Deltha O'Neal
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| Personal Info | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | January 30, 1977 |
| Place of Birth | Palo Alto, California |
| Height | 5'-11" |
| Weight | 194 pounds |
| Player Information | |
| Position | Cornerback |
| Number | 24 |
| College | California |
| Awards | |
| NFL Draft | |
| Year | 2000 |
| Round, Pick | 1st round, 15th overall |
| Team | Denver Broncos |
| Teams Played For | |
| 2000 - 2003 | Denver Broncos |
| 2004 - | Cincinnati Bengals |
Deltha Lee O'Neal, III (born January 30, 1977 in Palo Alto, California,) is an American football player, a Pro Bowl cornerback for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals.
Originally drafted out of the University of California, Berkeley by the Denver Broncos in the first round (15th overall pick) in the 2000 NFL Draft, O'Neal's rookie year was mediocre on defense, recording no interceptions. But he returned 46 kickoffs for 1,102 yards and a touchdown, and returned 34 punts for 354 yards. He was not used as a kickoff returner in his second season, but he returned 31 punts for 405 yards and recorded 9 interceptions on defense.
Due to O'Neal's speed, Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan briefly flirted with converting O'Neal to wide receiver in mid-2003. O'Neal caught just 2 passes for just 4 yards in 2 games. O'Neal was also used frequently to return punts and kickoffs on special teams in every season he played with the Broncos.
In April, 2004, an unhappy O'Neal and the Broncos' 24th (first round) and 117th (fourth round) spots in the 2004 NFL draft were traded to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for Cincinnati's 17th spot in the first round. It has proven to be a wise acquisition for the resurgent Bengals. Deltha O'Neal has blossomed under the coaching of Marvin Lewis, considered by many a defensive genius and the architect of a record-setting Baltimore Ravens defense that led them to a victory in Super Bowl XXXV in 2000.
In the 2005 season, O'Neal recorded 10 interceptions, breaking the previous franchise record of 9 set by Ken Riley in 1976 and tying Ty Law as the NFL's interception leader that year. He broke the record on December 18, 2005 against the Detroit Lions. The game marked the Cincinnati Bengals' first division championship since 1988
Teaming with Tory James the two players represent one of the best intercepting tandem of cornerbacks in the NFL.
O'Neal is a 1995 graduate of Milpitas High School in Milpitas, California, where he was a star running back and kick returner. Milpitas High School is also the alma mater of O'Neal's Bengals teammate Tab Perry and former NFL wide receiver Lenzie Jackson (currently a wide receiver with Columbus in the Arena Football League). He graduated from Berkeley in 2000 with a BA degree in Social Welfare.
