Jeff Gee Gladney (December 12, 1996 – May 30, 2022) was an
American football cornerback of the
National Football League (NFL) for two seasons. He played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
at the
Texas Christian University and was a twice all-conference selection in the
Big 12. He was selected by the
Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the
2020 NFL Draft
The 2020 NFL Draft was the 85th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible players for the 2020 NFL season. The first round was held on April 23, followed by the second and third rounds on April 24. The d ...
. He signed with the
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...
in 2022, but never played for the team before his death.
High school career
Playing at
New Boston High School in
New Boston, Texas, Gladney was a three-star recruit and signed with
Texas Christian University (TCU) to play
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
for the
TCU Horned Frogs on February 5, 2015, after originally committing to the program on June 6, 2014.
Gladney chose TCU over offers from
North Texas,
Northern Illinois,
Rice,
Texas State,
Tulsa, and
UTSA.
College career
Gladney
redshirted his freshman year due to a torn
anterior cruciate ligament sustained during his senior year in high school, but then was a four-year starter at
Texas Christian University. During his junior season, Gladney made waves as a cover corner, earning first-team all-
Big 12 Conference by
Pro Football Focus and second-team all-Big 12 by the coaches.
He
injured a
meniscus
Meniscus may refer to:
*Meniscus (anatomy), crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous structure that partly divides a joint cavity
*Meniscus (liquid)
The meniscus (plural: ''menisci'', from the Greek for "crescent") is the curve in the upper surface ...
before his senior season but played the whole year, waiting for surgery until after the conclusion of the season. Over his TCU career, he recorded five interceptions and was named to the
2020 Senior Bowl
The 2020 Senior Bowl was an all-star college football exhibition game played on January 25, 2020, at 1:30 p.m. CST, at Ladd–Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. The game featured prospects for the 2020 draft of the professional National Fo ...
roster after his senior season as well as garnering first-team all-Big 12 honors by the
Associated Press.
NFL draft evaluators praised Gladney for his physical style of play.
Professional career
Minnesota Vikings
Gladney was drafted by the
Minnesota Vikings in the first round with the 31st overall pick in the
2020 NFL Draft
The 2020 NFL Draft was the 85th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible players for the 2020 NFL season. The first round was held on April 23, followed by the second and third rounds on April 24. The d ...
.
Heading into his first training camp, Gladney competed for a starting job against
Mike Hughes,
Holton Hill
Holton Hill (born March 28, 1997) is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He played college football at Texas and has played in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings.
Early years
Hill attended Lamar High School in Houston, Texas. A ...
, and fellow rookie
Cameron Dantzler, and ended up starting every game of the
2020 season as cornerback from Week 2 onwards.
In Week 6 against the
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...
, Gladney recorded his first forced fumble on running back
Brian Hill which was recovered by the Vikings during the 40–23 loss. Overall, Gladney finished the 2020 season with 81 total tackles, three passes defensed, and one forced fumble.
Gladney was released on August 3, 2021, after his
indictment for
domestic violence
Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for ''intimate partner ...
. In March 2022, he was found not guilty of the charges.
Arizona Cardinals
On March 16, 2022, Gladney signed with the
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...
.
Personal life and death
Gladney had one son, born in 2021.
Gladney was close friends with fellow 2020 first round draft pick and current
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver
Jalen Reagor.
On May 30, 2022, Gladney and his girlfriend, Mercedes Palacios, were killed in a
car crash in
Dallas, Texas, at 2:30 am. Police reports indicated that Gladney's Mercedes SUV clipped a car, while traveling at an excessive speed; his vehicle then spun off the road, crashed into a brick wall, and ignited into flames. Gladney was 25 years old; Palacios was 26.
References
External links
TCU Horned Frogs bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gladney, Jeff
1996 births
2022 deaths
21st-century African-American sportspeople
African-American players of American football
People from New Boston, Texas
Players of American football from Texas
American football cornerbacks
TCU Horned Frogs football players
Minnesota Vikings players
Arizona Cardinals players
Road incident deaths in Texas