Amari Spievey life and biography

* Selected in the second round (66th overall) by the Detroit Lions in the 2010 NFL Draft.

PRO: Selected in the second round (66th overall) in the 2010 NFL Draft. Spievey brings ball skills and athleticism to the Lions’ backfield. Spievey started every game that he played in (26) at Iowa, recording 124 tackles (86 solos) with 2 stops for losses totaling four yards, as he forced one fumble, had 14 pass defenses and picked off 6 passes for 127 yards in returns (21.1 avg). Added five kickoff returns for 80 yards (16.0 avg) and had 4 punt returns for 7 yards (1.7 avg).

2010: Serves on special teams and has been converted to safety.
* Recorded a solo tackle on special teams in season opener at Chicago (9/12).
* Saw time vs. Philadelphia (9/19) on special teams and on defense.
* Picked up 1 special teams tackle at Green Bay (10/3).
* First career start (safety) vs. St. Louis (10/10). Started game off with heads up play as he leaped into air to recover a surprise onside kick from the Rams that gave the Lions possession to begin game at the Rams 41-yard line. Finished with 3 tackles (2 solo) and 1 special teams tackle.
* Made second start of season at strong safety against the New York Jets (11/7). Recorded five tackles (4 solo).
* Recorded six tackles (4 solo) at Buffalo (11/14) in his third start at strong safety.
* Started at safety and recorded four tackles (4 solo) at Dallas (11/21).
* Led team 10 tackles (8 solo), with one quarterback hit, against New England (11/25).
* Led team with 8 tackles (3 solo), with one tackle for loss against Chicago (12/5).

COLLEGE:
Spievey started every game that he played in (26) at Iowa, recording 124 tackles (86 solos) with two stops for losses totaling four yards, as he forced one fumble, had fourteen pass deflections and picked off six passes for 127 yards in returns (21.1 avg). Added five kickoff returns for 80 yards (16.0 avg) and had four punt returns for seven yards (1.7 avg). At Iowa Central Community College, he intercepted seven passes for 242 return yards, had three return touchdowns (two interceptions, two kickoff returns) and blocked four punts.

2009: All-American third-team pick by College Football Insiders, earning honorable mention from Pro Football Weekly. All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection by The NFL Draft Report and the league’s coaches, earning second-team honors from the media. Started all 13 games at right cornerback, recording 56 tackles (42 solos) with a stop for a 3-yard loss. Deflected eight passes and intercepted two others. Gained 73 yards on four kickoff returns (18.25 avg) and seven yards on four punt returns. Helped the Hawkeyes improve their pass defense, which ranked fourth in the nation in 2009 (152.92 ypg), compared to their 47th-place finish in 2008 (197.31). The unit also ranked third nationally in pass efficiency defense (89.99 rating) and tenth in total defense (276.54 yards per game).

* Made 79 plays vs. the opponents’ aerial attack, as receivers caught 35 of those tosses (44.3 percent) for three touchdowns and 13 first downs, as Spievey rerouted those pass catchers away from 35 tosses, delivering 15 third-down tackles, including five inside the red zone.
* Also performed on the punt coverage unit, registering five solo stops.

2008: Sophomore All-American selection by College Football News. Earned All-Big Ten Conference second-team honors from the league’s coaches. Returned to Iowa and claimed the right cornerback position, ranking third on the team with 68 tackles (44 solos), as he had one stop behind the line of scrimmage, a pressure and a forced fumble. Deflected six passes and intercepted four others for 127 yards in returns, including a touchdown. His return to the program saw the Iowa secondary improve from its 62nd place ranking in pass defense in 2007 to 47th in 2008 (197.31 yards per game). They also improved their pass efficiency defense ranking from 35th in 2007 (115.72) to fifth nationally (98.32) in 2008.

2007: Attended Iowa Central (Dodge City, Ia.) Community College, becoming the Tritons’ first All-American first-team choice since linebacker Gabe Toomey in 2002 and just the fifth in the school’s history. Started 10 games at right cornerback, gaining 242 yards with two touchdowns on seven interceptions. Returned two kickoffs for scores and blocked four punts. Recorded 55 tackles (43 solos) with nine pass deflections.

HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL:
Attended Xavier (Middleton, Ct.) High School, playing football for head coach Sean Marinan. Named the Connecticut Player of the Year and was a two-time All-State selection by both the New Haven Register and Hartford Courant. Led the team to the state championship as a senior and closed out his career as the school’s all-time leading rusher, amassing 3,606 yards and 50 touch-downs. Also scored eight touchdowns on 53 receptions for 858 yards.

* The tailback and defensive back recorded 87 tackles and 16 interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns during his career.
* Also returned three punts and two kickoffs for touchdowns at Xavier.
* During the team’s championship season, he produced seven interceptions and 24 tackles, and rushed for 1,642 yards and 26 touchdowns as a tailback, leading the squad to anundefeated season.
* Art History major.
* Son of Romonda Spievey.
* Born Amari Spievey on April 15, 1988.
* Resides in Middleton, Connecticut.

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