American football player (1949–2015)
American football player
Eldridge Small (August 2, 1949[1] – May 11, 2015) was an American professional football player who was a cornerback for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL) from 1972 to 1974.
Small was born in Houston, Texas,[1] and attended Wheatley High School before playing college football for the Texas A&I Javelinas from 1968 to 1971 as a wide receiver and defensive back.[2] As a receiver, he had 20 touchdowns in his college career, made 167 receptions, and had 2,547 receiving yards.[3] Small was the Javelinas' all-time receptions leader until 2013, when Robert Armstrong surpassed his total.[4] In 1971, Small was chosen as a member of the Little All-America team. Texas A&I won two National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national championships during his time with the team.[2] The university's Javelina Hall of Fame inducted Small in 1991.[4]
In the 1972 NFL draft, the Giants selected Small in the first round with the 17th overall pick,[1] which they had obtained from the New England Patriots in a trade for defensive end Fred Dryer.[5] He played in 34 games for the Giants over three seasons, intercepting one pass, in 1974, and amassing 353 kick return yards.[1] In 1975, the Giants traded Small to the Cleveland Browns, but he was released before the start of the regular season.[6] Following his NFL career, he began coaching in the Houston Independent School District, working for Sterling High School as an offensive coordinator.[2] On May 11, 2015, when he was 65 years old, Small died.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d "Eldridge Small". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Eldridge Small". Texas A&M University–Kingsville. Archived from the original on April 5, 2012. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
- ^ "Giants Sign Eldridge Small". The Victoria Advocate. Associated Press. May 8, 1972. p. 1B. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Javelina Hall of Famer Eldridge Small Passes Away". Texas A&M University–Kingsville. May 11, 2015. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
- ^ "Patriots get Giants' Dryer; give up three draft choices". The Lowell Sun. Associated Press. February 1, 1972. p. 36. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
- ^ "Defensive back cut by Browns". The Daily Sentinel. United Press International. August 26, 1975. p. 4. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
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