Juice Scruggs
{{Short description|American football player (born 2000)}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Juice Scruggs
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_team = Houston Texans
| number = 70
| position = Center
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|1|19}}
| birth_place = Ashtabula, Ohio, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lb = 310
| high_school = Cathedral Prep {{avoid wrap|(Erie, Pennsylvania)}}
| college = Penn State (2018–2022)
| draftyear = 2023
| draftround = 2
| draftpick = 62
| pastteams =
- Houston Texans ({{NFL Year|2023}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
- Third-team All-Big Ten (2022)
| statweek = 11
| statseason = 2024
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 17
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 16
| pfr = ScruJu00
}}
Frederick Henry "Juice" Scruggs (born January 19, 2000) is an American professional football center for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions and was selected by the Texans in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft.
Early life
Scruggs was born on January 19, 2000, in Ashtabula, Ohio.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/_/id/4361425/juice-scruggs|publisher=ESPN|title=Juice Scruggs|accessdate=April 28, 2023}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/draft/news/juice-scruggs|magazine=Sports Illustrated|title=NFL Draft Profile: Juice Scruggs, Interior Offensive Linemen, Penn State Nittany Lions|date=December 16, 2022}} He attended Cathedral Preparatory School in Erie, Pennsylvania, and was a four-time varsity letter winner in football, playing lineman on both sides of the ball.{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballnetwork.com/juice-scruggs-c-penn-state-nfl-draft-scouting-report-2023/|publisher=Pro Football Network|title=Juice Scruggs, C, Penn State |work= NFL Draft Scouting Report|author=Garrett, Tommy|date=April 9, 2023}} He helped them compile a 49–3 record in his four years with the team, including consecutive 14–0 seasons. He was named first-team all-state as a defensive lineman in 2016 and as a senior in 2017 was named first-team all-state on the offensive line and was given the Pennsylvania Football New Class 4-A Lineman of the Year award. A consensus four-star recruit, Scruggs was ranked as the fifth-best center nationally. He committed to Penn State over offers from various other schools, including LSU, Ohio State and Michigan.{{Cite news|url=https://www.starbeacon.com/sports/local_sports/long-journey-worth-it-for-ashtabula-native-scruggs/article_c67cc38d-48cb-508c-beef-ae3ad938acdc.html|newspaper=Star Beacon|title=Long journey worth it for Ashtabula native Scruggs|date=December 17, 2020|author=Hayes, Elton}}
College career
Scruggs saw limited action in his first year at Penn State, only appearing on three snaps during their game against Maryland.{{Cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/penn-state/Article/Penn-States-Juice-Scruggs-continues-long-road-back-to-football-152973317/|website=247Sports|title=Penn State's Juice Scruggs continues long road back to football|author=Fitz, Shawn|date=October 14, 2020}} He was named the joint-winner of the team's Scout Team Offensive Player of the Year award.{{Cite news|url=https://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/2021/08/penn-states-juice-scruggs-healthy-and-ready-to-compete-looks-to-continue-special-story.html|newspaper=The Patriot-News|title=Penn State's Juice Scruggs, healthy and ready to compete, looks to continue 'special' story|date=August 23, 2021|author=Gallan, Daniel}}
In early 2019, he was involved in a car accident that caused him serious injuries, including a concussion and fractured vertebrae.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/college/pennstate/football/penn-state-football-juice-scruggs-returns|magazine=Sports Illustrated|title='I Knew I Had to Come Back': Penn State's Juice Scruggs says he ready to play football again, nearly 17 months after a serious car accident.|author=Wogenrich, Mark|date=July 21, 2020}} Scruggs had to wear a back brace for eight months and missed the entire season due to his injuries.