Jeff Byers
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Career Summary
Jeff Byers was a USC guard and center who played 22 NFL games for Carolina.
NFL statistics credit Byers with 22 Panthers appearances and seven starts from 2012 through 2013.
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Early Life
Byers grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado, and attended Loveland High School.
USC identifies Byers as a Fort Collins native who attended Loveland High.
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High School
Byers was one of the nation’s most honored high-school football players at Loveland.
USC listed his 2003 honors including Gatorade National Player of the Year, EA Sports National Player of the Year, Parade All-American MVP, and USA Today All-USA first team.
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College Career
Byers played guard and center at USC through an injury-disrupted six-year eligibility span.
He started four late-season games as a freshman in 2004, returned to make 12 starts at left guard in 2007, and started again at left guard in 2008 while also playing some center.
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Path to the NFL
Byers reached the NFL after completing his USC career.
USC’s NFL statistics identify his professional career as 22 games and seven starts for Carolina in 2012 and 2013.
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NFL Career
Byers played 22 regular-season games for the Panthers, including seven starts in 2012.
NFL statistics list 14 games and seven starts for Carolina in 2012, followed by eight games in 2013.
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Career Accomplishments
Byers earned major academic and football honors during his USC career.
In 2008, he made Phil Steele’s third-team All-American and first-team All-Pac-10 lists, plus USC’s Chris Carlisle Courage Award. USC also listed him among the 10 finalists for the Lowe’s Senior Class Award.
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Playing Style
Byers was a versatile, cerebral interior offensive lineman.
USC described Byers as a veteran, cerebral guard who also was available to play center. Head coach Pete Carroll praised his work ethic, athleticism, intensity, and intangibles.
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Legacy
Byers’s USC legacy includes perseverance through injuries and a return to a long-term starting role.
The NCAA granted Byers a sixth year after he missed the 2005 and 2006 seasons with injuries; he then started for his third season at left guard in 2009.
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Post-Career
Byers began a financial-advisory career after football.
In 2014, USC reported that Byers worked as a financial advisor and partner with the Drexler Group of Wells Fargo Advisors, specializing in individual portfolio management and risk management.
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22721, 00-0027485, 1985-09-07, Jeff Byers, Jeffrey, Byers
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