Anthony Poindexter

 

Position: Safety

Teams:

• University of Virginia [1994-1998]
• Baltimore Ravens (1999-2000)
• Cleveland Browns (2001)

Notables:

• Two-time First-Team All-American (1997 and 1998 )
• 1998 ACC Defensive Player of the Year
• Arguably one of the best players in Cavalier history.
• Dropped from a potential Top 10 pick to a seventh rounder in the NFL Draft due to an ACL injury
• Poindexter was known for his bone-jarring hits against opponents.

College

Bowl Games Poindexter played in:

• 1995 Peach Bowl
• 1996 Carquest Bowl
• 1998 Peach Bowl

Poindexter played a key role in one of the more memorable plays in Virginia football history. As a redshirt freshman in 1995, Poindexter along with teammate Adrian Burnim stopped Florida State’s Warrick Dunn inches from the endzone on the last play of the game to preserve Virginia’s 33-28 victory over the Seminoles. That was the first time Virginia or any other ACC team had defeated the Seminoles in conference play (FSU joined the ACC in 1992). (Watch the video below!)

As a sophomore he made a school record 98 tackles.

After his first All-American season as a junior, Poindexter had the choice between declaring for the 1998 NFL Draft or staying in college for his senior year. Draft experts projected that he would likely be a first-round draft pick, but Poindexter stayed at Virginia for his senior season. The Cavaliers were expected to have a very strong team and were ranked as high as the top ten. In the first seven games of the season, Poindexter made 73 tackles, two sacks, and three interceptions.

In a game against North Carolina State in 1998, Poindexter tore his ACL making a tackle on wide receiver Charles Coleman. Thought at that time to be a lock as a top 10 pick in the next NFL draft, he never fully recovered. He could not participate in the NFL Scouting Combine or the Virginia Pro Day. Poindexter’s chances of getting drafted were now slim, but the Baltimore Ravens took a chance and drafted him in the 7th round. CNN-SI featured a Draft Diary written by Poindexter.

Poindexter was placed on the injured reserve list for Baltimore during the 1999 season, but In 2000, he played in 10 games on special teams where he caused one forced fumble. Poindexter earned a Super Bowl ring with the Ravens that year, though he did not play in Super Bowl XXXV. Shortly after the game he was released, but was picked up by the Cleveland Browns in June. He was released again in September that same year and never played a NFL game again. He attempted to pick up with teams in training camps, but it never worked out, as he never fully regained his quickness.

Poindexter is now the the Assistant Special Teams Coordinator and Running Backs Coach for the University of Virginia. VirginiaSports.com features a video profile of Poindexter.

Here is an article from 1999 profiling Anthony Poindexter and Dre Bly both hurting their draft stock by staying in college an extra year. Poindexter’s story of waiting a year too long to enter the NFL Draft has become legendary and has brought up the debate for college athletes being payed. When Michael Vick held a press conference telling the media that he was going to enter the NFL Draft, he said that he wouldn’t want to end up like Anthony Poindexter did. Ironically, seven-years and hundreds of dog-fights later, the local prosecuting attorney in the Michael Vick case was Mr. Poindexter (Gerald Poindexter).

There is also a Dr. Anthony Poindexter, a nephrologist.

Poindexter (#3) and Burnim stopping Warrick Dunn at the goal line to beat FSU:

 

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