Kent Wells

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Kent Wells

| image =

| number = 95, 73, 77

| position = Defensive tackle

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|6|25}}

| birth_place = Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 4

| weight_lbs = 295

| high_school = Lincoln (NE) East

| college = Nebraska

| draftyear = 1990

| draftround = 6

| draftpick = 160

| pastteams =

Washington Redskins ({{NFL Year|1990}})*
New York Giants ({{NFL Year|1990}})
San Francisco 49ers ({{NFL Year|1991}})*
Ohio Glory (1992)
Cleveland Browns ({{NFL Year|1992}})*
Cleveland Thunderbolts ({{AFL Year|1993}}–{{AFL Year|1994}})
Tampa Bay Storm ({{AFL Year|1995}}–{{AFL Year|1998}})
Iowa Barnstormers ({{AFL Year|1998}}–{{AFL Year|1999}})
Orlando Predators ({{AFL Year|1999}})

| highlights =

2× ArenaBowl champion (IX, X)
2× First-team All-Arena (1995, 1996)
Lineman of the Year ({{AFL Year|1996}})
AFL All-Star ({{AFL Year|1993}})
First-team All-Big Eight (1989)

| pfr = W/WellKe20

| afl = Kent_Wells-1680

}}

Kent Eugene Wells (born July 25, 1967) is an American former professional football defensive tackle who played one season with the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round of the 1990 NFL draft. He played college football at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and attended Lincoln East High School in Lincoln, Nebraska.{{cite web | url=http://www.profootballarchives.com/well03200.html | title=KENT WELLS | publisher=profootballarchives.com | access-date=August 8, 2015 | archive-date=August 3, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160803212552/http://profootballarchives.com/well03200.html | url-status=dead }} Wells was also a member of the Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, Ohio Glory, Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Thunderbolts, Tampa Bay Storm, Iowa Barnstormers and Orlando Predators.

College career

Wells enrolled at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 1985 and lettered in football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers from 1987 to 1989, recording career totals of 37 solo tackles, 40 tackle assists and ten sacks.{{cite web|url=http://hailvarsity.com/recruiting/nebraska-football-recruiting-class-1985/ |title=NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS 1985 FOOTBALL RECRUITING CLASS |publisher=hailvarsity.com |access-date=August 8, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150809030630/http://hailvarsity.com/recruiting/nebraska-football-recruiting-class-1985/ |archive-date=August 9, 2015 }}{{cite web|url=http://old.lostlettermen.com/player/profile/kent-wells |title=Kent Wells |publisher=lostlettermen.com |access-date=November 30, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150808214249/http://old.lostlettermen.com/player/profile/kent-wells |archive-date=August 8, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.galeforcedesign.com/stormshelter/players/wells.html |title=Kent Wells |publisher=galeforcedesign.com |access-date=August 8, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150808195735/http://www.galeforcedesign.com/stormshelter/players/wells.html |archive-date=August 8, 2015 }} He earned First-team All-Big Eight honors in 1989.{{cite web|url=http://www.tradingcarddb.com/ViewCard.cfm/sid/33633/cid/3427336/1992-Wild-Card-WLAF-32-Kent-Wells |title=Kent Wells |publisher=tradingcarddb.com |access-date=August 8, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150808201959/http://www.tradingcarddb.com/ViewCard.cfm/sid/33633/cid/3427336/1992-Wild-Card-WLAF-32-Kent-Wells |archive-date=August 8, 2015}} He also participated in track and field for the Cornhuskers, competing in the shot put.{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2199&dat=19870207&id=QU8yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RuYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5944,1332876&hl=en | title=Track | work=Lawrence Journal-World | date=February 7, 1987 |access-date=August 8, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://admin.xosn.com/pdf9/819423.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=100& |title=Men's Outdoor Conference Champions |publisher=xosn.com |date=2015 |access-date=August 8, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150809031011/https://admin.xosn.com/pdf9/819423.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=100& |archive-date=August 9, 2015}}

Professional career

Wells was selected by the Washington Redskins of the NFL with the 160th pick of the 1990 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=1990 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1990/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-26 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He was released by the Redskins on August 27, 1990.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1990/08/28/redskins-drop-12-hopefuls/8d9d50f6-92e4-4a36-9abf-85ef805e316a/ |title=REDSKINS DROP 12 HOPEFULS |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=August 28, 1990 |access-date=November 30, 2016 |author=Justice, Richard |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150808193546/http://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1990/08/28/redskins-drop-12-hopefuls/8d9d50f6-92e4-4a36-9abf-85ef805e316a/ |archive-date=August 8, 2015}}

