Cory Michael Schlesinger (born June 23, 1972) is a former American football fullback of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska. Early years Schlesinger was a two-time all-state selection at linebacker at Columbus High School, leading the team in tackles as a junior and senior. He also played fullback as a senior in 1990. For the season, he rushed for 1,514 yards and 23 touchdowns (including nine 100-yard games). He was named the Nebraska Defensive Player of the Year as a prep senior and played with a group of Nebraska football all-stars in the Down Under Bowl in Sydney, Australia following his senior season. He also won the 189-pound wrestling state championship twice during his prep career. College career Schlesinger was a two-year starter for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. As a junior, he was the 1993 Husker Co-Lifter-of-the-Year with linebacker Donta Jones. During that season he finished as the team's fifth-leading rusher with 48 carries for 193 yards and one touchdown. He earned All-Big Eight honorable mention honors in 1994 in a coaches poll and a Phillips 66 Academic All-Big Eight pick the same year. Schlesinger scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns in the 1995 Orange Bowl in a 24–17 win over the Miami Hurricanes as a senior to secure Nebraska's first national title under then-head coach Tom Osborne. He would finish second on the team in rushing in 1994 with 456 yards and four touchdowns including 7.2 yards-per-carry. Professional career Detroit Lions Schlesinger was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round (192nd overall) of the 1995 NFL Draft. He started two of the team's first three games during his rookie season at fullback blocking for Barry Sanders, but playing time in the backfield diminished soon thereafter when the offense began employing three-receiver sets on almost every play from scrimmage. He finished second on the team with 15 special teams tackles. In 1996, he was primarily used on special teams, leading the club with 13 tackles on the year. In 1997, he split time at fullback with Tommy Vardell and saw more action there than in previous years with the Lions with the team moving to a predominantly two-back set. He again played on special teams, finishing second on team with 27 tackles. He was the backup to Vardell at most