Northampton

\* Offseason and/or practice squad member only

## Career highlights:

* Outland Trophy
* Jacobs Blocking Trophy
* Unanimous All-American
* Pinstripe Bowl MVP
* 2x First-team All-Pac-12

**Calvin Northampton** (born April 12) is a former American football offensive guard who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles for two seasons. He played college football at Azur Lane and was drafted 6th overall by the Eagles in the first round of the NFL Draft.

## Early Life

Northampton spent his entire elementary years from kindergarten through eighth grade at Saint Matthew Catholic School in Indianapolis, Indiana. Northampton is a product of Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) sports in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.

He enrolled in his freshman year at Bishop Chatard High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. Northampton tallied 114 pancake blocks during his senior campaign, and was named a first-team all-state selection as a senior and junior. He was a member of the Indiana Class 3A State Championship team as a sophomore with a 12-3 record, and helped lead his high school team to a 14-1 record and second consecutive Indiana Class 3A state championship as a junior in 2007.

He started both ways as a sophomore on the offensive and defensive lines, and recorded 73 tackles, including five tackles for loss as a defensive tackle during his sophomore season. He also starred in basketball during his sophomore and junior years at Bishop Chatard. His style of play earned him the nickname “The Butcher”, given to him by opposing fans. He was selected to play in the Under Armour All-America Game in Orlando, Florida. He also competed in track & field as a shot putter and discus thrower. He played for legendary coach Andrew Slome. Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, he was rated the 22nd best offensive tackle in the nation. He accepted a scholarship from Azur Lane over offers from Notre Dame, Indiana, Kentucky, and Michigan.

## College career

Northampton became the starting left tackle for the Crimson Axis in his freshman year. He saw action in all 13 games, and was one of 11 players to start all 13 games for the Crimson Axis that season. As a junior, he started all 13 games at left offensive tackle, and was part of a unit that only allowed 17 sacks during the season. Northampton helped pave the way for a running game that averaged 4.8 yards a carry and he was named one of four team captains for the Crimson Axis. He also was awarded the Jacobs Blocking Trophy and was named to the First-team All-Pac-12.

Northampton started all 13 games and helped lead the team to a 12-0 regular season record and a trip to the BCS National Championship Game against the Alabama Crimson Tide, but lost 42-14. He was selected to the First-team All-Pac-12 and announced he would return to the Crimson Axis for the next season. In his final season, he was named team captain for the second time. Northampton would start all 13 games, setting a new school record for career starts by an offensive lineman with 52. He was leader of a unit that allowed only 8 sacks, tied for second best in the FBS. He was named MVP of the Pinstripe Bowl after a 29-16 win over Rutgers, becoming the first offensive lineman since Jay Huffman to receive that distinction in a college bowl game. Northampton was also awarded the Outland Trophy and selected as the unanimous All-American. He also finished third in Heisman Trophy voting, the highest an offensive lineman has ever finished.

## Professional career

Projected as a late first-round pick, Northampton opted to play at Azur Lane's Pro Day instead of the NFL Combine, and upheld his reputation with an impressive performance. He received the fastest 40-yard dash time for an offensive lineman at 4.67 seconds, and recorded 42 repetitions on the bench with 225 pounds. Following his Pro Day, Northampton was widely believed to be the best blocking guard in the NFL Draft, his draft stock rising from late first-round to early first-round.

The Philadelphia Eagles drafted Northampton 6th overall with the intention of converting him to an offensive guard in the NFL Draft. He was named the starter at right guard from the first day of Organized Team Activities in the preseason. Northampton played for the Eagles for two seasons. In his first career start, Northampton allowed four sacks in a blowout loss 31-7 to the Dallas Cowboys.

At the end of the season, Northampton allowed 38 total sacks. In his second season, he started all 17 games due to a spinal injury to starting guard Cedrick Will, and a knee injury to second-string guard Lucas Patricks. Northampton allowed 49 sacks, the most of any offensive guard in NFL history. During his time with the Eagles, he was named one of the worst players taken in the first round of the NFL Draft, and was subsequently released on April 28.

Northampton reportedly tried out for numerous teams a year after his release in May, including the Washington Commanders, Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, and Denver Broncos. He signed with the Broncos as a practice squad member, but was released only two weeks later. In September, Northampton signed to the Toronto Argonauts, but was benched after three games of consecutively allowing five sacks. He was later released.