Gerald Everett
Gerald Rashard Everett is an American professional football tight end. He played college football for the Bethune–Cookman Wildcats, Hutchinson Blue Dragons, UAB Blazers, and South Alabama Jaguars, and was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft. He has also played for the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Chargers, and Chicago Bears.
Early life
Gerald Rashard Everett was born on June 25, 1994, in Atlanta, Georgia. He attended and graduated from Columbia High School in Decatur, Georgia. He grew up playing youth sports at Gresham Park Recreation Complex. He played three seasons of high school basketball and ran track for the Eagles and did not play football for the Eagles until his senior year.College career
Everett attended Hutchinson Community College in 2013 and the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2014. After the UAB football program was shut down, he transferred to the University of South Alabama in 2015 where he played for coach Joey Jones's South Alabama Jaguars football team from 2015 [South Alabama Jaguars football team|2015] to 2016. In his two years at South Alabama, he had 41 receptions for 575 yards and eight touchdowns and earned first-team All-Sun Belt notice as a junior and 49 receptions for 717 yards and four touchdowns as a senior. Everett received an invitation to the Senior Bowl.Professional career
Pre-draft
Everett received an invitation to the Senior Bowl. He helped the South defeat the North 16–15 and made one catch for six yards. Unfortunately, he tied Donnel Pumphrey, who stands at 5'8", for the smallest hand of any pass catcher at the Senior Bowl. He attended the NFL Combine and completed all of the required combine drills. Everett also attended South Alabama's Pro Day and opted to re-try the short shuttle and broad jump, but was unable to beat his combine numbers in both categories. NFL draft experts and analysts projected him to be a second or third round pick in the draft. He was ranked the fourth-best tight end in the draft by ESPN and NFL media analyst Mike Mayock, the fifth-best tight end by NFLDraftScout.com, and was ranked the sixth-best tight end in the draft by Sports Illustrated.Los Angeles Rams
2017 season
Everett was selected in the second round with the 44th overall pick by the Los Angeles Rams, in the 2017 NFL draft. He was the fourth tight end selected in the draft and first player ever to be drafted from South Alabama.On June 13, 2017, the Rams signed Everett to a four-year, $6.04 million contract that includes $3.27 million guaranteed and a signing bonus of $2.53 million.
Everett made his NFL debut in the Rams' season-opener against the Indianapolis Colts and caught his first NFL reception on a 39-yard pass from quarterback Jared Goff during a 46–9 victory. The following game, he caught a season-high three receptions for 95 yards in the Rams' 27–20 loss to the Washington Redskins. On October 15, 2017, Everett recorded his first NFL touchdown on a four-yard reception from Goff in a 27–17 road victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Everett finished his rookie year with 16 receptions for 244 yards and two touchdowns. He made his playoff debut in the Wild Card Round against the Atlanta Falcons. He had a four-yard reception in the 26–13 loss.
2018 season
Everett was a significant contributor in the Rams' narrow 54–51 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football in Week 11, catching two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. In the 2018 season, Everett finished with 33 receptions for 320 yards and three touchdowns.In the NFC Championship, he had two receptions for 50 yards in the 26–23 overtime victory over the New Orleans Saints. Everett was targeted once in Super Bowl LIII but had no receptions in the 13–3 loss to the New England Patriots.