Former SEC Defensive Player of the Year Gets Another Shot in NFL

A former dominant college football player who earned SEC Defensive Player of the Year is getting another shot to make a name for himself in the NFL.

Shane Ray, who has struggled to find a spot on an NFL roster since 2018, is now being given another opportunity by the Tennessee Titans.

Ray’s college career at Missouri was nothing short of spectacular.

In 2014, he racked up 65 tackles (including 22.5 tackles-for-loss) and 14.5 sacks, setting the school record for most sacks in a single season and winning him the SEC Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Following his successful college career, Ray was selected 23rd overall by the Denver Broncos in the 2015 NFL draft.

Ray made a promising start with the Broncos, piling up 68 total tackles, 12 sacks, and two fumble recoveries over his first two seasons.

However, it hasn’t been the same story since.

Since 2017, Ray has only recorded two additional sacks and hasn’t played in an NFL game since 2018.

In 2019, he signed with the Baltimore Ravens but was released during final roster cuts. He later spent time with the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League and was briefly with the Buffalo Bills in 2023, where he reunited with former teammate Von Miller before being released after being placed on injured reserve.

As Ray gears up for his new opportunity with the Titans, he’ll be aiming to make the most of this chance.

Transitioning from a successful college career to the professional level is notoriously challenging, and Ray’s journey underscores the difficulties athletes face in making their mark in the NFL.

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