Dan Wilkinson played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, where he received consensus All-American honors, and was selected first overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 1994 NFL draft.
36 Facts About Dan Wilkinson
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Dan Wilkinson was a member of the Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, and Miami Dolphins.
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Dan Wilkinson attended Dunbar High School in Dayton, and played for the Dunbar Wolverines high school football team.
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Dan Wilkinson received an athletic scholarship to attend Ohio State University, where he played for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team from 1991 to 1993.
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At the time, Dan Wilkinson weighed 348 pounds and played offensive tackle.
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Dan Wilkinson earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American.
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Dan Wilkinson decided to forgo his final season of college eligibility and subsequently declared for the 1994 NFL draft.
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In workouts prior to the draft, Dan Wilkinson weighed in at 315 pounds, bench-pressed 225 pounds 34 times and ran a remarkably fast 40 yards in 4.72 seconds.
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Also described as "maybe the best defensive line prospect since Reggie White [in 1984]," Dan Wilkinson drew a lot of interest from around the league.
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Dan Wilkinson was only the second Ohio State defensive player to go No 1, after Tom Cousineau in 1979.
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Dan Wilkinson spent time at both defensive tackle positions and right defensive end.
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Dan Wilkinson played the first two games of the regular season with a cast on his hand after breaking his ring finger in the final preseason game.
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Dan Wilkinson led the Bengals in sacks for the first time in 1996 with 6.5, including one in each of the first five games, and led the defensive line with 37 solo tackles.
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Dan Wilkinson led a rushing defense which allowed fewest yards per game since the 1983 Bengals allowed 93.7.
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In December 1997, Dan Wilkinson clashed with ownership and the city he played in.
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Dan Wilkinson was disappointed when the Bengals placed the franchise tag on him during the offseason.
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Dan Wilkinson was very productive during his first season in Washington, leading the team in sacks, quarterback pressures and tackles-for-loss.
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Dan Wilkinson set career highs in total tackles and solo stops, playing in more snaps than any other defensive tackle in the NFL that season.
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Dan Wilkinson led the Redskins with eight sacks to match his career-high from 1995 and finished second in quarterback pressures in 1999.
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Dan Wilkinson returned it 88 yards for a touchdown, with speedster Darrell Green escorting him most of the way.
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In 2000, Dan Wilkinson experienced the lowest sack total of his career at just 3.5 for the year.
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Dan Wilkinson experienced his worst season as a pro in 2002, which would prove to be his last with the Redskins.
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Dan Wilkinson received interest from the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, and New England Patriots and approximately four other organizations.
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Dan Wilkinson was named to Peter King of Sports Illustrated's all-pro team.
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In 2004, Dan Wilkinson appeared in all 16 games for the Lions.
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Dan Wilkinson was a member of a defensive line unit that registered 30.5 sacks, the seventh-highest total among any front four in the NFL.
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Dan Wilkinson set a career-high with two forced fumbles during the season.
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Dan Wilkinson was instrumental in the development of younger players, including Pro Bowl defensive tackle Shaun Rogers and defensive end James Hall.
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Dan Wilkinson received a $500,000 signing bonus and had a $810,000 in base salary in 2006.
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Dan Wilkinson played in a reserve role most of the season behind Keith Traylor and Jeff Zgonina, battling nagging injuries and dealing with a lawsuit which caused him to miss time.
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The second-youngest of eleven children, Dan Wilkinson was born in Dayton, Ohio, to Oliver Sr and Veronda Dan Wilkinson.
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Dan Wilkinson is remarried and has had two more children, Kennedy and Klarke.
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In 1996, Dan Wilkinson pleaded no contest to the charge of domestic violence.
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Dan Wilkinson was found guilty of striking his pregnant girlfriend.
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Dan Wilkinson's girlfriend stated that she did not wish to pursue prosecution.
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The suit alleged that Dan Wilkinson was personally liable for a breach of contract related to a lease the two parties had agreed to.