{{Short description|American football player (born 1998)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Dustin Woodard | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | current_team = | number = | position = Center | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|3|8}} | birth_place = Chandler, Arizona, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 2 | weight_lbs = 291 | high_school = Chandler | college = Memphis (2016–2019) | draftyear = 2020 | draftround = 7 | draftpick = 230 | pastteams = * New England Patriots ({{NFL Year|2020|2021}})* | status = | highlights = * First-team All-AAC (2018) * Second-team All-AAC (2019) | pfr = WoodDu01 }}
'''Dustin Woodard''' (born March 8, 1998) is an American former football center. He was selected by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL draft after playing college football at Memphis.
==Early life== Woodard played at Chandler High School in Chandler, Arizona. He was named the best offensive lineman in the state of Arizona after his senior season, and committed to Memphis in January 2016.<ref name="AZC">{{cite web |last1=Obert |first1=Richard |title=Former Chandler OL Dustin Woodard proves skeptics wrong on way to being NFL draft pick |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/high-school/2020/04/26/former-chandler-ol-dustin-woodard-proves-skeptics-wrong-nfl-draft/3030050001/ |website=AZ Central |access-date=September 13, 2020 |date=April 26, 2020}}</ref> Woodard chose the Tigers over six other schools, including Stanford, Navy, and Army.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dustin Woodard, 2016 Offensive guard |url=https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2016/dustin-woodard-9683#school-interests |website=Rivals |access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref>
==College career== Playing at Memphis, Woodard started 52 games to close out his career, playing his freshman and sophomore seasons at left guard, his junior year at right guard and his senior year at center.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Daniels |first=Mark |date=April 25, 2020 |title=Patriots draft center Dustin Woodard in Round 7 |url=https://www.providencejournal.com/sports/20200425/patriots-draft-center-dustin-woodard-in-round-7 |access-date=April 27, 2020 |website=Providence Journal}}</ref> He tied the school record with 54 total games played in.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McBride |first1=Jim |title=Patriots rookie offensive lineman Dustin Woodard, 22, suddenly retires |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/08/13/sports/patriots-rookie-offensive-lineman-dustin-woodard-retires/ |website=Boston Globe |access-date=September 13, 2020 |date=August 13, 2020}}</ref> Woodard garnered first-team all-American Athletic Conference honors following his junior season and was a second-team selection to that same list after his senior season.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Munz |first1=Jason |title=New England Patriots rookie, former Memphis standout Dustin Woodard is retiring, per report |url=https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/sports/college/memphis-tigers/football/2020/08/13/memphis-football-patriots-rookie-dustin-woodard-retiring/3369873001/ |website=Commercial Appeal |access-date=September 13, 2020 |date=August 13, 2020}}</ref> He was also on the Outland Trophy and Rimington Trophy watchlists his senior year,<ref name="AZC" /> and earned praise for his run blocking ability.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Susel |first1=Chiersten |title=Former Chandler OL drafted by New England Patriots |url=https://www.12news.com/article/sports/former-chandler-ol-drafted-by-new-england-patriots/75-fa242a93-cb92-4179-a2f2-9cde4e1c923e |website=12News |access-date=September 13, 2020 |date=May 1, 2020}}</ref>
==Professional career== The New England Patriots selected Woodard in the seventh round with the 230th overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cox |first=Zack |title=Patriots Select Center Dustin Woodard With Final Pick Of 2020 NFL Draft |url=https://nesn.com/2020/04/patriots-select-center-dustin-woodard-with-final-pick-of-2020-nfl-draft/ |access-date=April 25, 2020 |website=nesn.com|date=April 25, 2020 }}</ref> On August 13, during his rookie training camp, he decided to retire from the NFL.<ref>{{cite web | last=Goss | first=Nick | title=Patriots' 2020 draft pick Dustin Woodard retires before rookie season | website=NBC Sports Boston | date=2020-08-13 | url=https://www.nbcsportsboston.com/nfl/new-england-patriots/patriots-2020-draft-pick-dustin-woodard-retires-before-rookie-season/388318/ | access-date=2025-07-04}}</ref> Woodard unretired on April 7, 2021, and the Patriots reinstated him to their active roster.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dustin Woodard back on Patriots' roster after retiring prior to his rookie year|url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/04/07/dustin-woodard-back-on-patriots-roster-after-retiring-prior-to-his-rookie-year/|access-date=2021-04-07|website=NBCSports|date=April 7, 2021 |language=en}}</ref> He was waived on April 16.<ref>{{cite news |title=Patriots Sign Restricted Free Agent DB J.C. Jackson; Release OL Dustin Woodard |url=https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-sign-restricted-free-agent-db-j-c-jackson-release-ol-dustin-woodard |website=Patriots.com |date=April 16, 2021 |access-date=April 16, 2021}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://gotigersgo.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8059 Memphis Tigers bio]
{{Patriots2020DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Woodard, Dustin}} Category:1998 births Category:Living people Category:Players of American football from Chandler, Arizona Category:American football centers Category:Memphis Tigers football players Category:New England Patriots players Category:Chandler High School (Arizona) alumni