Jacob Sykes
{{Short description|American football player (born 1999)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Jacob Sykes
| image =
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| current_team = San Antonio Brahmas
| number = 93
| position = Defensive end
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|8|9}}
| birth_place = Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lb = 277
| high_school = Rockhurst (MO)
| college = Harvard (2018–2021)
UCLA (2022)
| undraftedyear = 2023
| pastteams =
- Seattle Seahawks ({{NFL Year|2023}})*
- San Antonio Brahmas ({{UFL Year|2024}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
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| pfr = SykeJa01
}}
Jacob Sykes (born August 9, 1999) is an American football defensive end for the San Antonio Brahmas of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football for the Harvard Crimson and UCLA Bruins. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2023.
Early life
Sykes was born on August 9, 1999.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4367843/jacob-sykes|publisher=ESPN|title=Jacob Sykes|access-date=August 16, 2023|archive-date=August 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829150550/https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4367843/jacob-sykes|url-status=live}} The son of two engineers, he grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, and was known for his "off-the-charts intellect," according to the Los Angeles Times.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/130144378/|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 12, 2022|page=B12, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/130144688/ B8]|author=Bolch, Ben|title=UCLA's Sykes makes it look easy as pi|access-date=August 17, 2023|archive-date=August 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829150657/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/130144378/|url-status=live}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-star/130144741/|newspaper=The Kansas City Star|via=Newspapers.com|date=May 27, 2018|page=B5, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-star/130144848/ B8]|title=Rockhurst's Sykes, a lineman, can beat you in a pi competition|author=Mellinger, Sam|access-date=August 17, 2023|archive-date=August 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829151219/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-star/130144741/|url-status=live}} {{Open access}} He attended Academie Lafayette French immersion school (K-8) and is fluent in French. He took college courses while in sixth grade and in seventh grade assisted in teaching courses at Langston University. He also competed in state math and history competitions when young, earning a placement in the former while winning the latter. As a freshman in high school, Sykes scored a 34 on the ACT test, and he graduated with a GPA of 4.23.
Sykes was also a talented athlete from a young age, lettering in four sports at Rockhurst High School while being the first freshman to start a football game there. He was twice a team captain in track and field and was the captain of the football team as a senior.{{Cite web|url=https://gocrimson.com/sports/football/roster/jacob-sykes/23993|publisher=Harvard Crimson|title=Jacob Sykes|access-date=August 17, 2023|archive-date=August 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829151245/https://gocrimson.com/sports/football/roster/jacob-sykes/23993|url-status=live}} A National Honor Society (NHS) member, Sykes was a first-team all-state football player and was named their most valuable player for the 2017–18 school year. He was also named The Kansas City Star's Boys Scholar-Athlete of the Year. 247Sports ranked him as a three-star recruit to play college football and placed him as the 14th-best player in the state.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/college/ucla/football/ucla-scores-harvard-defensive-lineman-jacob-sykes-through-transfer-portal|magazine=Sports Illustrated|title=UCLA Football Scores Harvard Defensive Lineman Jacob Sykes Through Transfer Portal|date=January 25, 2022|author=Royer, Benjamin}}
College career
Sykes committed to play college football for the Harvard Crimson and appeared in eight games as a true freshman.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/seahawks/news/seattle-seahawks-jacob-sykes-90-man-roster-projections-countdown-otas-offseason|magazine=Sports Illustrated|title=Seahawks 90-Man Countdown: DE Jacob Sykes|date=June 7, 2023|author=Smith, Corbin K.}} During his sophomore season, he totaled 36 tackles, 2.5 sacks and a blocked field goal while appearing in all 10 games. After the Ivy League canceled the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sykes returned in 2021 and became a first-team all-conference selection with 29 tackles and a team-leading seven sacks. He entered the NCAA transfer portal in 2022, after having graduated from Harvard with a degree in applied mathematics.{{Cite news|url=https://www.pasadenaweekly.com/sports/ucla-s-jacob-sykes-doesn-t-quit/article_16a87efc-5559-11ed-bc8f-3315c61d5c16.html|newspaper=Pasadena Weekly|title=UCLA's Jacob Sykes doesn't quit|date=October 27, 2022|author=Sanzone, Ron|access-date=August 17, 2023|archive-date=August 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829151248/https://www.pasadenaweekly.com/sports/ucla-s-jacob-sykes-doesn-t-quit/article_16a87efc-5559-11ed-bc8f-3315c61d5c16.html|url-status=live}} Sykes ultimately transferred to play with the UCLA Bruins, and appeared in 13 games, six as a starter, in the 2022 season, earning third-team All-Pac-12 honors from Pro Football Focus (PFF) after posting 29 tackles and a sack.
Professional career
= Seattle Seahawks =
After going unselected in the 2023 NFL draft, Sykes was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent.{{Cite news|url=https://martincitytelegraph.com/2023/05/13/ruskin-and-rockhurst-grads-sign-as-nfl-free-agents/|newspaper=The Martin City Telegraph|title=Ruskin and Rockhurst grads sign as NFL free agents|author=Goodwin, Max|date=May 13, 2023|access-date=August 17, 2023|archive-date=August 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829151707/https://martincitytelegraph.com/2023/05/13/ruskin-and-rockhurst-grads-sign-as-nfl-free-agents/|url-status=live}} He was released in May, but was brought back to the team in June.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/seahawks-sign-jacob-sykes-waive-forrest-merrill-and-c-j-johnson|publisher=NBC Sports|title=Seahawks sign Jacob Sykes, waive Forrest Merrill and C.J. Johnson|author=Alper, Josh|date=June 5, 2023|access-date=August 17, 2023|archive-date=August 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230817021339/https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/seahawks-sign-jacob-sykes-waive-forrest-merrill-and-c-j-johnson|url-status=live}} He was waived on August 29, 2023.{{cite web|title=Seahawks Make Roster Moves, Establish Initial 2023 53-Man Roster|url=https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-establish-initial-2023-53-man-roster|author=Boyle, John|website=Seahawks.com|date=August 29, 2023}}
= San Antonio Brahmas =
On February 6, 2024, Sykes signed with the San Antonio Brahmas of the United Football League (UFL).{{Cite web |last=Larsen |first=James |date=2024-02-07 |title=San Antonio Brahmas Add Three Players In UFL Free Agency |url=https://pfnewsroom.com/news/san-antonio-brahmas-add-three-players-in-ufl-free-agency/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=Pro Football Newsroom |language=en-US}} He re-signed with the team on August 26, 2024.{{Cite tweet |user=UFL_PR |title=The #UFL has announced the following transactions |number=1828183136485683452 |date=August 26, 2024 |access-date=August 27, 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://gocrimson.com/sports/football/roster/jacob-sykes/23993 Harvard Crimson bio]
- [https://uclabruins.com/sports/football/roster/jacob-sykes/11375 UCLA Bruins bio]
{{San Antonio Brahmas roster navbox}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Sykes, Jacob}}
Category:American football defensive linemen
Category:Players of American football from Kansas City, Missouri
Category:Harvard Crimson football players
Category:UCLA Bruins football players