Brandon Lloyd

Brandon Matthew Lloyd (born July 5, 1981) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Illinois, and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round, 57th overall of the 2003 NFL Draft. Lloyd has also played for the Washington Redskins, Denver Broncos, and New England Patriots.

College career

Lloyd attended the University of Illinois, and played for the Illinois Fighting Illini football team beginning in 1999. After a promising freshman season, Lloyd missed all of the 2000 season with a broken femur. He returned healthy and had outstanding seasons in both 2001 and 2002. He was a consensus first-team All-Big Ten performer after his sophomore season in 2001, helping lead the Fighting Illini to a 10-2 record and a BCS berth in the Sugar Bowl.

After his junior season in 2002, Lloyd declared his eligibility for the NFL Draft. Of the seven children in the Lloyd family, he was the only one who started a career without finishing college. According to Brandon, "I saw [my mom] cry was when I told her I wasn't going back to school. She just thought that was the end of everything."