Chiefs No. 1 Profile: Eric Berry

FULL NAME – James Eric Berry.

BORN – December 29, 1988 in Fairburn, Georgia.

FAMILY – Father James. Dad was a three-year starter for Tennessee as a running back, serving as team captain in 1981 season.

KEY PERSONAL STATS – 5-11 5/8, 211 pounds, 33¼-inch arm length, 9 5/8-inch hand.

MORE PERSONAL STATS – 4.47 seconds in 40-yard dash, 19 reps with 225-pounds in bench press, 43-inch vertical jump, 10-foot 10-inch broad jump.

HIGH SCHOOL – Creekside High School in Fairburn; he graduated with Class of ‘07, finished with 3.75 GPA and was a member of the National Honor Society.

ATHLETIC CAREER – He was a four-year starting quarterback/safety, leading his team to a 37-5 record. He was a Parade All-America as a senior and was named Georgia’s Gatorade Player of the Year. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution named him the state’s player of the year as a senior. In his junior and senior seasons, he totaled 107 tackles on defense with 10 interceptions. Offensive, he ran for more than 2,700 yards and passed for more than 2,100 yards. He also set the school records in the long jump (22′-8″) and 200 meters (21.76 seconds.)

BERRY SAID: “I played every snap like it was my last. I made sure of that, so when I did leave I wouldn’t have any.”

RECRUITMENT – By every major college in the southeast, but was locked into going to Tennessee to follow in the footsteps of his father, who was a three-year starter for the Volunteers.

FRESHMAN SEASON ‘07 – Berry became an immediate starter at left cornerback, although he started his first college game against California as the nickel back. He played 14 games, with 86 total tackles, 5 interceptions, 1 forced fumble and 1 recovered fumble.

FORMER TENNESSEE COACH LANE KIFFIN: “Eric is such a great leader. It’s hard to remember I think for all of us that he just finished his sophomore year. You feel like he’s a five-year NFL vet or something because he’s so professional by the way he goes about his business on and off the field.”

SOPHOMORE SEASON ‘08 – He moved to strong safety and started all 12 games that season, with 72 total tackles, 3 sacks and 7 interceptions that he returned 265 yards. He was named first team All-America, the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year and the Jack Tatum Award winner. Berry played the entire season with a nagging shoulder injury and he had arthroscopic surgery on the shoulder after the season.

FORMER TENNESSEE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR MONTE KIFFIN: “Every day it’s something new and he picks it up so quickly. He will come into the NFL whenever he goes pro and whoever gets him will be fortunate and they will be shocked about how much football he knows. We haven’t had many guys come in and start as a rookie. Eric is really, really smart and he has great instincts. You just tell him one time and he gets it. You have to think every time a guy motions or shifts, it’s something new for him because it’s a new system. This is the stuff everyone probably knew about him before I got here. But he is something special now.”

JUNIOR SEASON ‘09 – For a second consecutive season, Berry was selected All-America, plus he was also the Jim Thorpe Award winner and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year. A team captain for the Vols, he had 87 total tackles, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble and 2 recovered fumbles.

BIG-PLAY PRODUCTION – In three seasons Berry touched the ball 32 times on offense, defense and special teams. He produced 769 yards, or an average of 24.03 yards a play.

ALMOST A RECORD – Berry had 494 yards on interception returns and was seven yards short of the NCAA record of 501 yards that was set by Terrell Buckley of Florida State in 1989-91.

BERRY SAID: “I think a lot of the coaches and GMs like the fact that I can play corner, but I play safety. I think putting me at corner would limit me a little bit. I think that’s what Tennessee realized when they put me at corner (in 2007). I can make plays at corner, but I think it takes me out of the running game and takes me out of being around the ball a little bit more. I really do enjoy playing safety.”

HIS FIVE FAVOITE NFL PLAYERS – Sean Taylor/Redskins – That’s my No. 1 because the way he played the game. He feared no man on the field and played with such reckless abandon.
R.I.P. Ray Lewis/Ravens – Just the way he gets into it. He’s a great leader, the way he just gets his team to rally behind him and he led his team to a Super Bowl. That’s the ultimate achievement, so he has to be on this list. Reggie Bush/Saints – I liked watching Reggie Bush especially while I was in high school, seeing him play in college, just the fact that he could take it the distance on any play. I really enjoyed watching him play and he’s brought that same speed and agility to the league. Ed Reed/Ravens – Though he’s a defensive player he’s instant offense, because as soon as he gets the ball in his hands (with an interception) there’s no telling what he might do. Troy Polamalu/Steelers – He plays to bring the ball carrier down by any means necessary. Whether it’s by an arm, a leg, big toe, it don’t matter. He’s going to get you down.”