Michigan State WR/DB Tony Lippett Is Selected in the 5th Round of the NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins

What a night for the one of the most genuine and great people to ever wear the green and white. Tony Lippett is on his way to South Beach to be a Dolphin. Is

What a night for the one of the most genuine and great people to ever wear the green and white. Tony Lippett is on his way to South Beach to be a Dolphin. Is the press release from MSU on his selection:

2015 NFL Draft Update: Lippett Selected By Miami In Fifth Round

2014 Big Ten Receiver of the Year set career highs for receptions (65), receiving yards (1,198) and TD receptions (11).

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State fifth-year senior and 2014 Big Ten Receiver of the Year Tony Lippett has been selected by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round (No. 156 overall) of the 2015 National Football League Draft on Saturday, May 2. Lippett becomes the fourth Spartan wide receiver to be drafted in Mark Dantonio’s first eight seasons as head coach, joining Devin Thomas (2008: Washington Redskins – second round), Keshawn Martin (2012: Houston Texans – fourth round) and B.J. Cunningham (2012: Miami Dolphins – sixth round).

The 6-3, 192-pound Lippett set career highs for receptions (65), receiving yards (1,198) and TD receptions (11) while becoming the first Spartan to be named Richter-Howard Big Ten Receiver of the Year. He also became the first MSU receiver to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors since Blair White in 2009. The 2014 team MVP led the Big Ten and ranked 19th in the NCAA FBS in receiving at 92.2 yards per game. He became the first Spartan to lead the Big Ten in receiving since former All-American Charles Rogers in 2002. Lippett ranked second in the Big Ten and tied for 12th in the NCAA FBS with 11 TD receptions. He also ranked fifth in the conference in receptions (5.0 per game). Lippett led Spartan receivers in explosive plays (18 catches of 20-plus yards) and yards after the catch (389 YAC). Eighty-five percent of his catches (55-of-65) resulted in either a TD or first down. His 18.4 yards per catch ranked among the Big Ten (fourth) and NCAA FBS leaders (24th).

A native of Detroit, Michigan, Lippett became the sixth 1,000-yard receiver in school history and just the third Spartan to record at least 50 receptions, 10 TD catches, 1,000 yards and five 100-yard receiving games in a single season (Rogers: 2001, 2002; Cunningham: 2011). He ranked among MSU's single-season leaders in 100-yard receiving games (tied for third with six), receiving yards (fifth with 1,198), TD receptions (fifth with 11) and receptions (tied for eighth with 65).

“Tony Lippett had a remarkable senior season and became an outstanding leader,” Dantonio said. “With nearly 1,200 receiving yards, he put together one of the top five single-season performances in school history while leading the Big Ten in receiving yards per game. Tony emerged as a big-play receiver, and when the pressure was on, he consistently delivered the clutch catch.

“He’s a versatile performer, who played at a high level at both wide receiver and corner. Tony has outstanding deep-ball judgment as well as a great football IQ. As a player, he really has two personalities: Tony the receiver and Anthony the cornerback. He might not be considered big by receiver standards, but he’s certainly big by corner standards.”

Lippett led the Spartans with five receptions for 74 yards against No. 5 Baylor in the Cotton Bowl Classic, including a 17-yard grab on a fourth-and-10 play on the game-winning TD drive in the final minute. He also contributed two tackles and a pass break-up while earning the start at cornerback against the nation’s No. 1 offense.

Lippett showcased his versatility in the regular-season finale at Penn State, starting at both wide receiver and cornerback for the Spartans to become MSU’s first two-way starter in the same game since Allen Brenner (split end and safety) in 1968. He caught four passes for 53 yards against the Nittany Lions, including a 10-yard TD reception from Connor Cook in the third quarter; he also had one tackle and one pass break-up.

On Senior Day against Rutgers Nov. 22 in Spartan Stadium, Lippett saw extended time at cornerback in his first appearance on defense since he was a red-shirt freshman in 2011. He didn’t miss a beat against the Scarlet Knights, breaking up two passes and recording a tackle in his final home game. He also had a game-high 72 receiving yards on five catches, including a 30-yard TD reception, against the Scarlet Knights.

Lippett recorded his sixth 100-yard receiving game of the season and fourth straight, with three receptions for 103 yards including a 70-yard TD catch, in the win over Michigan.

He led the Spartans with seven catches for 123 yards at Indiana.

Lippett caught a scoring pass for the eighth straight game with a 39-yard TD reception from Cook in the first quarter at Purdue. He ended up with 138 receiving yards on seven catches against the Boilermakers.

In the Big Ten opener against Nebraska, Lippett had three receptions for 105 yards, including a 55-yard touchdown grab from Cook, and scored on a 32-yard TD run on a double reverse in the third quarter for his first career rushing TD.

He matched his career high with two TD catches (23 and 8 yards) against Eastern Michigan.

Lippett had a career-best 11 receptions for 133 yards at No. 3 Oregon, becoming the first Spartan receiver to record back-to-back 100-yard receiving games since Cunningham in 2011. The 11 receptions tied for the seventh-best single-game total in MSU history.

He established a career high with 167 receiving yards on just four catches in the season opener against Jacksonville State, including TD receptions of 71 and 64 yards from Cook in the first quarter. His 167 receiving yards rank as the 16th-highest single-game total in MSU history.

