, waive Brody Eldridge|publisher=Sports Illustrated|date=August 3, 2013|access-date=August 3, 2013}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Indianapolis Colts 2010 draft navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eldridge, Brody}}
Category:People from La Cygne, Kansas
Category:Sportspeople from the Kansas City metropolitan area
Category:Players of American football from Kansas
Category:American football tight ends
Category:Oklahoma Sooners football players