Zaviar Gooden

Zaviar Gooden

No. 50 Detroit Lions
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Date of birth:	(1990-08-31) August 31, 1990
Place of birth:	Austin, Texas
Height:
Weight:
Career information
High school:	Pflugerville (TX)
College:	Missouri
NFL draft:	2013 / Round: 3 / Pick: 97
Career history
Tennessee Titans (2013–2015) Detroit Lions (2016–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2013
Tackles: 12 Quarterback sacks: 0.0 Forced fumbles: 0 Interceptions: 0 Player stats at NFL.com

Zaviar Gooden (born August 31, 1990) is an American football linebacker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He played college football at Missouri.

Early years

Gooden was born in Austin, Texas. He attended Pflugerville High School, and played for he Pflugerville Panthers high school football team. During high school, he played as both a safety and running back. Rivals.com rated Gooden as the 32nd best high school linebacker prospect his age, and the 56th best all round prospect in Texas. He graduated from high school with a 3.9 grade point average (GPA). Gooden received athletic scholarship offers from Oklahoma State, Purdue and Stanford, but chose to attend the University of Missouri.

He also spent four years on the track & field team in high school, competing in the 200-meter, long jump (20 ft 5 in), 4 × 100 m relay (42.98) and 4 × 400 m relay (3:21.17).

College career

Gooden enrolled in the University of Missouri, where he played for coach Gary Pinkel's Missouri Tigers football team from 2009 to 2012. Before the start of his freshman season, Gooden made the transition from safety to linebacker. During his first season he was used as backup to the starting linebackers, but played in 13 games, making 30 tackles and forcing one fumble.

It was his sophomore season that Gooden became a starter and immediately made a big impact. From the 13 games, he led the team in defense, making 84 tackles and three sacks, breaking up five passes and making two interceptions. He kept up his momentum in his junior season, with 80 tackles, one sack, two interceptions and four broken up passes in his 13 games.

His senior season was broken up by a hamstring injury and he played only 10 games, from which he made 61 tackles and a single interception, which was returned for a touchdown versus Southeastern Louisiana Lions.

Professional career

2013 NFL Draft

Gooden posted good numbers at the NFL Scouting Combine, and during Pro Day he beat all linebackers in every regard except vertical jump. Widely expected to be a fourth round pick, the Tennessee Titans drafted him with the last pick of the third round. He was the 97th overall pick of the 2013 NFL Draft.

Pre-draft measurables

Ht	Wt	Arm length	Hand size	40-yd dash	10-yd split	20-yd split	20-ss	3-cone	Vert	Broad	BP
6 ft 1 in	234 lb	​31 3⁄5 in	​10 0⁄0 in	4.47 s			4.18 s	6.71 s	38.5 in	10 ft 11 in	27 reps
All values from NFL Combine apart from vertical jump height, taken from Missouri Pro Day.

Detroit Lions

On May 2, 2016, the Detroit Lions signed Gooden to a one-year contract.

External links

• Missouri Tigers bio