Chris Horton emerged as a solid defender in his rookie season with the Redskins in 2008. Despite being a seventh-round draft pick, he played in 14 games with 10 starts and finished third on the team in tackles with 81. He also posted three interceptions to lead the defense and had two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a sack. At UCLA, Horton recorded 238 career tackles (160 solo), four interceptions and three sacks at UCLA. He earned All-Pac-10 conference first-team honors in 2007.
How Acquired: Selected by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round (249th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft.
PRO:
Named to the 2008 Pro Football Weekly Rookie All-Pro Team – the lowest drafted player on the offensive or defensive team to be selected
Named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for September
Earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors in his first career start against New Orleans (9/14)
Became the first NFL player since Liffort Hobley on October 11, 1987 to record two interceptions and a fumble recovery in his first career start (vs. New Orleans, 9/14)
Led the team in interceptions (3)--the most by a Redskins rookie in a single season since the late Sean Taylor posted four interceptions in 2004
Earned the third-highest monetary figure ($342,197) in the NFL’s "Performance-Based Pay" system that awards players for playing time based upon their salary level
2008 (WAS)
Played in 14 games with 10 starts; was inactive because of an ankle sprain at Detroit (10/26) and a shoulder stinger at Cincinnati (12/4)
Finished third on the team and led the secondary in tackles (81)
Led the Redskins in interceptions (3) and also tied for second in tackles for losses (5)
Also added seven passes defensed, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one sack.
Was named to the 2008 Pro Football Weekly Rookie All-Pro Team
Named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for September as he finished the three games with 10 tackles, three interceptions, a fumble recovery, three passes defensed and three special teams tackles
Finished third among all NFL rookies in interceptions
Became the first rookie to record four takeaways in his first four games since San Diego’s Andre Young did so in 1982
Stepped in for starter Reed Doughty (stomach virus) against New Orleans (9/14) and earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week in his first career start against New Orleans
Totaled four tackles, two interceptions, two passes defensed, one fumble recovery and one special teams stop against the Saints (9/14)
Became the first player since Liffort Hobley (10/11/87) to record two interceptions and a fumble recovery in his first career start
Was the first rookie to post two interceptions and a fumble recovery in his first career start since Paul Tripoli (10/4/87)
Became the first Redskins player to accomplish that feat in the same game since Anthony Washington (12/4/83)
Was the first Redskins rookie with two interceptions and a fumble recovery in the same game since Brig Owens (11/27/66)
Along with LaRon Landry, was one of two Redskins to record a statistic in every major defensive category: tackles, interceptions, sacks, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries in 2008
Played in 41 career games with 28 starts and recorded 238 tackles (160 solo), four interceptions, three sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries
Started all 13 games as a senior and earned first-team All America honors from The Sporting News and first-team All-Pacific-10 conference accolades and was the defensive co-winner of UCLA’s Paul I. Wellman Award for All-Around Excellence
Recorded 90 tackles (64 solo), three sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery as a senior
Led the team with a career-high 16 tackles (nine solo) at Washington State (10/27/07)
Started all 13 games at strong safety as a junior and was the defensive winner of the Paul I. Wellman award for All-Around Excellence
Led the team with 95 tackles and his average of 7.31 tackles per game ranked ninth in the Pac-10
Played in six games with two starts as a sophomore
Played in nine games as a redshirt freshman
Redshirted as a freshman in 2003
Majored in history
Attended De La Salle High School in New Orleans, La.
Earned three varsity letters and was an all-Metro selection, District MVP and two-time all District selection
Recorded 117 tackles (86 solo), 21 tackles for loss, four sacks, 12 forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and seven blocked kicks in 10 games as a senior
Lettered two years in track at De La Salle High School
Was active with the Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation his rookie season; joined teammates at Jason Taylor’s Cool Gear for the School Year to assist deserving area children shop for new clothes at Old Navy
Headed to the kitchen with the chefs at the DC Central Kitchen for Tackle Hunger with the Redskins, helping to prepare the more than 4,500 meals per day the kitchen serves
Participated in 1st Down for Fitness, which focused on healthy eating and active lifestyles among area youth; Visited with wounded warriors at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
Spent the day visiting with young patients at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. and also recorded a reading of a classic children’s book for Redskins Read Books on CD, which will be distributed to schools, libraries and area organizations to help promote literacy
Attended the Wizards Care 2nd Annual Ballers Bowl benefiting the Capital Area Foodbank this offseason
