Gunner Britton
{{Short description|American football player (born 2000)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Gunner Britton
| image =
| caption =
| currentteam = DC Defenders
| number = 74
| position = Offensive guard
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|2|29}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ourlads.com/nfldepthcharts/player/53556/|title=Gunner Britton|website=ourlads.com|access-date=May 19, 2024}}
| birth_place = Conway, South Carolina, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 6
| weight_lb = 312
| high_school = Conway
| college = Western Kentucky (2018–2022)
Auburn (2023)
| highlights =
- UFL champion (2025)
- Second-team All-SEC (2023)
- Second team All-Conference USA (2022)
- Freshman team All-Conference USA (2019)
| undraftedyear = 2024
| pastteams =
- Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|2024}})*
- DC Defenders ({{UFL Year|2025}}–present)
| status =Active
| pfr =
}}
Gunner Britton (born February 29, 2000) is an American professional football offensive guard for the DC Defenders of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the Auburn Tigers.
Early life and high school
Britton grew up in Conway, South Carolina and attended Conway High School where he lettered in football and baseball.{{cite web|url=https://www.maxpreps.com/sc/conway/conway-tigers/athletes/gunner-britton/football/stats/?careerid=g824h9e7be944|title=Gunner Britton's High School Football Stats|website=MaxPreps|date=February 1, 2018|access-date=May 20, 2024}} He was rated as a two-star recruit and committed to play college football for Western Kentucky University.{{cite web|url=https://247sports.com/player/gunner-britton-46035979/high-school-184951|title=Gunner Britton, Conway, Offensive Tackle|website=247Sports.com|access-date=May 20, 2024}}
College career
= Western Kentucky =
Britton was redshirted during his true freshman season in 2018. During the 2019 season, he appeared in all-but-one game and started the first two, finishing the season with 139 total offensive snaps including 50 in the season opener against Central Arkansas and the second game against FIU.{{cite web|url=https://www.on3.com/db/gunner-britton-47226/|title=Gunner Britton - Auburn Tigers - Interior Offensive Line|website=On3.com|access-date=May 21, 2024}} During the 2020 season, he appeared in all 12 games and started two of them, finishing the season with 52 total offensive snaps including 41 of them as a sixth offensive lineman and a season high 14 against Louisville.{{cite web|url=https://wkusports.com/sports/football/roster/gunner-britton/4290|title=Gunner Britton|website=Western Kentucky University Athletics|access-date=May 21, 2024}} During the 2021 season, he played in 13 games, finishing the season with 17 sacks making it the 12th best in college football and second best within the Conference USA.{{cite web|url=https://auburntigers.com/news/2023/9/15/on-the-plains-with-gunner-britton-god-family-football-life|title=On The Plains with Gunner Britton: God, Family, Football, Life|website=Auburn University Athletics|first=Greg|last=Ostendorf|date=September 15, 2023|access-date=May 21, 2024}} During the 2022 season, he played in and started all 14 games, finishing the season with a reception for 12 yards and 14 sacks making it the 10th best in college football and second best within the Conference USA.{{cite web|url=https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2023/07/year-1-on-the-plains-meet-auburns-transfer-offensive-lineman-gunner-britton.html|title=Year 1 on The Plains: Meet Auburn's transfer offensive lineman Gunner Britton|website=AL.com|first=Ainslie|last=Lee|date=July 15, 2023|access-date=May 21, 2024}} He also helped the team win the 2022 New Orleans Bowl.
