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When Sports Illustrated recently released their Top 5 Centers in the NFL, the Texas Panhandle took notice as one of their own snagged the fourth spot on the list. New York Giants’ Weston Richburg will showcase his skills for Texas football fans when he returns to the state for the Giants opener against the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on September 11th. Cowboys center, Travis Frederick, topped Sports Illustrated’s list as the best center in the league.
Standing at 6’3” and weighing in at 298, Richburg has already made a name for himself in the league in just two seasons.
Richburg could very well prove to be the league’s best after a notable 2015 season in which he allowed no sacks in 1,016 snaps.
Said to be one of the most well-rounded centers in the league, Richburg could end the 2016 season as a Pro-Bowler. His quick feet and protective instinct helped Giant’s quarterback Eli Manning put up a 62.8 percent pass completion rate last season.
Another NFL player who owes much of his success to his Texas high school playing days, Richburg’s career began at Bushland High School, located west of Amarillo in the Texas Panhandle. Established in 2005, Bushland quickly became a powerhouse in class 2A.
In 2009, Richburg took gold in the UIL 2A State Track and Field Meet in the shot put with a throw of 60′ 1”, which at the time was the fourth best throw ever by a Texas high school athlete.
Recruited by both Texas Christian University and Colorado State, Richburg selected Colorado State where he became a dynamic force on the line. In four years, he never missed a start and was part of a Rams team who put up an 8-6 record. His college career ended with a win over Washington in the New Mexico Bowl.
Richburg and his Bushland teammate, Crockett Gillmore, put Bushland on the map in 2014 as they were both selected in the NFL draft.
Richburg was the New York Giant’s 43rd overall pick, going 11th in the second round while Gillmore was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the next to last pick in the third round.
