Dennis Northcutt Dennis LaMont Northcutt ( born December 22 , 1977 ) is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver and punt returner in the National Football League ( NFL ) for ten seasons . He played college football for the University of Arizona , earned All - American honors and set team career receiving records . A second - round pick in the 2000 NFL Draft , he played professionally for the Cleveland Browns , Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions of the NFL . Early years . Northcutt was born in Los Angeles , California . He attended Washington High School in Los Angeles , then transferred to Dorsey High School in Los Angeles , California , and was a student and a letterman in football and track helping the Dons win the CIF LA 4 - A CITY Football Championship . In football , as a senior , he was named the City Player of the Year , and made 74 rushing attempts for 900 yards ( 12 . 16 yards per rushing attempt avg . ) and 23 touchdowns . Dennis Northcutt graduated from Dorsey High School in 1996 with a 3 . 3 grade point average . College career . He attended the University of Arizona , where he played for the Arizona Wildcats football team from 1996 to 1999 . He earned recognition as one of the best receivers and returners in Wildcats history , catching 223 passes for 3 , 252 yards . Only two other Pac - 10 players have had more receptions and receiving yards in their careers . Northcutt also caught passes in 43 straight games , a conference record . In his senior year , he set an Arizona records with 88 receptions for 1 , 422 yards . His punt - return average that year of 19 yards per return was second in the nation . As a senior in 1999 , he was recognized a consensus first - team All - American as an " all - purpose " athlete . Professional career . 2000 NFL Combine . The Cleveland Browns chose Northcutt in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft . After a good rookie season and an injury - plagued second one , he established himself as one of the team ' s most important weapons in 2002 . He led the team that year with eight touchdowns , including two on punt returns , and finished third in the league with a 14 . 7 yard punt return average . According to " Football Outsiders " , Northcutt ' s 2002 season is the most efficient season , play - for - play , of any wide receiver from 1991 - 2011 , even though Northcutt caught a modest 38 catches . In 2003 , Northcutt led the Browns with 62 receptions , and in 2004 , he led the Browns with 55 receptions . Northcutt left the Browns as the 10th best receiver in Browns history with 276 catches for 3 , 438 yards and 9 touchdowns . He was a good punt returner for the Browns , finishing his stint there with 202 returns for 2 , 149 yards . Three of his returns went for touchdowns , though seven were called back due to penalties . He holds the record for most punt return yardage in Browns history . On March 4 , 2007 , Northcutt signed a five - year , $ 17 million deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent . Signing with a different team gave him the opportunity to start out fresh . He quickly rose to the top of the WR depth chart in his first season with the team . During his first year on the team , he placed second on the team in both receptions and yards receiving , and finished tied for second on the team in touchdown receptions . He also served as an occasional punt returner during the season . On June 26 , 2009 , he was traded to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Safety Gerald Alexander . Northcutt played in all 16 games of the 2009 season for the Lions , starting in two games . On September 5 , 2010 , Northcutt was waived in the Lions ' final cuts before the start of the regular season . He has been out of football since .