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/college/pennstate/football/penn-state-football-juice-scruggs-discusses-nfl-draft-future|magazine=Sports Illustrated|title=Penn State's Juice Scruggs Heads to the NFL Stronger Than Ever: Scruggs produced one of Penn State's great recent success stories. His next chapter begins after the Rose Bowl|date=December 26, 2022|author=Wogenrich, Mark}} He eventually recovered and made his return to the field against Maryland in November 2020, close to two years after the crash.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/college/pennstate/football/penn-state-offensive-lineman-juice-scruggs-returns-to-the-field-against-maryland|magazine=Sports Illustrated|title=In Loss, a Bright Spot for Penn State: Juice Scruggs Returns: Penn State lineman Juice Scruggs played Saturday for the first time in nearly two years. Afterward, he hugged his mother 'for like 10 minutes.'|author=Wogenrich, Mark|date=November 11, 2020}} Scruggs appeared in a total of seven games on the year, none of which he started.{{Cite news|url=https://nittanylionswire.usatoday.com/lists/penn-state-football-snapshot-profile-no-70-juice-scruggs/|newspaper=USA Today|title=Penn State football snapshot profile: No. 70 Juice Scruggs|date=July 12, 2022|author=Dehring, Sam}}
Scruggs posted his first start in the 2021 season, starting all 13 games and earning honorable mention all-conference from the Big Ten's coaches and media, third-team honors from Pro Football Focus (PFF), and being named the winner of Penn State's Dick Maginnis Memorial Award for best offensive lineman. The following year, he was voted team captain and started all 12 games, being named third-team All-Big Ten by the league's coaches. Scruggs declared for the NFL draft after the season, forgoing an extra year of eligibility given to him due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/penn-state/Article/penn-state-football-center-juice-scruggs-enter-2023-nfl-draft-play-in-rose-bowl-201303602/|website=247Sports|title=Penn State center Juice Scruggs to enter 2023 NFL Draft, play in Rose Bowl|author=Donohue, Tyler|date=December 24, 2022}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 3 1/4
| weight = 301
| dash = 5.22
| ten split = 1.79
| twenty split = 2.96
| shuttle = 4.63
| cone drill = 7.75
| vertical = 32.0
| broad ft = 8
| broad in = 6
| bench = 29
| arm span = 33 1/4
| hand span = 10 1/4
| note = All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/juice-scruggs/32005343-5267-3400-4cb9-0ed0b61b2e6f |title=Juice Scruggs Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=April 28, 2023}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1027667&DraftYear=2023 |title=2023 NFL Draft Scout Juice Scruggs College Football Profile |access-date=April 28, 2023 |website=DraftScout.com}}
}}
Scruggs was selected by the Houston Texans in the second round (62nd overall) of the 2023 NFL draft.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/texans/news/houston-texans-nfl-draft-no-12-draft-pick-selection-juice-scruggs-penn-state|magazine=Sports Illustrated|title=Texans Trade Up, Select Penn State OL Juice Scruggs With No. 62 Pick|author=Galatzan, Matt|date=April 28, 2023}} He was placed on injured reserve on August 31, 2023.{{Cite web |date=August 31, 2023 |title=Houston Texans Transactions (8-31-2023) |url=https://www.houstontexans.com/news/houston-texans-transactions-8-31-2023 |access-date=2024-07-11 |website=HoustonTexans.com}} He was activated on November 25.{{Cite web |date=November 25, 2023 |title=Houston Texans Transactions (11-25-2023) |url=https://www.houstontexans.com/news/houston-texans-transactions-11-25-2023 |access-date=2024-07-11 |website=HoustonTexans.com}} As a rookie, he appeared in seven games and started six in the 2023 season.{{Cite web |title=Juice Scruggs 2023 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/ScruJu00/gamelog/2023/ |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.houstontexans.com/team/players-roster/juice-scruggs/ Houston Texans bio]
- [https://gopsusports.com/sports/football/roster/juice-scruggs/12677 Penn State Nittany Lions bio]
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{{Texans2023DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scruggs, Juice}}
Category:American football centers
Category:American football defensive linemen
Category:Sportspeople from Ashtabula, Ohio
Category:Players of American football from Ohio
Category:Players of American football from Erie, Pennsylvania
Category:Penn State Nittany Lions football players