Wells was claimed off waivers by the New York Giants on August 30, 1990 and played in six games for the team during the 1990 season.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/08/31/sports/deals.html |title=Deals |work=The New York Times |date=August 31, 1990 |access-date=August 8, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150808194510/http://www.nytimes.com/1990/08/31/sports/deals.html |archive-date=August 8, 2015 }} He was released by the Giants on December 3, 1990.{{cite news|url=http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1990-12-04/sports/1990338004_1_head-coach-football-coach-head-football |title=Transactions |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=December 4, 1990 |access-date=August 8, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150808194138/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1990-12-04/sports/1990338004_1_head-coach-football-coach-head-football |archive-date=August 8, 2015 }}

Wells was a member of the NFL's San Francisco 49ers during the 1991 off-season. He was released by the 49ers on August 20, 1991.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/21/sports/transactions-841391.html |title=TRANSACTIONS |work=The New York Times |date=August 21, 1991 |access-date=November 30, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150808195700/http://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/21/sports/transactions-841391.html |archive-date=August 8, 2015}}

Wells played in all ten games for the Ohio Glory of the World League of American Football in 1992.

Wells was signed by the Cleveland Browns of the NFL on August 4, 1992.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/08/05/sports/transactions-466792.html |title=Transactions |work=The New York Times |date=August 5, 1992 |access-date=November 30, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150808204750/http://www.nytimes.com/1992/08/05/sports/transactions-466792.html |archive-date=August 8, 2015}}

Wells signed with the Cleveland Thunderbolts of the Arena Football League (AFL) on March 19, 1993 and played for the team from 1993 to 1994.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/03/20/sports/transactions-414593.html |title=TRANSACTIONS |work=The New York Times |date=March 20, 1993 |access-date=November 30, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150808210613/http://www.nytimes.com/1993/03/20/sports/transactions-414593.html |archive-date=August 8, 2015}} He played in the 1993 AFL All-Star game.{{cite web | url=http://www.arenafan.com/players/?page=players&player=1680&pageview=bio | title=Kent Wells - Awards | publisher=arenafan.com | access-date=August 8, 2015}} The Thunderbolts folded after the 1994 season.

Wells played for the Tampa Bay Storm of the AFL from 1995 to 1997. He earned First-team All-Arena honors in 1995 and 1996. He was also named Lineman of the Year in 1996. Wells won ArenaBowl IX and X with the Storm.{{cite web | url=http://www.arenafan.com/history/?page=abowls | title=ArenaBowl History | publisher=arenafan.com | access-date=August 8, 2015}} He was traded to the New York CityHawks for Roosevelt Nix on June 18, 1997 but the trade was rescinded when Wells failed to pass his physical.{{cite web|url=http://www.galeforcedesign.com/stormshelter/news/n040697.html |title=News Archive |publisher=galeforcedesign.com |access-date=August 8, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150808211539/http://www.galeforcedesign.com/stormshelter/news/n040697.html |archive-date=August 8, 2015 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.galeforcedesign.com/stormshelter/history/1998/nytb/pre.html |title=Tampa Bay-New York Connections |publisher=galeforcedesign.com |access-date=August 8, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150808212016/http://www.galeforcedesign.com/stormshelter/history/1998/nytb/pre.html |archive-date=August 8, 2015 }}

Wells was traded to the Iowa Barnstormers in a three team deal involving the Tampa Bay Storm and New York CityHawks in 1998 and played for the Barnstormers during the 1998 season.{{cite web | url=http://www.arenafan.com/players/?page=players&player=1680&pageview=career | title=Kent Wells - Career Stats | publisher=arenafan.com | access-date=August 8, 2015}}

Wells was traded to the Orlando Predators during the 1999 preseason and played for the team during the 1999 season.{{cite news|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1999/04/18/many-questions-face-predators-this-year/ |title=Many Questions Face Predators This Year |work=Orlando Sentinel |date=April 18, 1999 |access-date=November 30, 2016 |author=Wampler, Patrick |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150809023814/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1999-04-18/sports/9904180183_1_orlando-predators-gruden-nagle |archive-date=August 9, 2015 }}