It’s always nostalgic to see our local natives make the limelight. So, do you know which NFL football player from Sarasota will be playing football this weekend in Super Bowl 2020?
If you guessed Richie James, then you are correct! A Wide Receiver for the San Francisco 49ers, Richie was born September 5, 1995, was born in Sarasota, Florida and attended Riverview High School. The 49ers selected James in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft, 240th overall.
James is a small receiver at 5-foot-10, 183 pounds, but he was an incredible player for Middle Tennessee and is about as convincing as a technical long shot can be. In a league where a player like Tarik Cohen has utility, so too should James, whose open-field running skills are off the chart. His 2017 season was wrecked by a broken collarbone, but in his redshirt freshman and sophomore seasons, James combined for 212 receptions for 2,959 yards and 20 touchdowns in 26 games, adding 497 yards (9.8 YPC) and five touchdowns on the ground. As sharp as his skills are, James’ athleticism is a bit less convincing with a 4.48-second 40-yard dash and 6.87-second three-cone, but James is probably no worse of a prospect than fellow slot prospect Trent Taylor was a year ago.
BLVD Sarasota will be cheering on Richie James this Sunday during Super Bowl 2020 and I’m sure all our local Sarasota residents will too. BLVD Sarasota, a new condominium development, is now rising over the Sarasota Bay.