Nasir Player
{{Short description|American football player (born March 29, 1997)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Nasir Player
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| number =45
| current_team = Memphis Showboats
| position = Defensive end
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|3|29}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| weight_lb = 271
| high_school = Ridge View HS
(Columbia, South Carolina)
| college = East Tennessee State (2015-2019)
| undraftedyear = 2020
| pastteams =
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|2020}})*
- Alphas (2021)
- Pittsburgh Maulers ({{USFL Year|2022}}–{{USFL Year|2023}})
- Michigan Panthers ({{UFL Year|2024}})*
- Memphis Showboats ({{UFL Year|2025}}–present)
| status =Active
| highlights =
| pfr =
}}
Nasir Player (born March 29, 1997) is an American professional football defensive end for the Memphis Showboats of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football for the East Tennessee State Buccaneers.
Early life and high school
Player grew up in Germany and returned to the US when he was twelve.{{Cite web |last=Warren |first=Atlantis |date=2020-12-14 |title=Nasir Player: a player through adversity |url=https://www.overlookedinappalachia.org/post/a-player-through-adversity |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=OVERLOOKED |language=en}} Player attended high school at Ridge View High School. He didn't play on the varsity football team until his senior year, where he had 88 tackles and nine sacks. He also played one season of lacrosse.
College
Player played college football for the East Tennessee State Buccaneers.{{Cite web |title=Nasir Player - 2019-20 - Football |url=https://etsubucs.com/sports/football/roster/nasir-player/3447 |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=East Tennessee State University |language=en}} He redshirted the 2015 season. In the 2016 season, he played in nine games starting seven, recording 27 tackles and one sack while being selected to the Southern Conference All-Freshman Team. In his sophomore season, he started 11 games, totaling 67 tackles and seven sacks; he was selected First Team All-SoCon.
In his junior season, he played and started in 11 games, during which he recorded 43 tackles and seven sacks. He was awarded with First Team All-SoCon Defense. In the 2019 season, he played 12 games and started in 11, recording 45 tackles and 4.5 sacks. He was again selected First Team All-SoCon.
Professional career
= Tampa Bay Buccaneers =
Player went undrafted in the 2020 NFL draft. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on April 30, 2020.{{Cite web |last=on |first=Brian Rosefield |date=2020-04-30 |title=Former Blazer Nasir Player Signs with Tampa Bay Buccaneers |url=https://rvblazerathletics.com/2020/04/30/former-blazer-nasir-player-signs-with-tampa-bay-buccaneers/ |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=Ridge View High School |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Heather |date=2020-04-25 |title=ETSU's Player signs a free agent contract with Tampa Bay |url=https://wcyb.com/sports/content/etsus-player-signs-a-free-agent-contract-with-tampa-bay |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=WCYB |language=en}} In August 2020, he was waived, along with wide receiver Spencer Schnell.{{Cite web |title=Roundup: Giants, OL Nick Gates agree to 2-year, $6.8M extension |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/giants-ol-nick-gates-agree-to-2-year-6-8m-extension |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2020-08-01 |title=Nasir Player: Waived by Bucs |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/nasir-player-waived-by-bucs/ |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}} He played in the 2021 The Spring League season for The Alphas.{{Cite web |last=Sharp |first=Walter |date=2021-06-02 |title=Spring league 2021 Schedule, Dates, Roster & Teams |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/nfl/spring-league-2021-schedule-dates-roster-teams |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=www.sportskeeda.com |language=en-us}}
= Pittsburgh Maulers =
Player was drafted in the 2022 USFL draft in the third round by the Pittsburgh Maulers.{{Cite web |title=USFL Draft 2022: Every pick of every round for every team |url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/usfl/usfl-draft-2022-every-pick |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=FOX Sports |language=en-US}} He played for the Maulers in the 2022 USFL season and 2023 USFL season.{{Cite web |last=Larsen |first=James |date=2024-11-18 |title=Memphis Showboats Sign Nasir Player & Eli Walker |url=https://pfnewsroom.com/news/memphis-showboats-sign-nasir-player-eli-walker/#:~:text=DE%20Nasir%20Player,-Breaking:%20The%20Memphis&text=Nasir%20Player%20is%20back%20in,and%203.5%20sacks%20that%20year. |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=Pro Football Newsroom |language=en-US}} In November 2024, he re-signed for the 2024 season, but the Maulers were folded after the USFL and XFL merger a month later.{{Cite web |last=Larsen |first=James |date=2023-08-09 |title=Pittsburgh Maulers Re-Sign Five Key Players For 2024 |url=https://pfnewsroom.com/news/pittsburgh-maulers-re-sign-five-key-players-for-2024/ |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=Pro Football Newsroom |language=en-US}}
= Michigan Panthers =
Player was chosen in the 2024 UFL dispersal draft by the Michigan Panthers.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-12 |title=Michigan Panthers Roster: UFL Dispersal Draft Breakdown |url=https://www.si.com/fannation/ufl/news/michigan-panthers-roster-ufl-dispersal-draft-breakdown-usfl-xfl-merger-player-acquisitions |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=UFL |language=en-US}} He was waived on March 23, 2024, as part of the final roster cuts.{{Cite web |last=Larsen |first=James |date=2024-03-23 |title=Michigan Panthers Make Final Cuts, Claim Cohl Cabral |url=https://pfnewsroom.com/news/michigan-panthers-make-final-cuts-claim-cohl-cabral/ |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=Pro Football Newsroom |language=en-US}}
= Memphis Showboats =
In November 2024, he signed to the Memphis Showboats with Eli Walker, with whom he played two seasons at Pittsburgh.