On November 29, 2022, prior to playing in the New Orleans Bowl, Britton announced that he would enter the transfer portal.{{cite tweet|user=247SportsPortal|number=1597673588068421646|title=Western Kentucky OT Gunner Britton (@GunnerB75) has entered the transfer portal as a grad transfer. He started every game for the Hilltoppers at LT, one of the better linemen in C-USA|access-date=May 21, 2024}}
= Auburn =
On January 6, 2023, Britton announced that he would transfer to Auburn.{{cite web|url=https://thewarrapport.com/football/gunner-britton-transfers-to-auburn/|title=Gunner Britton Transfers to Auburn|website=The War Rapport|first=Ike|last=Jones|date=January 6, 2023|access-date=May 21, 2024}}
During the 2023 season, he played in and started all 13 games including the 2023 Music City Bowl.{{cite web|url=https://auburn.rivals.com/news/a-special-season-for-gunner-britton-auburn-tigers-football?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACZArZ8EbPdnwKMXbAvkxXwWVqZ6swFbcSbWT2q1hUiBfjS2gDzs1Y5d12JheeIdMR62SwLxfh032QrhMP99RfkI9YrT4L50L1Y4ZbL63Ocw-TbkffT_SGlvEbqbaLZhISqyZeEnJc287FIEr-ojonbSILcp-R0QTtfiH2qjLI7x|title=A 'special' season for Britton|website=auburn.rivals.com|first=Bryan|last=Matthews|date=December 28, 2023|access-date=May 21, 2024}} He was the team game captain for three games, was named the SEC offensive lineman of the week for two consecutive weeks{{cite web|url=https://oanow.com/sports/college/auburn/auburns-gunner-britton-named-sec-offensive-lineman-of-the-week/article_7209bd02-4b57-11ee-b075-6b43c7e900cf.html|title=Gunner Britton named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week|website=Opelika-Auburn News|first=Adam|last=Cole|date=September 4, 2023|access-date=May 21, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2023/10/auburns-lew-named-sec-freshman-of-the-week-britton-offensive-lineman-of-the-week.html|title=Auburn's Lew named SEC freshman of the week, Britton offensive lineman of the week|website=AL.com|first=Matt|last=Cohen|date=October 30, 2023|access-date=May 21, 2024}} and played in the 2024 Hula Bowl.{{cite tweet|user=Hula_Bowl|number=1743746741424337171|title=Gunner Britton @Gunnerb75 the mean and tenacious run blocker from @AuburnFootball has accepted his invitation to play in the 2024 @CaribeRoyale Orlando #HulaBowl @SageCards @DraftDiamonds|access-date=May 21, 2024}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 6 1/2
| weight = 304
| dash = 5.31
| ten split = 1.72
| twenty split = 2.95
| shuttle = 4.78
| cone drill = 8.19
| vertical = 32.5
| broad ft = 8
| broad in = 11
| bench = 22
| arm span = 34 3/8
| hand span = 9 5/8
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1018128&DraftYear=2024 |title=2024 NFL Draft Scout Gunner Britton College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=May 19, 2024}}
}}
=Buffalo Bills=
After not being selected in the 2024 NFL draft, Britton signed with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent.{{cite web|title=Get to know these 12 undrafted free agent signings for Bills rookie minicamp|url=https://www.buffalobills.com/news/get-to-know-these-12-undrafted-free-agent-signings-for-bills-rookie-minicamp|website=BuffaloBills.com|date=May 9, 2024}} He was released as part of final roster cuts on August 27.{{cite web|title=Buffalo Bills made these moves to get to initial 53-man roster {{!}} 2024|url=https://www.buffalobills.com/news/buffalo-bills-made-these-moves-to-get-to-initial-53-man-roster|author=White, Alec|website=BuffaloBills.com|date=August 27, 2024}}
= DC Defenders =
On February 5, 2025, Britton signed with the DC Defenders of the United Football League (UFL).{{cite tweet |number=1886999253924339771 |user=JamesLarsenPFN |title=News: The DC Defenders have signed OG Gunner Britton. |date=February 5, 2025 |access-date=February 5, 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://wkusports.com/sports/football/roster/gunner-britton/4290 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers bio]
- [https://auburntigers.com/sports/football/roster/gunner-britton/18681 Auburn Tigers bio]
{{DC Defenders roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Britton, Gunner}}
Category:American football offensive guards
Category:Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football players
Category:Auburn Tigers football players
Category:People from Conway, South Carolina
Category:Players of American football from Horry County, South Carolina