Sam Hurd

Samuel George Hurd, III (born April 24, 1985) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League for six seasons. He played college football at Northern Illinois University, and, though undrafted, was signed after graduation by the Dallas Cowboys in 2006. He played for the Cowboys from 2006–2010, before joining the Chicago Bears in 2011. He was released by the Bears in December 2011, after he was arrested on federal drug charges. On November 13, 2013, Hurd was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Early years

Hurd attended Brackenridge High School in San Antonio, Texas, where he was an all-state receiver, catching 20 touchdowns in his senior year.

College career

At Northern Illinois University, he teamed with P. J. Fleck, Shatone Powers, and Dan Sheldon to form one of the best wide receiver groups in the MAC. He helped NIU to a victory in the 2004 Silicon Valley Football Classic in a game that was delayed nearly 40 minutes due to a power outage.

A strong running offense limited his receiving stats until his senior year, when he registered 65 receptions, 1,074 yards and 13 touchdowns (second best in school history). He also had the best receiving game in school history with 266 yards against Central Michigan University.