A four-year letterwinner and three-year starter, Lippett had 149 catches for 2,247 yards (15.1 avg.) and 15 TDs in 54 career games, including 27 starts (22 consecutive) at wide receiver. He ranks among MSU's career leaders in receptions (second with 149), receiving yards (fifth with 2,247) and TD receptions (tied for eighth with 15). Lippett caught a TD pass in 11 of his last 15 games and had at least one reception in his last 23 consecutive games. He also started seven career games at cornerback (career totals: 23 tackles and nine pass break-ups).

Lippett had one catch for 7 yards in the Jan. 24 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

Here are some quotes from Tony on being a Dolphin.

Tony Lippett Quotes:

“I looked down at my cell phone when it started ringing and saw it was from area code 305, so I glanced at the TV screen and noticed that Miami had the next selection. Honestly, I got a little emotional because I had been waiting for a while for the call to come. I knew it was simply a matter of time, but I definitely let out a sigh of relief. I feel blessed and so fortunate; I plan on making the most of this opportunity.

“It’s difficult to put into words how I felt when my name came up on the screen. My mom immediately began crying and I teared up a little too. It was emotional for all of my family, but my journey is just beginning and I’m ready for it.

“I visited with Miami personnel at the NFL Combine and again about two weeks ago, and they informed me that I was on the team’s draft board. The GM (Dennis Hickey) told me there are a lot of guys my size playing wide receiver in the NFL, but there aren’t a lot of 6-2 1/2 guys playing corner in the league. He said the Dolphins were impressed with my size and range at MSU’s Pro Day. I look forward to the opportunity of showing the team what I can do as a corner.

“I’m proudest of all the relationships I built with the coaches, my teammates and others in the MSU community. What meant most to me was when the younger players began to believe in me and follow me. My legacy wasn’t really built on the playing field, but in the meeting room and locker room. I think my teammates and coaches respected me because I gave my all, regardless of what position I was playing, whether I was lining up at wide receiver or corner.”

The Miami Dolphins had a press conference with Tony and their beat media. Here is a transcript courtesy of the Dolphins of that:

Saturday, May 2, 2015

 

Miami Dolphins Fifth Round Draft Pick Tony Lippett Introductory Conference Call

 

(On the pronunciation of his last name) – “Lippett.”

(On the confidence in his skills at cornerback at the NFL level) – “I’m very confident in my skills and ability at the next level. I know it’s something a little new. I’ve been doing it my freshman year and my senior year. I’ve been going up against some big wide receivers in the conference that we have. I feel that my capabilities are pretty deep for this level of ball. I’m just excited to be a Dolphin, and I’m ready to play.”

(On playing cornerback in the NFL) – “I feel like it’s a challenge and if anybody knows me, they know I’m open to a lot of challenges. I feel good about their decision of choosing me. I’m just grateful for this opportunity. It’s a blessing. I’ll be ready to go, ready to compete against whoever. It’s going to be a learning period, but I willing to do that, I’m ready.”

(On his preference of playing offense or defense) – “No, I really don’t have a preference. I’m an athlete. I feel like I can play on either side of the ball, just want to go out there and get an opportunity to get a shot to play anywhere, and just make something happen.”

(On if he headed into the draft thinking he was going to play receiver in the NFL) – “Yes, I probably did head into it thinking that I was going to play receiver because that was the primary position I played the last three years. Teams here, teams there thought about drafting me as a corner or a wide receiver and wanted to see how I felt if they drafted me as a corner. Early in the process, it was kind of vague, but later in the process, I felt good about the situation. I was just ready for an opportunity. That’s really it. Whatever people drafted me as, I’m just going to try to excel the best I can at that position.”

(On who would win if he had to cover himself) – “I don’t know. I’d be five and five. I’d catch five balls. I’d knock five balls down.”

(On if he has it in the back of his mind that he would want to play wide receiver later on down the road) – “Like I said, you never know. You never know what’s going to happen, but right now, I’m a corner for the Miami Dolphins, and I’m going to try to excel at that position as best as I can.”

(On if he started two games at cornerback last year) – “Yes sir.”

(On if he started five games as a cornerback as a freshman) – “Yes sir.”

(On if he played games at cornerback the other two seasons) – “No, I didn’t. I didn’t play 2012 or 2013 – it was strictly wide receiver.”

(On interesting or different was it during the games where he started at cornerback and wide receiver) – “It was different a little bit. But playing in high school and playing in little league, growing up in my neighborhood we played both sides of the ball all the time. So it was different at this level and with this intensity beyond this game. But it felt good, I felt good out there. I wasn’t winded like that because it was kind of cold where I’m from. It was pretty good, I had a good experience with it. I could probably say I was one of the few players to do that at Michigan State or even in college football. So I had fun with the experience. It taught me a lot. I just kind of rolled with it.”

(On what type of conditioning it takes to play on both sides of the ball) – “It takes a lot. When he told me he wanted me to play a little bit, after the practice I probably ran a couple more liners or jabs like that just to get my wind together. Then in practice I tried to not take reps off because I was flip flopping from offense to defense in practice. So I was just trying not to take reps off to get my mind and my body physically and mentally ready for the intensity I was going to be playing at. I was just ready for it. It took a lot but I did it. I didn’t have a choice.”

(On who his agent is) – “Andy Simms.”