Personal information | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Born: | Macon, Georgia, U.S. | April 1, 1998||||||
Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||
Weight: | 208 lb (94 kg) | ||||||
Career information | |||||||
High school: | Stratford Academy (Macon, Georgia) | ||||||
College: | Wisconsin (2016–2019) | ||||||
Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||
NFL draft: | 2020 / Round: 5 / Pick: 166 | ||||||
Career history | |||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||||
| |||||||
Player stats at PFR |
Quintez Cephus (born April 1, 1998) is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at Wisconsin and was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL draft.
While playing high school football at Stratford Academy in Macon, Georgia, Cephus played running back, wide receiver and defense, earning a three-star recruiting grade. [1]
Cephus committed to Wisconsin on November 13, 2015. [2] He also received offers from Miami, Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt and Georgia Southern. [3] Cephus had also committed to Furman for basketball but decided to pursue football as a "business decision". [2]
During his sophomore season, Cephus caught thirty passes and had his first career collegiate 100-yard receiving game, against Purdue. [1] However, a broken leg, sustained against Indiana on November 4, sidelined Cephus for the rest of the season and required surgery. [4]
After Cephus missed his junior season due to pending legal charges, the NCAA cleared him to play on August 23, 2019. [5] After being expelled and reinstated by the school, Cephus said he returned to the football team because unlike others at the school, the football team never stopped supporting him. [6] Cephus was noted for his ability to separate from defenders on the field of play during his senior season. [7]
On January 6, 2020, Cephus declared for the 2020 NFL draft. The move came after Cephus led the 2019 Badgers team in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. [8] He also participated in the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, where he drew praise from other players at the Combine. [9]
Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 ft 0+7⁄8 in (1.85 m) | 202 lb (92 kg) | 32+1⁄8 in (0.82 m) | 8+3⁄4 in (0.22 m) | 4.62 s | 1.60 s | 2.69 s | 4.33 s | 7.20 s | 38.5 in (0.98 m) | 10 ft 4 in (3.15 m) | 23 reps | |
All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day [10] [11] |
Cephus was selected at in the fifth round with the 166th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. [12] The Lions previously acquired the selection used on Cephus as a result of the trade that sent cornerback Darius Slay to the Philadelphia Eagles. On July 13, 2020, the Lions signed Cephus to a four-year contract. [13] In Week 13, against the Chicago Bears, he scored his first professional touchdown on a 49-yard reception from quarterback Matthew Stafford. [14]
On October 12, 2021, Cephus was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. [15]
On October 8, 2022, Cephus was once again placed on injured reserve. [16]
On April 21, 2023, Cephus was suspended indefinitely (at least one season) after it was discovered he had violated the league’s gambling policy by betting on NFL games. He was subsequently released by the Lions following the incident. [17] [18]
On April 18, 2024, Cephus was reinstated by the NFL. [19]
On April 29, 2024, Cephus signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills, but was released on May 16. [20] [21]
Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | GS | Rec | Tgt | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | FD | Fum | Lost | ||
2020 | DET | 13 | 2 | 20 | 35 | 349 | 17.5 | 49 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
2021 | DET | 5 | 3 | 15 | 22 | 204 | 13.6 | 46 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
2022 | DET | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 7.5 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 22 | 6 | 37 | 60 | 568 | 15.4 | 49 | 4 | 26 | 0 | 0 |
In the early morning hours of April 22, 2018, Cephus engaged in sexual acts with two women. Cephus claimed the acts were consensual, but the women claimed that they were too drunk to give consent legally and that Cephus sexually assaulted them. [22] Later that day, the Dane County Sheriff's Department searched Cephus' apartment, and in August, Cephus was suspended from the Badgers football team. [23] Also in August, Cephus was formally charged with second- and third-degree counts of sexual assault of an intoxicated victim. [24]
On October 9, Cephus sued the University of Wisconsin-Madison in federal court, stating that the university's Title IX investigation, occurring simultaneously with the Dane County investigation, deprived Cephus of due process relating to the Fifth Amendment. [25] Also in October, Cephus entered a not guilty plea, with a trial set for February, although that was later delayed to August. [26] During spring of 2019, Cephus left the University of Wisconsin-Madison. [27] It was later revealed that he was expelled by the school. [28] In March 2019, Cephus dropped his lawsuit against the university. [22]
On August 2, Cephus was acquitted on both counts. [29] [30] UW later re-admitted Cephus as a student before the 2019 fall semester, citing new information in their investigation. [22]
Charles Benjamin Rogers was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver for three seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans, earning unanimous All-American honors and recognition as the top college wide receiver in the country. The Detroit Lions selected him with the second overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, but he was out of the league after only three years due to injuries and off-field issues.
Michael Kitome Echols is a former American football cornerback who played in both the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was selected in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. He played collegiately for the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Jared Ryan Abbrederis is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Wisconsin and was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He was also a member of the Detroit Lions.
Antonio Callaway is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at Florida, and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Jalin Delane Marshall is an American football wide receiver and return specialist who is a free agent. He signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent following the 2016 NFL draft. He played college football at Ohio State. He has also played for the Orlando Apollos of the Alliance of American Football (AAF) and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Tanner McEvoy is a former American football player. He played primarily as a wide receiver, but also spent time playing quarterback and safety. He played college football at the University of Wisconsin, Arizona Western College, and the University of South Carolina.
Alex Michael Erickson is an American football wide receiver and return specialist who is a free agent. He played college football at Wisconsin and was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2016. Erickson has also been a member of the Houston Texans, Carolina Panthers, and Washington Commanders.
Kenneth Golladay is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He has previously played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions and the New York Giants. He played college football at North Dakota and Northern Illinois and was selected by the Lions in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft. He led the NFL in receiving touchdowns with the Lions in 2019.
Jordan Lasley is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football for the UCLA Bruins and was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Darrell Demont "D. J." Chark Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at LSU.
Javon Lamar Wims is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at Georgia.
Beau Benzschawel is an American football guard who is a free agent. He played college football at Wisconsin and signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He has also played for the Houston Texans, Washington Football Team, and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Tom Kennedy is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He is also a former professional lacrosse player. He played college football at Bryant.
Zack Baun is an American football linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Wisconsin and was selected 74th overall by the Saints in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Saivion Smith is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He played college football at the University of Alabama.
Javon McKinley is an American professional football player who is a free agent wide receiver. He played college football at Notre Dame.
Jameson Demetri Williams, nicknamed "Jamo", is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State before transferring to Alabama in 2021, where he was named an All-American. Williams was selected by the Lions in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Maurice Alexander Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected with the 8th pick in the 17th round of the 2022 USFL draft. He played college football at the Florida International University. After college, he went unsigned as an undrafted free agent in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Jonathan Adams Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Memphis Showboats of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football for the Arkansas State Red Wolves and was signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent after the 2021 NFL draft. He has also played for the New Orleans Breakers of the United States Football League (USFL).
Chimere Dike is an American football wide receiver for the Florida Gators. He previously played for the Wisconsin Badgers.