James Proche II (/prˈʃ/ proh-SHAY;[1] born September 21, 1996) is an American professional football wide receiver and punt returner for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the SMU Mustangs and was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL draft.

James Proche
refer to caption
Proche with the Baltimore Ravens in 2021
No. 11 – Cleveland Browns
Position:Wide receiver
Punt returner
Personal information
Born: (1996-09-21) September 21, 1996 (age 28)
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:193 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school:DeSoto (DeSoto, Texas)
College:SMU (2015–2019)
NFL draft:2020 / round: 6 / pick: 201
Career history
Roster status:Practice squad
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2023
Receptions:25
Receiving yards:278
Return yards:460
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

edit

Proche grew up in Dallas, Texas and originally attended Red Oak before transferring to DeSoto High School for his senior year due to academic concerns with Prime Prep.[2] He caught 18 passes for 335 yards and a touchdown in his only season with the Eagles, playing in only seven games due to suffering kidney failure during summer training camp.[3][4][5] Rated a three-star recruit, Proche committed to play college football at SMU over offers from Colorado State, Louisville, Maryland, TCU and Wake Forest among other offers.[6][7]

College career

edit
 
Proche with the SMU in 2018 playing against Michigan on September 15

Proche redshirted his true freshman season. The following season, Proche finished second on the team with 57 receptions, 709 yards and six touchdown catches.[8] As a redshirt sophomore Proche caught 40 passes for 816 yards and six touchdowns and his average of 20.4 yards per catch was 13th-best in the nation.[9][10] He was named first-team All-American Athletic Conference (AAC) in his redshirt junior year after leading the team with 93 receptions for 1,199 yards and 12 touchdowns.[11] In his final season, Proche caught 112 passes (leading the nation in receptions) for 1,225 yard and 15 touchdowns and was again named first-team All-AAC and a second-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America.[12][13][14]

Professional career

edit
Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Bench press
5 ft 10 58 in
(1.79 m)
201 lb
(91 kg)
29 34 in
(0.76 m)
9 58 in
(0.24 m)
4.40 s 7.27 s 34.5 in
(0.88 m)
20 reps
All values from NFL Combine[15][16]

Baltimore Ravens

edit

At the 2020 NFL Combine, Proche ranked fourth overall in the bench press with 20 repetitions and 14th in the 20-yard shuttle with a time of 4.40 seconds. Proche was selected in the sixth round with the 201st overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens.[17]

Proche made his NFL debut on September 13, 2020, in the season opener against the Cleveland Browns, returning two punts for 26 yards.[18] In Week 11, Proche caught his first pass of the season for a 14 yard gain during a 24–30 overtime loss to the Tennessee Titans.[19] He was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the team on December 16, 2020,[20] and activated three days later.[21] He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.[22]

In 2021, Proche had 16 receptions for 202 yards in 14 games.[23] He appeared in 15 games in the 2022 season.[24] In 2023, he changed his jersey number from #3 to #10, allowing new addition Odell Beckham Jr. to wear #3.[25]

Proche was waived by the Ravens at the end of the 2023 preseason.[26]

Cleveland Browns

edit

On October 31, 2023, Proche was signed to the Browns practice squad.[27] He was signed to the active roster on November 7.[28]

Proche re-signed with the Browns on March 19, 2024.[29] He was released on August 27, and re-signed to the practice squad.[30][31] He was promoted to the active roster on September 14.[32] He was released again on October 12 and re-signed to the practice squad three days later.[33][34]

Personal life

edit

Proche goes by the nickname "Channel 3". His favorite number and football number is 3. He stated in an interview with SMU that "whenever i'm on the field, I want to put on the best show" which is why he goes by the nickname "Channel 3".[35] In May 2023, Proche's mother, Tasha Le'Shel Seastrong, passed away.[36][37]

