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Ht: 6-1
Wt: 252
| Date of Birth: |
08/28/1977 |
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| Biography: |
Pro Career
Posted more than 100 tackles in each of his first two NFL seasons ... Ranked second on the Panthers with 101 tackles in 2001 ... Led Carolina with a career-high 14 tackles at Buffalo (12/9/01) ... Named one of the NFL's top 16 rookies by Football Digest in 2000 ... One of two rookie seventh-round draft choices to start at least one game during the 2000 season, his 14 starts were the most of any rookie selected after the fourth round ... Ranked fourth on the team with 106 tackles in 2000, the most ever for a Panthers rookie ... Recorded four games with at least 10 tackles as a rookie in 2000 ... Started at middle linebacker as a rookie in the Panthers 2000 season opener at Washington (9/3/00) and registered 10 tackles.
2001: Lester started at middle linebacker in 15 of the 16 games he played and ranked second on the team with 101 tackles in addition to registering an interception, two forced fumbles, one batted pass, one pass defensed and five special teams tackles ... En route to recording his second consecutive season with more than 100 stops, he led the team in tackles in two games and was responsible for at least 10 tackles in two contests.
2000: Lester started 14 of the 16 games he played as a rookie and ranked fourth on the defense with 106 tackles in addition to recording three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries ... Named one of the NFL's top 16 rookies by Football Digest, he had four games with at least 10 tackles en route to totaling the most stops ever by a Carolina rookie as well as becoming the first Panthers rookie to surpass the century mark in tackles ... One of only two rookie seventh-round draft picks to start an NFL game during the season, the middle linebacker's 14 starts represented the most of any 2000 draftee selected after the fourth round.
College Highlights
Lester was the starting middle linebacker for all but four contests during his final three seasons at the University of Washington and ended his college career with 259 tackles and 40 tackles for a loss, seven forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 11 sacks and nine passes defensed ... Named the Defensive Most Valuable Player by his teammates as a senior in 1999, Lester started the first 10 games of the season at middle linebacker and earned All-Pac 10 honorable mention, finishing second on the team with 69 tackles, including nine stops for a loss, in addition to a fumble recovery and three passes defensed ... Slowed his junior season in 1998 by offseason surgery following an injury to his right foot, Lester appeared in 10 games with seven starts and ranked second on the team with 63 tackles, including 10 for a loss, and also registered 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a pass defensed ... As a sophomore, in 1997, Lester started all 11 contests and accumulated a team-high 89 tackles, including 16 stops for losses, five sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and four passes defensed ... He played in all 11 games as a redshirt freshman in 1996, recording two starts, and was responsible for 38 tackles, 1.5 sacks, five stops for losses, three forced fumbles and a pass defensed ... He also registered a safety versus Oregon.
Personal: Despite missing two games his senior season at Pasadena (CA) HS, Lester still totalled 80 tackles, six sacks, four forced fumbles, 900 yards rushing, 10 touchdowns and five blocked kicks earning all-conference and Cal-Hi Sports California All-State honors |
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