D'Wayne Eskridge
{{Short description|American football player (born 1997)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = D'Wayne Eskridge
| image = D'Wayne Eskridge (51738546783) (cropped).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Eskridge with the Seahawks in 2021
| current_team = Miami Dolphins
| number = 82
| position = Kick returner
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|3|23}}
| birth_place = Winona, Mississippi, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 9
| weight_lb = 190
| high_school = Bluffton {{avoid wrap|(Bluffton, Indiana)}}
| college = Western Michigan (2016–2020)
| draftyear = 2021
| draftround = 2
| draftpick = 56
| pastteams =
- Seattle Seahawks ({{NFL Year|2021}}–{{NFL Year|2023}})
- Miami Dolphins ({{NFL Year|2024}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
- Second-team All-American (2020)
- MAC Special Teams Player of the Year (2020)
- First-team All-MAC (2020)
| statseason = 2024
| statweek = 7
| statlabel1 = Receptions
| statvalue1 = 18
| statlabel2 = Receiving yards
| statvalue2 = 152
| statlabel3 = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue3 = 1
| statlabel4 = Return yards
| statvalue4 = 456
| pfr = EskrDW00
}}
D'Wayne "Dee" Eskridge (born March 23, 1997) is an American professional football wide receiver and kick returner for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Western Michigan Broncos.
Early life
Eskridge was born and initially grew up in Winona, Mississippi, before his family moved to Bluffton, Indiana, while he was in grade school. He attended Bluffton High School, where he played football and was a sprinter on the track team. He was named Indiana's Mr. Track and Field as a senior. He committed to play college football at Western Michigan over Ball State, which was the only other FBS program to offer him a scholarship.
College career
Eskridge saw playing time as a reserve receiver as a freshman. Eskridge became a starter going into his sophomore season and finished the year with 30 receptions for 506 yards and three touchdowns. As a junior, he caught 38 passes for 776 yards and three touchdowns.{{Cite web |last=Buckley |first=Nick |date=April 1, 2019 |title=Two-way D'Wayne: Western Michigan burner Eskridge playing both sides of the ball |url=https://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/story/sports/2019/04/01/western-michigan-eskridge-college-football-nfl-draft/3312377002/ |access-date=August 28, 2023 |website=Battle Creek Enquirer}} Eskridge spent the offseason at cornerback and entered his senior year as a starter on both offense and defense. He broke his collarbone four games into the season and used a medical redshirt.{{Cite web |last=Nothaft |first=Patrick |date=September 24, 2019 |title=WMU football two-way star Dee Eskridge to miss rest of 2019 with injury |url=https://www.mlive.com/broncos/2019/09/wmu-football-two-way-star-dee-eskridge-to-miss-rest-of-2019-with-injury.html |access-date=August 28, 2023 |website=MLive.com}} As a redshirt senior, Eskridge returned to playing receiver while also taking on the Broncos' kickoff return duties.{{Cite web |last=Goricki |first=David |date=November 30, 2020 |title=Do-it-all D'Wayne Eskridge, Western Michigan on brink of West title |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/2020/11/30/mac-notes-do-all-dwayne-eskridge-western-michigan-brink-west-title/6465173002/ |access-date=August 28, 2023 |website=The Detroit News}} At the end of the season he was named first-team All-Mid American Conference (MAC) as a receiver after leading the conference with 784 yards and eight touchdowns on 34 receptions and the MAC Special Teams Player of the Year after returning 16 kickoffs for 467 yards and one touchdown.{{Cite web |last=Nothaft |first=Patrick |date=December 15, 2020 |title=WMU football sends 12 to All-MAC list; Eskridge earns Special Teams Player of the Year |url=https://www.mlive.com/broncos/2020/12/wmu-football-sends-12-to-all-mac-list-eskridge-earns-special-teams-player-of-the-year.html |access-date=August 28, 2023 |website=MLive.com}} Following the end of the season Eskridge participated in the 2021 Senior Bowl.{{Cite web |last=Brugler |first=Dane |date=January 26, 2021 |title=Senior Bowl: D'Wayne Eskridge, Shi Smith and the wide receivers excel on Day 1 |url=https://theathletic.com/2347836/2021/01/26/senior-bowl-nfl-draft-dwayne-eskridge-shi-smith/ |access-date=August 28, 2023 |website=The Athletic}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 8 3/4
| weight = 190
| dash = 4.39
| ten split = 1.51
| twenty split = 2.66
| shuttle = 4.27
| cone drill = 6.95
| vertical = 35.0
| broad ft = 10
| broad in = 4
| bench =
| arm span = 30 1/2
| hand span = 8 5/8
| wonderlic =
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |title=D'Wayne Eskridge Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/d%27wayne-eskridge/32004553-4b56-1172-624e-54a9e23a1557 |access-date=October 7, 2021 |website=NFL.com}}{{Cite web |title=D'Wayne Eskridge, Western Michigan, WR, 2021 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football |url=http://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1017511&DraftYear=2021 |access-date=October 7, 2021 |website=draftscout.com}}{{Cite web |title=D'Wayne Eskridge 2021 NFL Draft Profile |url=https://insider.espn.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/105167 |access-date=September 28, 2023 |website=insider.espn.com}}
}}
=Seattle Seahawks=
