BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : AFRICAN AMERICAN " CAMERON WAKE " IS A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE END FOR THE MIAMI DOLPHINS OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE (NFL) : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK GENIUS "

     BLACK         SOCIAL       HISTORY                                                                                                                                                                                                   Cameron Wake

.

Cameron Wake

Wake in the 2014 NFL season.
No. 91     Miami Dolphins
Defensive end
Personal information
Date of birth: January 30, 1982 (age 32)
Place of birth: Beltsville, Maryland
Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Weight: 262 lb (119 kg)
Career information
High school: Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha
College: Penn State
Undrafted in 2005
Debuted in 2007 for the BC Lions
Career history
New York Giants (2005)* BC Lions (2007–2008) Miami Dolphins (2009–present) *Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
3× Pro Bowl (2010, 2012, 2013) First-team All-Pro (2012) Second-team All-Pro (2010) AFC Defensive Player of the Month (October 2012) 2× CFL All-Star (2007, 2008) 2× CFL Western Division All-Star (2007, 2008) CFL Most Outstanding Rookie of the Year (2007) 2× CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player(2007, 2008) 2× Norm Fieldgate Trophy (2007, 2008) Jackie Parker Trophy (2007) Miami Dolphins MVP (2012) AFC Defensive Player of the Week (Nov 6, 2013, Sep 10, 2014)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 13, 2014
Tackles 240 Quarterback sacks 61.0 Interceptions 0 Forced fumbles 12 Stats at NFL.com
Career CFL statistics
Tackles 137 Sacks 39 Interceptions 0 Fumble recoveries 3
Stats at CFL.ca

Derek Cameron Wake (born January 30, 1982) is an American football defensive end for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Penn State University, and was signed by the New York Giants as anundrafted free agent in 2005.

Wake has also played for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL), earning the league's Most Outstanding Rookie Award in 2007. He recorded 39 sacks over his first two seasons in the CFL, earning Western Division All-Star honors as well as the Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award both years.

Early years

Born in Beltsville, Maryland, Wake grew up in the suburban Washington, D.C. area and attended DeMatha High School inHyattsville, Maryland.^[1] During his senior season of 1999, Wake was named the Washington Post Defensive Player of the Year.^[1]

College career

Following high school, Wake received an athletic scholarship to attend Pennsylvania State University, where he played for thePenn State Nittany Lions football team. He played mainly as a linebacker for the Nittany Lions, but also played the defensive end position. Wake finished his collegiate career with 191 total tackles, 8.5 quarterback sacks, and 24 tackles for a loss.

Professional career

Pre-draft

Prior to the 2005 NFL Draft, Wake worked out at Penn State's Pro Day and ran a 4.55-second 40-yard dash.^[2]

New York Giants

Following his college career, Wake joined the New York Giants in April 2005 but was released in June.

BC Lions

Wake signed a free agent contract with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League in May 2007. Switching from linebacker to defensive end, a rejuvenated Wake had an immediate impact with the team, and was named the Defensive Player of the Week for the first week of the 2007 CFL season after an impressive debut (7 tackles, 3 quarterback sacks) in a 24–22 Lions' victory over the Toronto Argonauts.^[3]

Wake finished the 2007 season with a league-best 16 sacks and had the only blocked field goal in the CFL that season.^[4] He racked up 72 tackles on his way to becoming the first player in CFL history to be named Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season.^[5]

In 2008, Wake once again led the CFL in sacks (with 23) on his way to another CFL All-Star team selection, a second consecutive Norm Fieldgate Trophy, and he was a unanimous nomination for the CFL's 2008 Most Outstanding Defensive Player award.^[6] In 2008, Wake was also named TSN's Friday Night Gladiator of the Year, the first defensive player to win the award.^[7]

He was named to The Washington Examiner's CFL All-Decade Team for 2000–2009.^[8]

Miami Dolphins

"I wanted to eliminate all the fluff. It wasn't about whoever offered the biggest deal. It was about the coaching staffs, the opportunity, the organizations. Miami put themselves above the others in those things."

Cameron Wake, January 2009^[9]

At the end of the 2008 CFL season, Wake drew interest from several NFL teams, including the Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams, New Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills andMinnesota Vikings. He worked out for the Dolphins on January 15, 2009.^[10]

After receiving interest from 17 total NFL teams and working out for eight, Wake signed with the Dolphins on January 18, 2009.^[2] The four-year deal included a $1 million signing bonus and could be worth up to $4.9 million.^[2]

Wake started the first game of his NFL career during the 2009 season against the Bills in week four and responded with two sacks, four tackles for a loss, and a forced fumble. During the 2010 season Wake had a memorable Week 6 against the Packers. Wake had 3 sacks including one on 3rd down in overtime bringing his total to 6 sacks in 5 games already surpassing his total last year of 5½ sacks with limited playing time. He ended a game against the Jets with a sack on quarterback Mark Sanchez completing his second of the game. Cameron Wake would lead the NFL in sacks at one point and eventually finished 3rd in the NFL (2nd in the AFC) in sacks. By the end of the season, Wake had recorded 14 sacks, 57 tackles, and 3 forced fumbles.

Wake was named a starter for the 2011 AFC Pro Bowl team at outside linebacker.^[11] Wake was also named to The Sporting News 2011 All-Pro Team and AP's Second All-Pro team. He was 3rd in the league with 52 quarterback pressures, behind only Chris Long and Julius Peppers.

On May 5, 2012 Wake signed a 4 year extension with the Miami Dolphins reported to be worth a total of $49 million, $20 million of which is guaranteed. ^[12]

After being moved from Outside Linebacker to Defensive End for the 2012 season, Wake had, arguably, his best season in the NFL. He totaled 53 tackles and 15 sacks, including 4.5 sacks in one game against the Arizona Cardinals. In addition, Wake was named as a starter to the Pro Bowl for the second time, as well as being named a First-Team All-Pro by both the AP and the PFWA for the first time in his career.

Wake earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9 of the 2013 season, racking up five tackles, three sacks, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and recorded a safety in the Dolphins’ 22–20 overtime victory.^[13] Wake sacked Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton in overtime for a safety to end the game, giving the Dolphins a 22–20 victory. It was only the third game in NFL history to end with an overtime safety. ^[14]He ended he season with 8.5 sacks and another Pro Bowl selection.