{{Short description|American football player (born 1980)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Rashod Kent | image = | number = 85, 88<ref name="pfa"/> | position = Tight end | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|6|7}} | birth_place = Fairmont, West Virginia, U.S. | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 6 | weight_lbs = 275 | high_school = Fairmont | college = Rutgers (basketball) | undraftedyear = 2002 | pastteams = * Houston Texans ({{NFL Year|2002}}–{{NFL Year|2003}}) * → Scottish Claymores (2003) * Oakland Raiders ({{NFL Year|2004}})* |highlights= *Second-team All-Big East (2002) | pfr = K/KentRa20 }} '''Rashod D. Kent''' (born June 7, 1980) is an American former professional football tight end who played one season with the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college basketball at Rutgers University. He also played for the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe.
==Early life== Rashod D. Kent was born on June 7, 1980, in Fairmont, West Virginia.<ref name="pfa">{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/k/kent01500.html | title=Rashod Kent | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=11 March 2025}}</ref> He played high school basketball at Fairmont Senior High School in Fairmont.<ref name="pfa"/> He also played football his freshman year.<ref name="nj"/>
==College career== Kent played college basketball for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights of Rutgers University from 1998 to 2002 as a forward.<ref name="sr">{{cite web | url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/rashod-kent-1.html | title=Rashod Kent | publisher=Sports Reference | accessdate=11 March 2025}}</ref> He played in 28 games, starting 22, as a freshman in 1998–99, averaging 8.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game.<ref name="sr"/> His 66.7% two-point field goal percentage was the highest in the Big East that season.<ref name="sr"/> Kent started all 31 games during the 1999–00 season, recording averages of 8.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.7 steals per game as the Scarlet Knights went 15–16.<ref name="sr"/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/rutgers/men/2000.html | title=1999-00 Rutgers Scarlet Knights Men's Roster and Stats | publisher=Sports Reference | accessdate=11 March 2025}}</ref> Kent appeared in 26 games, all starts, in 2000–01, averaging 9.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per contest.<ref name="sr"/> He started all 31 games his senior year in 2001–02, averaging a double-double with 10.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.9 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game.<ref name="sr"/> The Scarlet Knights finished the season with an 18–13 record and Kent earned second-team All-Big East honors.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/rutgers/men/2002.html | title=2001-02 Rutgers Scarlet Knights Men's Roster and Stats | publisher=Sports Reference | accessdate=11 March 2025}}</ref><ref name="sr"/>
==Professional career== After going undrafted in the 2002 NFL draft, Kent was signed by the Houston Texans on April 28, 2002.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.chron.com/sports/texans/article/Texans-try-out-former-Rutgers-basketball-player-2092139.php | title=Texans try out former Rutgers basketball player | publisher=chron.com | date=April 29, 2002 | accessdate=November 15, 2014 | author=Duarte, Joseph}}</ref> He was released in September 1, signed to the team's practice on September 3, released again on September 10, and signed to the practice squad again on October 4.<ref name="transactions"/> He was moved to the practice squad's injured list on October 7, 2002.<ref name="transactions"/> Kent re-signed with the Texans on January 2, 2003.<ref name="transactions"/> He was allocated to NFL Europe to play for the Scottish Claymores in 2003.<ref name="transactions">{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/transactions/k/kent01500.html | title=Rashod Kent Transactions | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=11 March 2025}}</ref> He played in all ten games, starting one, for the Claymores during the 2003 NFL Europe season, catching nine passes for 92 yards and one touchdown.<ref name="pfa"/> Kent was released by the Texans on November 8, 2003, signed to the practice squad on November 12, and promoted to the active roster on December 9.<ref name="transactions"/> Overall, he appeared in seven games, starting four, for the Texans during the 2003 NFL season and was targeted once.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/K/KentRa20.htm | title=Rashod Kent | publisher=Pro Football Reference | accessdate=11 March 2025}}</ref> He became a free agent after the season and re-signed with the Texans on March 23, 2004.<ref name="transactions"/> He was released by Houston for the final time on April 27, 2004.<ref name="transactions"/>
Kent signed with the Oakland Raiders on August 3, 2004.<ref name="transactions"/> He was released on August 9, 2004, after suffering an injury.<ref name="transactions"/>
==Personal life== After his NFL career, he spent 27 months in prison for gun and drug charges and then an extra 12 months for violating his release conditions.<ref name="nj">{{cite web | url=https://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/2021/03/from-rutgers-basketball-to-the-nfl-to-prison-will-rashod-kent-reclaim-his-name.html | title=From Rutgers basketball to the NFL to prison: Will Rashod Kent reclaim his name? | publisher=NJ.com | date=March 25, 2021 | accessdate=11 March 2025 | author=Fonseca, Brian}}</ref> He was released from prison for the final time in June 2015.<ref name="nj"/> He later started a nonprofit that delivers coats and Thanksgiving turkeys.<ref name="nj"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.justsportsstats.com/footballstatsindex.php?player_id=kentras001 Stats Crew profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kent, Rashod}} Category:Living people Category:1980 births Category:Players of American football from West Virginia Category:Basketball players from West Virginia Category:American football tight ends Category:Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball players Category:Scottish Claymores players Category:Houston Texans players Category:20th-century American sportsmen Category:21st-century American sportsmen Category:Sportspeople from Fairmont, West Virginia Category:American men's basketball players Category:Fairmont Senior High School alumni Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen Category:American expatriate sportspeople in Scotland Category:American expatriate players of American football Category:Forwards (basketball) Category:Oakland Raiders players