Benedictine Nick Iannone to Receive finalist plaque from Pro Football Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks on April 9 at BC

Savannah, GA - Benedictine Military School Cadet Nick Iannone will be visited by Pro Football Hall of Famer and Super Bowl XXXVII champion Derrick Brooks during a ceremony to honor Iannone from 11:55 a.m. until 12:20 p.m. April 9 in BC Gym.

Iannone is one of only 25 high school student-athletes from throughout the country to be selected as a finalist for the U.S. Army-Pro Football Hall of Fame Award for Excellence.

The program, now in its sixth year, highlights the achievements of student-athletes across the country. The honor focuses on great athletic achievement, excellence in academics and community engagement.

Iannone is a three-sport varsity athlete (football, basketball, baseball) who will continue his academic and athletic career at Georgia State University in Atlanta. He was accepted to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Georgia Tech and a variety of other colleges. Iannone was a two-time GHSA Class AA football state champion (2016 and 2014). A three-year starter at quarterback, Iannone helped BC finish with a 15-0 record in 2016. Iannone is BC’s Student Council President. His grade-point average is above 4.0. And he is BC’s Cadet Colonel in charge of JROTC’s Corps of Cadets. He was instrumental in spearheading BC’s Food Drive, and also volunteered with the Buddy Walk, Relay for Life, and other charitable endeavors throughout the community.

Each U.S. Army-Pro Football Hall of Fame Award for Excellence finalist will be honored in Canton, Ohio, during the 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week. The celebration will start when the Award for Excellence finalists and their guests attend the Hall of Fame Game between the Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears on Aug. 2.

On Aug. 4, the finalists will be hosted at a special luncheon at which the winner will be announced and awarded a $2,500 scholarship. Later that night, all 25 finalists will attend the Enshrinement Ceremony for the Class of 2018: Bobby Beathard, Robert Brazile, Brian Dawkins, Jerry Kramer, Ray Lewis, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens and Brian Urlacher.

The 25 finalists for the Award for Excellence will be recognized during formal ceremonies at their respective high school this spring (Iannone will be recognized April 9 at Benedictine). The student-athlete will receive their finalist plaque from a Pro Football Hall of Famer (Brooks will present Iannone his finalist plaque at Benedictine) during their individual events.

DERRICK BROOKS’ BIOGRAPHY:

Linebacker Derrick Brooks, a four-year letterman and three-time All-American choice at Florida State, was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the 28th overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft. He was tabbed by the team to shore up a porous defense which had struggled for nearly 15 years. Brooks never missed a game during his 14-season career in which he established himself as the cornerstone for what was considered one of the NFL’s best defenses for a decade.

   
Brooks earned a starting position in training camp of his rookie year and started all but three games that season. The three non-starts came when the Bucs opened with extra defensive backs against run-and-shoot teams. He never missed a start for the remainder of his 224-game NFL career. Brooks earned All-Rookie honors after he finished second on the team with 80 tackles.
 
In 1997, Brooks led the Buccaneers to their first postseason appearance since 1981. He topped the team with 182 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, two interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and 10 passes defensed to earn the first of his 11 Pro Bowl selections.

With Brooks entrenched as the defensive anchor, the Bucs led the NFL in total defense twice (2002 and 2005) and topped the NFC five times (1998, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2007) during the linebacker’s career.
 
Brooks was named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2002 when he again led Tampa Bay with 173 tackles, registered a career-high five interceptions (three of which were returned for TDs), 15 passes defensed, one fumble recovery, and one sack. He was a major contributor in the Bucs’ victory in Super Bowl XXXVII where he had three tackles, one pass defensed, and one interception returned 44 yards for a TD against the Oakland Raiders.

Brooks was a six-time All-Pro choice, named All-NFC eight times, and selected to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s.

Press Release by Noell Barnidge
Benedictine Military School
Communications Director