72 DARNELL
STAPLETON
PRO
CAREER (0-0/0-0): Originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent
following the 2007 NFL Draft…made the team’s 53-man roster out of the 2007
training camp but did not dress for any of the regular-season games…dressed but
did not see action in the AFC Wild Card Game against
Jacksonville.
2007:
(0-0/0-0): Was inactive for all 16 regular- season games…dressed but
did not play in the playoff loss to Jacksonville...9/9 at Cleveland:
Was inactive...9/16 vs. Buffalo: Was
inactive...9/23 vs. San Francisco: Was inactive...9/30
at Arizona: Was inactive...10/7 vs. Seattle: Was
inactive...10/21 at Denver: Was inactive...10/28 at
Cincinnati: Was inactive...11/5 vs. Baltimore: Was
inactive...11/11 vs. Cleveland: Was inactive...11/18 at
N.Y. Jets: Was inactive...11/26 vs. Miami: Was
inactive...12/2 vs. Cincinnati: Was inactive...12/9 at
New England: Was inactive...12/16 vs. Jacksonville:
Was inactive...12/20 at St. Louis: Was
inactive...12/30 at Baltimore: Was inactive...AFC WILD
CARD 1/5/08 vs. Jacksonville: Dressed but did not play.
COLLEGE: 2006: Rutgers' starting center in all 13
games...Finalist for the Rimington Trophy...Center of an offensive line that
allowed just eight sacks, the fewest amount in the nation…RU tailback Ray Rice
rushed for 1,794 yards, the second-highest total in the nation and a BIG EAST
single-season record…Awarded the David Bender Trophy, given annually to the top
offensive lineman at Rutgers... Contributed to Rutgers win over Howard (9/23),
as the Scarlet Knights scored 56 points, the most points scored in the Greg
Schiano era...In Rutgers' win over Louisville (11/9), contributed to a blocking
effort that allowed Ray Rice to rush for 75 yards in the fourth quarter...Served
on a line that averaged over 180 rushing yards per game this season. 2005: Emerged as the starting center in
preseason camp and started all 12 games... Helped pave the way for RU to
accumulate a season-best 574 yards of total offense, including 337 yards
rushing, in the Scarlet Knights' regular-season finale against Cincinnati
(11/26)...Also served on an RU offensive line that opened the way for 532 yards
of total offense, including 158 on the ground in the Insight Bowl vs. Arizona
State (12/27)…Played important role in an offensive line that recorded seven
100-yard rushing performances and produced RU's first 1,000-yard rusher since
1994.
Personal: Started at center and tackle for
two seasons at Hudson Valley Community College, which captured the conference
and Region III Championship in 2004…Played and started in 11 games in
2004…Selected to First Team All-Northeast Football Conference…Named preseason
NJCAA Honorable Mention All-American…Finished his career as the only player in
Hudson Valley history to start 21 consecutive games…Offense averaged 280.3 yards
per game, including 169.7 rushing yards per game…Team finished 8-3 in 2004 and
8-2 in 2003, when he earned Second Team All-League honors…Named First Team
All-Watchung Conference and First Team All-Union County as a senior…Played in
New Jersey's North-South All-Star Game…Born 9/21/85.
