Iheanyi Uwaezuoke Iheanyi Uwaezuoke ( pronounced " EE - HAH - NYEE ' ' OO - WAY - ZO - KAY " ; born July 24 , 1973 ) is a Nigeria n - born American Football wide receiver and punt returner who played for five seasons in the National Football League ( NFL ) , finishing his career at number 27 on the NFL ' s All Time List in Career Yards per Punt Return . His native language is Igbo , spoken in the southeastern part of Nigeria . Early years . Uwaezuoke was born in Lagos , Nigeria . His father , a Nigerian Igbo , came to America to pursue his education , and Uwaezuoke attended Harvard High School in Studio City , California . Prep . A 1990 - 91 Preseason All - America wide receiver by the Blue Chip Report , Uwaezuoke earned five All - League honors ( same year ) in three sports at Harvard - Westlake High in Studio City , California . An All - California Southern Section Player on defense , he opted to play offense for the Daily News All Stars . Uwaezuoke received mention as " Best of the Rest " by the " Long Beach Press Telegram " s " Best in the West Team " publication . " Student Sports Magazine " twice named him to the All Name Team , as the State of California ' s Player of the Year . Also stellar in basketball and track and field , Uwaezuoke ' s high school track team went undefeated in both the 1990 and 1991 seasons when he was a member . He placed third at the California Southern Section Finals in 1991 ( despite a pulled hamstring ) with a PR of 45 ft 2 in in the Triple Jump ( still a school record ) . He also ran the third leg on the San Fernando Valley League Championship 4x100 relay team . In addition to recruiting interest from ACC , Pac - 12 , and Ivy League schools in American Football , Uwaezuoke also took a recruiting visit to Division III Occidental College as a basketball prospect . College career . Uwaezuoke starred at wide receiver for the Golden Bears of the University of California . In just 10 games in 1994 he finished 15th in the nation ( Div 1 ) in total receptions per game . Uwaezuoke earned Third Team All America Honors from the NFL Draft Report . In 1995 he compiled 30 receptions for 506 yards and three touchdowns in just six complete outings . He missed the front and back ends of his senior year due to hand and knee injuries and was named to the Super Sleeper Team by the NFL Draft Report . A 1995 Preseason Hula Bowl All - Star selection , Uwaezuoke still finished top ten in school annals in total receptions and total receiving yards for a career . He held the school record for total receptions in a game ( 13 ) and was also in the top ten in number of one hundred yard games for a career ( 3 ) . In 1993 Uwaezuoke was named to the Sophomore All - America Honorable Mention squad by the " Football News " . The Golden Bears would go on to defeat Iowa in the Alamo Bowl and bring the Builders Square Trophy back to Berkeley . Professional Career . Uwaezuoke was originally selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the fifth round ( 160th overall ) of the 1996 NFL Draft . He is credited with 60 NFL games , with 2 starts at wide receiver and 32 contests where he appeared as a featured punt returner . Uwaezuoke currently ranks 27th on the NFL All Time List for Average Yards per Punt Return in a Career 11 . 2 . He also appears on five other NFL Leader boards for both single season and career records : Total Punt Return Yards for a Career , Punt Returns for a Touchdown in a Career , Punt Returns for a Touchdown in a Season , Average Yards per Punt Return in a Season ( twice ) ' 97 San Francisco and ' 00 Carolina . In 2000 , He competed in 11 contests with the Carolina Panthers and finished the season with an NFL leading 17 . 3 yards per punt return . Uwaezuoke left the NFL as the Carolina Panther organization ' s All Time Leader in Yards per Punt Return . In 1998 , with the San Francisco 49ers , Uwaezuoke amassed a team leading 13 receptions in five Preseason games , including the American Bowl in British Columbia , Canada . Though seldom targeted , by November of that same year , his 22 . 3 yards per pass reception was tops on the 49ers club . In 1997 , Uwaezuoke was the 10th ranked Punt Returner in the National Football League . His 696 total punt return yards currently ranks 237 on the NFL All Time List . A career Nike Football athlete ( 1996 - 2001 ) , he was featured in the 1996 " Impact Rookies " trading card series by Skybox International , one of only 40 first year NFL players chosen to that distinction . In stints with the Detroit Lions and the Miami Dolphins he saw both clubs reach the NFL Playoffs for the first time in multiple seasons . Basketball . In 2007 - 08 , Speedy , as he is referred to in basketball circles , was invited to try out for the NBA Development League , a feeder organization to the Orlando Magic , Los Angeles Clippers and Atlanta Hawks . As of 2012 he has also received recruitment interest from Men ' s 1st Liga in Slovakia . Uwaezuoke has written an unpublished autobio - pictorial highlighting his American sports exploits .