AHMAD BROOKS

'Ahmad Brooks' (b. March 14 1984, Fairfax, Virginia) is an American football linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He played college football for the Virginia Cavaliers, where he majored in Sociology, and was selected in the third round of the 2006 NFL Supplemental Draft. His father, Perry Brooks, played 92 games as a defensive tackle for the Washington Redskins from 1978-1984.

Contents

High School

College

NFL

2006

Outlook for 2007

High School

Brooks attended C.D. Hylton High School in Woodbridge, Virginia, which he helped lead to two VHSL state championships during his three-year tenure (1999-2001). Brooks had a very productive year in 2001 - he had 207 tackles (144 solos), including 34 for loss, and he also rushed for 848 yards and 10 TDs while averaging 12.6 yards per carry. The semifinal loss in 2001 was the only Hylton loss in three years in which he played. He was named as USA Today’s National Defensive Player of the year after the 2001 season. In 2002 he played at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va.

College

Following high school, Brooks spent one year at a military post-graduate school before enrolling at Virginia in the fall of 2003. He earned a starting position as a freshman and finished the year with a career-high and team-leading 117 tackles. He also had four sacks, six passes defensed, 10 tackles-for-loss and 15 QB pressures. He had a career-high 12 tackles vs. Pittsburgh in the Continental Tire Bowl, including a key stop early in the contest to complete a goal-line stand.
During his sophomore year at the University of Virginia he was one of three Butkus Award finalists, which goes to the best linebacker in the country. He played in 12 games, earning All-America honors after totaling a team-leading 90 tackles, with eight sacks, two INTs, 11 QB pressures and 10 tackles-for-loss. Earned Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Lineman of the Week honors for his performance against the Maryland Terrapins.
He played in six games as a junior, with 27 tackles (10 solo), including one sack, plus four passes defensed and five QB pressures. He missed games 1-3 while rehabbing from knee surgery performed following his sophomore campaign. He missed other games due to various injuries throughout the 2005 season. He was involved in several off-field problems and was eventually dismissed from the team following the season.

NFL

2006

Brooks entered the NFL Supplemental Draft following his junior season at Virginia and was selected by the Bengals in the third round on July 13th, 2006. He made his NFL debut September 24 at Pittsburgh (no statistics). As a rookie, he played in 11 contests (Games 3-9, 11-12, and 16), with starts at MLB in Games 5-9. He had 46 tackles, with one sack, 2 passes defensed, and one special teams tackle.

Outlook for 2007

The early depth chart has Brooks listed as the starting middle linebacker. [1]