Eskridge was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round (56th overall) of the 2021 NFL draft.{{Cite news |last=Boyle, John |date=April 30, 2021 |title=Seahawks Select WR D'Wayne Eskridge With Pick No. 56 In 2021 NFL Draft |url=https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-select-wr-d-wayne-eskridge-with-pick-no-56-in-2021-nfl-draft |access-date=May 8, 2021 |work=Seahawks.com}} On May 14, 2021, Eskridge signed his four-year rookie contract with Seattle,{{Cite news |last=Matthews, Liz |date=May 14, 2021 |title=2 members of Seahawks 2021 NFL draft class now under contract |url=https://seahawkswire.usatoday.com/2021/05/14/seahawks-sign-rookie-dwayne-eskridge-stone-forsythe-nfl-draft/ |access-date=May 23, 2021 |work=usatoday.com}} which was for $5.9 million in total in addition to a signing bonus of $1.6 million.{{Cite news |last=Warner, Jonathan |date=May 1, 2021 |title=Here's how much D'Wayne Eskridge will make after going No. 56 to the Seattle Seahawks |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/northwest/seahawks/heres-how-much-dwayne-eskridge-will-make-after-going-no-56-seattle-seahawks |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210523030226/https://www.nbcsports.com/northwest/seahawks/heres-how-much-dwayne-eskridge-will-make-after-going-no-56-seattle-seahawks |archive-date=May 23, 2021 |access-date=May 23, 2021 |work=nbcsports.com}}
On October 7, 2021, Eskridge was placed on injured reserve with a concussion.{{Cite web |last=Boyle, John |date=October 7, 2021 |title=Seahawks Place WR Dee Eskridge On Injured Reserve, Elevate WR Phillip Dorsett II From Practice Squad |url=https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-place-wr-dee-eskridge-on-injured-reserve-elevate-wr-phillip-dorsett-ii- |website=Seahawks.com}} He was activated on November 12.{{Cite web |last=Boyle |first=John |date=November 12, 2021 |title=Seahawks Activate Russell Wilson & Dee Eskridge From Injured Reserve |url=https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-activate-russell-wilson-dee-eskridge-from-injured-reserve |access-date=August 28, 2023 |website=Seahawks.com}} On December 5, Eskridge scored his first NFL touchdown on a 7-yard pass from Russell Wilson in a 30–23 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.{{Cite web |last=Prince |first=Justin |date=December 9, 2021 |title=D'Wayne Eskridge scores first NFL touchdown |url=https://www.wfft.com/sports/high-school/dwayne-eskridge-scores-first-nfl-touchdown/article_604ce7e7-538e-5ca3-b637-859afc068bcc.html |access-date=August 29, 2023 |website=FOX 55 Fort Wayne |language=en}} As a rookie, he recorded ten receptions for 64 yards and one touchdown in ten games.{{Cite web |title=D'Wayne Eskridge 2021 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/E/EskrDW00/gamelog/2021/ |access-date=August 29, 2023 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}
On November 26, 2022, Eskridge was placed on injured reserve with a broken hand.{{Cite web |last=Boyle |first=John |date=November 26, 2022 |title=Seahawks Make Roster Moves Ahead Of Week 12 Game vs. Raiders |url=https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-make-roster-moves-ahead-of-week-12-game-vs-raiders |access-date=August 28, 2023 |website=Seahawks.com}} He appeared in ten games in the 2022 season. He had seven receptions for 58 yards.{{Cite web |title=D'Wayne Eskridge 2022 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/E/EskrDW00/gamelog/2022/ |access-date=August 29, 2023 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}
Eskridge was suspended the first six games of the 2023 season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.{{Cite web |last=Musgrove |first=Kole |date=August 4, 2023 |title=Seahawks WR Dee Eskridge suspended 6 games |url=https://seahawkswire.usatoday.com/2023/08/04/seahawks-wr-dee-eskridge-suspended-6-games/ |access-date=August 28, 2023 |website=Seahawks Wire |publisher=USA Today}} The league penalty followed an inquiry into a February 2023 arrest on misdemeanor charges after a confrontation with the mother of his child.{{Cite web |last=Henderson |first=Brady |date=2023-08-04 |title=NFL suspends Seattle's Eskridge after Feb. arrest |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/38135169/seahawks-wr-dee-eskridge-suspended-6-games-violating-nfl-personal-conduct-policy |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} He appeared in four games in the 2023 season.{{Cite web |title=D'Wayne Eskridge 2023 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/E/EskrDW00/gamelog/2023/ |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=Pro Football Reference}}
Eskridge was waived by the Seahawks on August 27, 2024.{{Cite web |last=Boyle |first=John |date=August 27, 2024 |title=Seahawks Make Roster Moves, Establish Initial 2024 53-Man Roster |url=https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-make-roster-moves-establish-initial-2024-53-man-roster |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=Seahawks.com}}
=Miami Dolphins=
On August 29, 2024, Eskridge was signed to the Miami Dolphins practice squad.{{Cite web |date=August 29, 2024 |title=Miami Dolphins Make Practice Squad Moves |url=https://www.miamidolphins.com/news/miami-dolphins-make-practice-squad-moves-8-29-24 |access-date=2024-11-05 |website=MiamiDolphins.com}} He was promoted to the active roster on October 25.{{Cite web |date=October 25, 2024 |title=Miami Dolphins Make Roster Moves |url=https://www.miamidolphins.com/news/roster-moves-20241025 |access-date=2024-11-05 |website=MiamiDolphins.com}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{footballstats|yahoo=33444|espn=4043016|nfl=d-wayne-eskridge}}
- [https://www.seahawks.com/team/players-roster/d-wayne-eskridge/ Seattle Seahawks bio]
- [https://wmubroncos.com/sports/football/roster/d-wayne-eskridge/9384 Western Michigan Broncos bio]
{{Miami Dolphins roster navbox}}
{{Seahawks2021DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eskridge, D'Wayne}}
Category:People from Winona, Mississippi
Category:People from Bluffton, Indiana
Category:Players of American football from Mississippi
Category:Players of American football from Indiana
Category:American football wide receivers
Category:Western Michigan Broncos football players