Mike Pouncey

Mike Pouncey

Pouncey with the Dolphins in 2011
No. 51     Miami Dolphins
Center
Personal information
Date of birth: July 24, 1989 (1989-07-24) (age 22)
Place of birth: Ardmore, Oklahoma
Height: 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	Weight: 303 lb (137 kg)
Career information
College: Florida
NFL Draft: 2011 / Round: 1 / Pick: 15
Debuted in 2011 for the Miami Dolphins
Career history
Miami Dolphins (2011–present)
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
SEC Championship (2008) BCS National Championship (2009) Honorable mention All-SEC (2009) First-team All-American (2009)
Stats at NFL.com

James Michael "Mike" Pouncey (born July 24, 1989) is an American football center for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Dolphins in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football for Florida.

Early years

Pouncey was born in Ardmore, Oklahoma. He attended Lakeland High School in Lakeland, Florida, where he was a standout lineman for the Lakeland Dreadnaughts high school football team.^[1] As a senior in 2006, he helped lead Lakeland High to its third consecutive Florida Class 5A state championship and second straight USA Today national championship.^[1]

College career

Pouncey accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida,^[1] where he played for coach Urban Meyer's Florida Gators football team from 2007 to 2010.^[2] As a freshman in 2007, he started the season as an offensive lineman but had to move to the defensive line as replacement when several defensive starters were injured.^[1] Pouncey started four of thirteen games as a freshman, recording eight tackles and an interception.^[1] As a sophomore in 2008, he moved back to the offensive line and started all fourteen of the Gators' games at right guard,^[1] including the Gators' 24–14 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2009 BCS National Championship Game. After his junior season in 2009, Pouncey was named an Associated Press honorable mention All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection and a Pro Football Weekly first-team All-American.^[1] As a senior team captain in 2010, he moved from guard to center for the Gators,^[1] replacing his twin brother Maurkice Pouncey at center,^[3] after Maurkice entered the 2010 NFL Draft following his junior year.^[4]

Professional career

Pouncey (right) works with fellow Dolphins center Joe Berger before a game in 2011.

Pouncey graded out as the top center and guard prospects in the 2011 NFL Draft.^[5] He was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the first round with the 15th pick overall.^[6]

Personal

Pouncey's identical twin brother Maurkice Pouncey was selected 18th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2010 NFL Draft.^[7] He is one minute older than Maurkice.^[8] Pouncey has a daughter, Janiyah, who was born in 2008.^[8]

See also

	American football portal
	Biography portal
	College football portal

• 2008 Florida Gators football team
• 2009 College Football All-America Team
• Florida Gators
• List of Florida Gators football players
• List of Miami Dolphins players
• List of University of Florida alumni

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} GatorZone.com, Football History, 2010 Roster, Mike Pouncey. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
2. ^ 2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 89, 95, 97, 98, 103, 125, 185 (2011). Retrieved August 14, 2011.
3. ^ GatorZone.com, Football History, 2009 Roster, Maurkice Pouncey. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
4. ^ Scott Brown, "Pouncey a tough act to follow for identical twin," Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (August 30, 2010). Retrieved September 13, 2010.
5. ^ NFLDraftScout.com, Mike Pouncey. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
6. ^ "Panthers make Cam Newton top pick," ESPN (April 28, 2011). Retrieved April 28, 2011.
7. ^ National Football League, Current Players, Maurkice Pouncey. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
8. ^ ^{a b} Dave Curtis, "Identical twins Mike and Maurkice Pouncey will make formidable front for UF foes," TCPALM (April 11, 2008). Retrieved August 18, 2011.

External links

• Miami Dolphins bio
• Florida Gators bio
• NFL combine profile
• ESPN bio