Eric Barton

Infobox NFLactive


currentteam=New York Jets
currentnumber=50
currentpositionplain=Inside linebacker
birthdate=birth date and age|1977|9|29
birthplace=Alexandria, Virginia
heightft=6
heightin=2
weight=245
debutyear=1999
debutteam=Oakland Raiders
college=Maryland
draftyear=1999
draftround=5
draftpick=146
pastteams=
* Oakland Raiders (1999-2003)
* New York Jets (2004-present)
nfl=BAR766216

Eric Barton (born September 29, 1977 in Alexandria, Virginia) is an American football linebacker who currently plays for the New York Jets. He previously played for the Oakland Raiders and played NCAA football at the University of Maryland.

He went to Edison High School in Alexandria, VA.

College career

He Earned All-American honors from the National Recruiting Advisor and an All-Atlantic Coast recognition from Blue Chip Illustrated Magazine and was rated 10th-best football player in Virginia by Super Prep Magazine as a senior at Edison High School in Alexandria, Virginia.Barton attended the University of Maryland where he majored in Criminology and criminal justice. He recorded more than 100 tackles as a sophomore, junior and senior at Maryland, which helped land him fourth on the career tackles list. He also led the ACC in solo tackles as junior and senior. He was an All-ACC first-team selection as senior and led conference in total tackles (159) and average tackles per game (14.5).

NFL career

Barton was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the fifth round (146th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft.

He saw action in all of his 16 games in the 1999 NFL season, making three starts and finishing with 29 tackles and two sacks. He recorded a sack in the first play of his first NFL start and finished with, a team-high, eight tackles in Week 15 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He started and tallied 13 tackles at LB in Super Bowl XXXVII in a loss to the Buccaneers. He led the team for the ninth time on the season with a nine-tackle performance vs. the Kansas City Chiefs in the season finale. He signed with the New York Jets as an unrestricted free agent in 2004. He registered nine or more tackles seven times in the 2004 NFL season, including a AFC Wild Card victory over the San Diego Chargers. He earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors as a result of nine tackles, one sack, one INT, two PD, one FF and one FR in Week 15 win vs. the Seattle Seahawks and led the defense with a career-high 16 tackles, including 12 solo and one for loss, in a defeat against the Buffalo Bills. He was placed on the Injured Reserve, for the first time in his career after suffering an ankle injury. He also became the first Jet Defender since 2000 to record a sack and interception on the same drive against the Washington Redskins. He has played in 120 career Regular Season games with 85 starts and has recorded 680 tackles, 18.5 sacks, four INTs, 18 PD, six FF and four FR in his career. So far he has posted four seasons with 100 or more total tackles. [ [http://www.newyorkjets.com/team/player/871-eric-barton Eric Barton #50 LB Maryland Profile] ]

References