Prince Shembo
 Shembo with the Atlanta Falcons | |||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born: | December 24, 1991 Greensboro, North Carolina | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 253 lb (115 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| College: | Notre Dame | ||||||||
| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2014 / Round: 4 / Pick: 139 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of 2014 | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Prince Shembo (born December 24, 1991) is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.
High School
Prince attended Ardrey Kell High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. He played in only five games during senior campaign. He suffered a high ankle sprain in the preseason and then was suspended from school on September 16, 2009 for an aggressive incident directed at a teacher. He recorded 86 tackles with nine sacks and added two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries as junior in 2008, and made 117 tackles during sophomore season in 2007 and was named to 2007 all-Observer team by Charlotte Observer.
Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, he was rated as the 7th best inside linebacker in the nation.[1] He accepted a scholarship offer from Notre Dame over offers from Miami, Duke and North Carolina.
College career
As a true freshman, he saw action in all 13 games in 2010. He was one of six freshmen to make their Irish debut against Purdue, and one of three freshmen to play in every game. He registered 15 tackles on the year, including six solo stops and nine assisted tackles, and had five tackles for loss and four and a half sacks. In 2011, he appeared in 12 games for the Irish, while starting eight contests. He totaled 31 tackles, including three and a half for loss, and also had a pair of sacks. In his junior season in 2012, Shembo set career highs in tackles (51), tackles for loss (10.5), sacks (7.5) and quarterback hurries (12), and earned first team all-independent honours. As a senior, he started all 13 games, totaling 46 tackles, including 5.5 for loss, 5.5 sacks and 17 quarterback hurries.
Professional career
2014 NFL Draft
He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round (139th overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft.[2]
Atlanta Falcons
He signed with the Falcons on May 18, 2014.[3]
The Falcons waived Shembo on May 29, 2015 after he was arrested for aggravated cruelty to animals after allegedly killing his girlfriend's dog.[4] Shembo's attorney says Shembo accidentally killed the Yorkshire terrier his girlfriend owned when he kicked it after it had bit him.[5]
Personal life
His father, Maurice Shembo, immigrated to the United States from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1986. His sister, Christelle Shembo, is a forward for the Wake Forest University women's basketball team.[6]
Controversies
High School
In 2009, his senior year of high school, Shembo was suspended[7] for throwing a desk at a teacher who had taken away his cell phone.[8]
Sexual Assault Allegation
During the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine, Shembo admitted that as a Notre Dame student in 2010, he was accused of sexual battery against Lizzy Seeberg, a female student at nearby Saint Mary's College who later committed suicide, and said that he is innocent of the accusation.[9] Seeberg's father responded by claiming that Notre Dame was negligent in investigating Seeberg's accusation for fear of outing Shembo.[10]
Girlfriend's Dog
On May 29, 2015, Shembo was arrested by Gwinnett Police after being accused of killing his girlfriend's dog.[11]
References
- ^ Prince Shembo - Yahoo Sports
- ^ Falcons draft Notre Dame's Prince Shembo
- ^ Falcons sign five draft picks
- ^ http://m.ajc.com/news/news/local/falcons-player-accused-of-killing-ex-girlfriends-d/nmQ9y/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help)|published:May 29, 2013|author:Alexis Stevens|title:Ex-Falcon didn't mean to kill exes dog, attorney says| - ^ "Falcons waived LB Prince Shembo". Twitter. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
- ^ http://www.wakeforestsports.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/christelle_shembo_799559.html
- ^ "Ardrey Kell suspends star defensive end". Prep Insiders. September 24, 2009. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ "Lizzy Seeberg's Family Feels Rejected by Notre Dame as Football Star Is Not Charged". Politics Daily. December 17, 2010. Archived from the original on June 4, 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Rothstein, Michael (February 22, 2014). "LB Prince Shembo says he's innocent". ESPN. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
- ^ Lighty, Todd; Campbell, Rich (February 26, 2014). "Ex-Notre Dame player's remarks reopen wound". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|lastauthoramp=ignored (|name-list-style=suggested) (help) - ^ "Falcons Shembo allegedly killed GF's dog". The Big Lead. Retrieved 27 May 2015.