Jon Alston Jonhenri Alston ( born June 4 , 1983 in Shreveport , Louisiana ) is a free agent American football linebacker in the National Football League . He was drafted by the St . Louis Rams in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft . He played college football at Stanford . Alston has also played for the Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers . Early years . Alston grew up in Bastrop , Louisiana , but moved to Shreveport , Louisiana shortly before high school . He got his first taste of organized football in his freshman year of high school at Loyola College Prep . Jon excelled in football , earning All - District honors in his sophomore , junior year , and All - State his senior year . As a linebacker , Alston registered 134 tackles and 21 stops for losses in his senior season . He played free safety , middle linebacker and tight end as a sophomore and started at running back as a freshman College career . Alston went on to play college football for the Stanford Cardinal . In 43 games with the Cardinal , Alston started 27 times . He finished his career with 164 tackles ( 94 solos ) , 21 sacks and 29 . 5 stops for losses . He caused eight fumbles and recovered two others . Alston also had two interceptions , a pass breakup and a blocked kick . Alston redshirted in 2001 at Stanford , performing on the scout team as a middle linebacker . He began the 2002 season as a reserve outside linebacker , but ended up starting five finishing with 30 tackles ( 14 solos ) and two sacks . In 2003 he totaled 21 tackles ( 12 solos ) with three sacks and a forced fumble . In 2004 , he produced 61 tackles ( 37 solos ) from the strongside linebacker position , he also had 9 . 5 sacks forced three fumbles and 14 tackles for loss . He was honorable mention All - Pac - 10 in 2005 , as he registered 52 tackles ( 31 solos ) with 6 . 5 sacks and 9 . 5 stops behind the line of scrimmage . He also caused three fumbles , intercepted a pass and blocked a kick . Professional career . Pre - draft . One of the most athletic linebackers in all of football , posting a 4 . 40 40 - yd dash and 40 " vertical leap at the 2006 NFL Combine . He also had a 10 ' 04 " broad jump . and bench - pressed 225 pounds 30 times . At the Stanford pro day , Alston ran a 4 . 40 40 - yard dash . St . Louis Rams . Alston was drafted in the third round ( 77th overall ) of the 2006 NFL Draft by the St . Louis Rams . In 2006 he made 2 special teams tackles for the Rams . On September 1 , 2007 , he was released by the Rams . Oakland Raiders . On September 3 , 2007 , Alston was signed to the Oakland Raiders ' practice squad . He was then promoted to the active roster after Travis Taylor was released . He played in 13 games in the 2007 season for the Raiders , recording 8 tackles and 1 forced fumble . On March 27 , 2008 , Alston was re - signed as an exclusive rights free agent by the Raiders for the 2008 season . After linebacker Robert Thomas was waived / injured on September 2 , Alston switched from No . 94 to Thomas ' No . 55 . Thomas was then resigned by the Raiders weeks later . On October 19 , 2008 , in a game against the New York Jets , the Raiders were forced to punt on a 3 and out . However , longsnapper Jon Condo directly snapped the ball to Alston , who ran it for 22 yards on a fake punt play . In 2008 , Alston led the Raiders in special teams tackles with 20 despite missing two games and starting 4 games at OLB . He ended the season with 34 total tackles and 1 pass defensed . Against the Chargers , Alston garnered a career high of 11 total tackles including 9 on defense and 2 on special teams . Alston suffered a concussion and was placed on Injured Reserve on November 25 , 2009 . Tampa Bay Buccaneers . On March 12 , 2010 , Alston signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . On March 3 , 2011 Alston was released by the Buccaneers