Darren Woodson

Darren Ray Woodson (born April 25, 1969) is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He played his entire career for the Dallas Cowboys from 1992 to 2004. He was drafted by the Cowboys in the second round (37th overall) of the 1992 NFL Draft out of Arizona State University.

Early years

Woodson was raised by his mother, Freddie Luke, in Maryvale, a West Phoenix neighborhood. A running back and linebacker at Maryvale High School, he earned All-Metro Division AAA and All-City honors as a senior, once scoring six touchdowns in a single game. He was a teammate of Phillippi Sparks, who would go on to play nine seasons in the NFL.

In August 2009, ESPNRISE.com named Woodson as one of the best high school players to ever come out of Arizona.

College career

According to a January 23, 1996, article in the New York Times, because Woodson failed to meet NCAA academic qualifications for a scholarship, he walked on at Arizona State University. According to the article, "Woodson built a reputation as a ferocious hitter with a keen eye for football ."