References

edit
  1. ^ Atlanta Falcons vs. Baltimore Ravens; NFL Week 16; Saturday, December 24, 2022; 1:00 PM ET; M&T Bank Stadium – Baltimore Ravens. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  2. ^ McIlwain, Randy (November 17, 2013). "Parents Raise New Complaints at Prime Prep Academy". NBCDFW.com. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  3. ^ Holland, EJ (August 24, 2015). "SMU freshman wide receiver James Proche ruled ineligible". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  4. ^ Murphee, Marcus (October 21, 2014). "Not even kidney failure can stop star DeSoto receiver James Proche". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  5. ^ Sayles, Damon (December 27, 2019). "Being 'Channel 3': The complicated path to greatness for James Proche". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  6. ^ Maizoub, Omar (June 4, 2014). "Three-star Prime Prep WR James Proche announces commitment to SMU". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  7. ^ "James Proche, 2015 Wide Receiver - Rivals.com". N.rivals.com. October 14, 2016. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  8. ^ Francis, Stephen (January 9, 2017). "SMU Mustangs 2016 season review". SportDFW.com. FanSided. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  9. ^ Fraley, Gerry (October 19, 2018). "With receiving corps healthier, James Proche should see some much-needed help out wide for SMU". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  10. ^ Kenyon, David (January 26, 2018). "QB-WR Combos That Will Light Up CFB in 2018". Bleacher Report. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  11. ^ McKenna, Henry (January 23, 2020). "Report: Patriots scouts overhead gushing over SMU WR". Patriots Wire. USA Today. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  12. ^ Embody, Billy (December 4, 2019). "Headlined by James Proche, SMU lands nine All-AAC selections". 247Sports.com. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  13. ^ Embody, Billy (December 28, 2019). "James Proche accepts Senior Bowl invite". 247Sports.com. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  14. ^ Embody, Billy (December 19, 2019). "James Proche lands on FWAA All-America Second-team". 247Sports.com. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  15. ^ "James Proche Combine Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  16. ^ "2020 Draft Scout James Proche, Southern Methodist NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  17. ^ Blum, Sam (April 25, 2020). "James Proche, one of the greatest WRs in SMU history, drafted by Ravens with No. 201 pick in Round 6". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
  18. ^ Zrebiec, Jeff (September 14, 2020). "The day after: Ravens' overreactions and observations after their rout of Browns". The Athletic. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  19. ^ "Tennessee Titans at Baltimore Ravens – November 22nd, 2020". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  20. ^ Stevens, Matthew (December 16, 2020). "Ravens place WRs Marquise Brown, Miles Boykin, James Proche on Reserve/COVID-19 list". USAToday.com. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  21. ^ Stevens, Matthew (December 19, 2020). "Ravens activate Marquise Brown, 2 other receivers from Reserve/COVID-19 list". USAToday.com. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  22. ^ "2020 NFL All-Rookie Team". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  23. ^ "James Proche 2021 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  24. ^ "James Proche 2022 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  25. ^ Williams, Charean (April 13, 2023). "Odell Beckham will wear No. 3, with James Proche switching to No. 10". NBC Sports. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  26. ^ Mink, Ryan (August 29, 2023). "10 Takeaways From Ravens' Initial 53-Man Roster". BaltimoreRavens.com. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  27. ^ "Browns sign RB Kenyan Drake to the practice squad". ClevelandBrowns.com. October 31, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  28. ^ "Browns sign T Geron Christian and WR James Proche II to the active roster". clevelandbrowns.com. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  29. ^ "Browns re-sign WR James Proche II". ClevelandBrowns.com. March 19, 2024.
  30. ^ Russo, Kelsey (August 27, 2024). "Browns announce initial 53-man roster heading into 2024 season". ClevelandBrowns.com. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  31. ^ "Browns sign 13 players to the practice squad". ClevelandBrowns.com. August 28, 2024. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  32. ^ "Browns sign WR James Proche II and LB Winston Reid to active roster". ClevelandBrowns.com. September 14, 2024. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  33. ^ "Browns activate LB Mohamoud Diabate, DT Mike Hall and DT Maurice Hurst". clevelandbrowns.com. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
  34. ^ "Browns place C Nick Harris on injured reserve". clevelandbrowns.com. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  35. ^ Sayles, Damon (December 27, 2019). "Being 'Channel 3': The complicated path to greatness for James Proche". Rivals.com. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  36. ^ Roberts, Zachary (May 25, 2023). ""I don't understand God's plan" – Ravens star James Proche distraught after mother's sudden death". Sportskeeda.com.
  37. ^ "Obituary for Tasha Le'Shel Seastrong at Allen G. Madison's". Evergreen Memorial. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
edit