Matthew Rea
{{Short description|Canadian football player (born 1991)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox CFL player
| name = Matthew Rea
| team =
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| status =
| import = no
| position1 = Fullback
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|11|25}}
| birth_place = London, Ontario, Canada
| death_date =
| death_place =
| number =
| college = Michigan State
| high_school = Rochester Adams HS
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lbs = 242
| CFLDraftedYear = 2015
| CFLDraftedRound = 4
| CFLDraftedPick = 35
| CFLDraftedTeam = Saskatchewan Roughriders
| playing_years1 = {{CFL Year|2015}}
| playing_team1 = Saskatchewan Roughriders
| playing_years2 = {{CFL Year|2016}}
| playing_team2 = Edmonton Eskimos*
| career_footnotes =
| career_highlights =
| CFL-archive = https://web.archive.org/web/20150927184044/http://www.cfl.ca/roster/show/id/8099
}}
Matthew Rea (born November 25, 1991) is a former gridiron football fullback. He previously attended Michigan State University, where he played college football for the Spartans and studied finance.
Early career
Rea played high school football at Rochester Adams High School,{{cite news|last1=Griffith|first1=Mike|title=Michigan State's football transfer adds depth to backfield behind Trevon Pendleton at fullback|url=http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2013/04/michigan_states_football_trans.html|accessdate=25 August 2015|work=MLive|date=28 April 2013}} where he was a player while the team won three league championships. He also played lacrosse at Rochester Adams and was a member while the lacrosse team won two league championships.{{cite web|title=Matt Rea|url=http://www.pennathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=1700&ATCLID=204945711|website=Penn Athletics|accessdate=25 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924070850/http://www.pennathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=1700&ATCLID=204945711|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=dead}} Rea committed to play for the Penn Quakers at the University of Pennsylvania, and he maintained redshirt status in 2010. In 2011, he played in all 10 games for the Quakers as a backup defensive tackle. Rea transferred to Michigan State and participated primarily on the scout team as a fullback.{{cite news|last1=Forde|first1=Duane|title=Forde: Who to watch in Toronto|url=https://www.tsn.ca/forde-who-to-watch-in-toronto-1.240690|accessdate=25 August 2015|work=TSN|date=26 March 2015}} He was not eligible to play in 2012 due to rules related to transferring, and did not play any games in 2013. Rea played in three games as a backup fullback in his final season.{{cite web|title=Matt Rea|url=http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/matt_rea_855737.html|website=Michigan State Spartans|accessdate=25 August 2015}}{{cite news|last1=Rexrode|first1=Joe|title=Ex-Spartans Bodanis, Rea picked in CFL draft|url=http://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/2015/05/13/cfl-draft-michigan-state-football/27227919/|accessdate=25 August 2015|work=Detroit Free Press|date=13 May 2015}}
Professional career
Rea participated in the regional and national CFL Combines in Toronto. He achieved the highest value of 29 repetitions of the {{convert|225|lb|kg}} bench press at the regional combine as well as 31 repetitions at the national combine, the most among running backs.{{cite news|last1=Penton|first1=Kirk|title=Unknown Matt Rea surprises at CFL regional combine|url=http://www.ottawasun.com/2015/03/26/unknown-matt-rea-surprises-at-cfl-regional-combine|accessdate=25 August 2015|work=Ottawa Sun|date=26 March 2015}}{{cite news|last1=McCormick|first1=Murray|title=Matt Rea's CFL draft selection helped by residency rule|url=https://leaderpost.com/business/Matt+draft+selection+helped+residency+rule+Video/11054319/story.html|accessdate=25 August 2015|work=Leader-Post|date=14 May 2015}} Rea was selected in the fourth round of the 2015 CFL Draft by the Saskatchewan Roughriders with the 35th overall pick. Rea made the active roster following the preseason as the Roughriders' backup fullback, and he made his CFL debut in the season opener against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on June 27.{{cite web|title=Depth Charts|url=http://www.riderville.com/depthchart/list/team/4|website=Saskatchewan Roughriders|accessdate=25 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822093942/http://www.riderville.com/depthchart/list/team/4|archive-date=22 August 2015|url-status=dead}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rea, Matthew}}
Category:American football defensive tackles
Category:American football fullbacks
Category:Canadian football fullbacks
Category:Edmonton Elks players
Category:Michigan State Spartans football players
Category:Penn Quakers football players
Category:Players of American football from Rochester, New York
Category:Players of Canadian football from Ontario
Category:Saskatchewan Roughriders players
Category:Canadian football people from London, Ontario