Jevon Kearse (born September 3, 1976), nicknamed "the Freak", is a former American football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons during the late 1990s and 2000s. Kearse played college football for the University of Florida, where he received All-American honors and was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 1998. Kearse was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the first round pick of the 1999 NFL Draft. He also played for the Philadelphia Eagles for four seasons between his two stints with the Titans. During his first five years with the Titans, he was a three-time Pro Bowl selection and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1999. His speed (4.43-second 40-yard dash) and wingspan, coupled with a vertical leap, greatly impressed coaches and earned him the nickname "The Freak". Early years Kearse was born on September 3, 1976, in Fort Myers, Florida. He attended North Fort Myers High School in North Fort Myers, and played high school football for the North Fort Myers Red Knights. He was over tall and extremely agile, and added muscle without a loss of speed and agility. Kearse began attracting college recruiters under his coach Wade Hummel. He played strong safety and tight end, and in his first season in high school, he returned four kicks for touchdowns. Following Kearse's senior season in 1994, he was honored as a prep All-American by USA Today. In addition to his demonstrated athletic ability on the playing field, he carried a 3.6 grade point average and was a member of the National Honor Society. College career Starting college at 6 feet, 4 inches tall, and 215 pounds, Kearse was projected as either a linebacker or defensive back. He accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Steve Spurrier's Florida Gators football team from 1995 to 1998. He began his college career at safety before shifting to outside linebacker in 1996. Later in his college career, he would occasionally line up at defensive end during obvious passing situations to intensify the Gators' pass rush. The Gators coaches red-shirted Kearse for the 1995 season, and he watched the Gators' run for the 1995 national championship game from the sidelines. The Gators lost to the Nebraska Cornhuskers 62–24 in the national championship game, marking Florida's only loss of the