Otis Gregson

**Otis Gregson**is a legendary cornerback for the Minnesota Bishops. Drafted in the second round of the 2001 UFA Draft, Gregson has been one of the most feared and respected defensive players in history based on his speed, relentless coverage and excellent hands.

## Biography

### Early Life

Born in Sandy Springs, Georgia, Otis was always an athletic person. Excelling at track and field, basketball and football since he was 8 years old, nobody (even Otis) truly knew what sport he would pursue. His parents believe his speed would have helped him qualify for the Olympics if he chose to focus on track. His coaches believed his dunking and shooting prowess would make him a college basketball superstar. But, Otis loved playing football and elected to focus on it. Playing with his cousins and older brothers his whole life, they trained him to be the best player he could be both mentally and physically. That translated well to his organized games and made him a hot commodity for college programs. Luckily for him, Otis was offered a scholarship by his dream school, South Carolina.

### College Career

Otis burst onto the scene as a South Carolina Gamecock early on. With five interceptions in his first three games, UFA scouts took note of Gregson from the beginning. Part of a team known for their offense, Gregson helped bring attention to the Gamecock defense. Not only was he an excellent defensive back, Otis began returning punts at South Carolina and discovered he was one of the best in that field. At one point, Otis was one of the most explosive players in college football and was poised to help a team in the UFA.

#### Character Problem

Shortly before the 2001 UFA Draft, a red flag arose about Otis. His professors reported he was insubordinate in class and could be a very ignorant person. This would scare many teams away from selecting him in the upcoming draft. Seen as a possible top 10 pick, Otis would slide into the second round, right into the lap of a team that loved having a skilled defense- the Minnesota Bishops

### Professional Career

Projected to be the most UFA-ready rookie in 2001, the hype surrounding Otis was immense. Minnesota fans though their team had secured another defensive superstar. But, early on, Otis appeared to be a bust. His poor tackling and attitude was frowned upon by his coaches. Otis' first season in the league was a dismal one, finishing with only two interceptions. During the second game of his second season, Otis broke both of his legs and missed the rest of the season. Fans and critics feared that Otis would be a flop in the UFA.

But, after rehabbing from his leg injuries, Otis was determined to fix his reputation. In his first year back from injury, Otis was 3rd in Most Valuable Player voting and easily secured the award for Defensive Player of the Year. The following season, receivers did not score a single touchdown when going up against him. This trend of Otis being a "shut down" cornerback continued for the rest of his career. Age has also not been a factor in Otis' career. He was voted by his peers to be the 5th best player in the league following his age 33 season. He has also graduated from South Carolina by taking online courses in the offseason and assisted charities as often as possible to combat his character problem. Overall, Otis is destined to go down as one of football's best defensive players.

## Strengths and Weaknesses

Otis' strengths are as follows

* Explosive speed
* A "shut down" cornerback
* Hands like glue
* Commitment to atone for past mistakes

Otis' weaknesses are as follows

* Poor tackler
* Disliked by his college professors

## Trivia

* The photo of Otis is from Any Given Sunday (1999)