View source for Craig Nall

{{Short description|American football player (born 1979)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Craig Nall
| image       = Craig Nall in 2003.jpg
| caption     = Nall with the [[Green Bay Packers]] in 2003
| number      = 16
| position    = [[Quarterback]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1979|4|21}}
| birth_place = [[Alexandria, Louisiana]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 3
| weight_lbs  = 227
| high_school = [[Alexandria Senior High School (Louisiana)|Alexandria (LA)]]
| college     = [[LSU Tigers football|LSU]] (1997–2000)<br>[[Northwestern State Demons football|Northwestern State]] (2001)
| draftyear   = 2002
| draftround  = 5
| draftpick   = 164
| pastteams   =
* [[Green Bay Packers]] ({{NFL Year|2002}}–{{NFL Year|2005}})
* [[Scottish Claymores]] (2003)
* [[Buffalo Bills]] ({{NFL Year|2006}}–{{NFL Year|2007}})
* [[Houston Texans]] ({{NFL Year|2007}})
* Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|2007}})
* Houston Texans ({{NFL Year|2008}})
* [[Florida Tuskers]] ({{UFL Year|2009}})*
| highlights  =
* All-[[NFL Europe]] (2003)
| statlabel1  = [[Touchdown|TD]]-[[Interception|INT]]
| statvalue1  = 5–0
| statlabel2  = [[Passing yards]]
| statvalue2  = 402
| statlabel3  = [[Passer rating]]
| statvalue3  = 123.8
| pfr         = NallCr00
}}

'''Craig Matthew Nall''' (born April 21, 1979) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] [[quarterback]] who was selected by the [[Green Bay Packers]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL) in the fifth round of the [[2002 NFL draft]]. He played [[college football]] for [[LSU Tigers football|LSU]] and [[Northwestern State Demons football|Northwestern State]]. He also played for the [[Buffalo Bills]] and [[Houston Texans]]; he also had brief stints with the [[Scottish Claymores]] of [[NFL Europe]] and the [[Virginia Destroyers|Florida Tuskers]] of the [[United Football League (2009–2012)|United Football League]] (UFL).

==Early life==
Nall was born in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], [[Louisiana]], and attended [[Alexandria Senior High School (Louisiana)|Alexandria Senior High School]], where he was the quarterback for the football team, having thrown for 5,038 yards and 38 touchdowns.

==College career==

===LSU===
Nall initially played college football at [[LSU Tigers football|Louisiana State University]].  He was [[Redshirt (college sports)|redshirted]] in 1997.  In 1998, he was the #2 quarterback behind senior [[Herb Tyler]]. When Tyler suffered an injury late in the game at [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football|Notre Dame]], Nall came off of the bench to lead LSU the length of the field in a furious comeback attempt. The comeback came up short as an LSU receiver dropped the potential game winning pass in the [[end zone]] on fourth down as time was winding down. Nall then started the next week in the last game of the season at #13 Arkansas. Nall was sacked six times and threw for 147 yards and was intercepted once.

In 1999, Nall had to battle [[Josh Booty]] and [[Rohan Davey]] for the quarterback position. Nall was named the [[Starting lineup|starter]] for the season opener but was benched at halftime with LSU leading. He was sacked once for 8 yards and he threw two interceptions in 15 attempts (completing 6 of 15 for 79 yards). Nall made only one other brief appearance at quarterback for LSU in 1999 as he got some late mop-up duty the next week. Nall did not play quarterback for the rest of the season.

Nall only got two passing attempts in the 2000 season opener after a [[groin]] injury hampered him at the end of fall camp.

===Northwestern State===
In 2001, Nall transferred to [[Northwestern State University]] in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], Louisiana, where he became the first quarterback in school history to surpass two thousand yards passing in a season.

==Professional career==

===Green Bay Packers (first stint)===
He was selected out of NSU by the [[Green Bay Packers]] in the fifth round of the [[2002 NFL draft]] with the 164th choice overall.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2002 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2002/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=02 {{!}} Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/football-history/nfl-draft-history/2000/02 |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=pfhof |language=en}}</ref> Nall also started for the [[Scottish Claymores]] of [[NFL Europe]] in 2003 and was the league's leading passer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Packers Send QB Craig Nall To NFL Europe To Expedite His Development |url=https://www.packers.com/news/packers-send-qb-craig-nall-to-nfl-europe-to-expedite-his-development-2476520 |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=www.packers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2004 Nall played in five games as [[Brett Favre]]'s backup at Green Bay.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |last2= |last3= |last4= |date=2005-08-05 |title=Rodgers Knows a Thing or Two About Rejection |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-aug-05-sp-nflcolumn5-story.html |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> He completed 23 of 33 passes for 314 yards and four touchdowns, with no interceptions, and a passer rating of 139.4.

===Buffalo Bills===
In 2006, Craig Nall signed as an [[unrestricted free agent]] with the [[Buffalo Bills]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-03-20 |title=Bills add ex-Packer Nall to starting quarterback derby |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2376548 |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> where he competed for the starting quarterback position until a [[hamstring]] injury suffered on the second day of practice ended his involvement in the competition.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Hamstring Injury Sidelines Bills Quarterback Nall |language=en-US |work=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2006/07/31/hamstring-injury-sidelines-bills-quarterback-nall/5d8abbe0-b73c-40d1-9f3d-749d72284b69/ |access-date=2023-02-28 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> In 2007, he fell on the team's depth chart behind [[J. P. Losman]] and [[Trent Edwards]]. At the end of pre-season, he was cut from the team's final roster. Early into the regular season he was re-signed by the Bills but was released shortly thereafter.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Losman out two weeks; Posluszny placed on IR |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/losman-out-two-weeks-posluszny-placed-on-ir-09000d5d802ab1b8 |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Houston Texans (first stint)===
On October 29, 2007, Nall was signed by the [[Houston Texans]] as insurance when starter [[Matt Schaub]] was hurt against San Diego.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McClain |first=John |date=2008-11-04 |title=Texans sign QB Nall to back up Rosenfels |url=https://www.chron.com/sports/texans/article/texans-sign-qb-nall-to-back-up-rosenfels-1771473.php |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=Chron |language=en-US}}</ref> He was released by the Texans on November 21, 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Texans release Nall; sign Walker |url=https://www.houstontexans.com/news/texans-release-nall-sign-walker-2675377 |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=www.houstontexans.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Green Bay Packers (second stint)===
He signed a one-year deal with the Packers on December 1, 2007, after they released [[Marviel Underwood]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Packers re-sign former Green Bay QB Craig Nall |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/packers-re-sign-former-green-bay-qb-craig-nall-09000d5d804b1229 |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US}}</ref> He became a free agent in the 2008 offseason.

===Houston Texans (second stint)===
Nall was re-signed by the [[Houston Texans]] on November 5, 2008, after an injury to [[Matt Schaub]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Herman |first=Josh |title=Grossman Could Have Worked as No. 2 |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/197538-grossman-could-have-worked-as-number-two |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tim |date=2008-11-05 |title=N.D. Kalu Cut To Make Way For Craig Nall |url=https://www.battleredblog.com/2008/11/5/654356/n-d-kalu-cut-to-make-way-f |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=Battle Red Blog |language=en}}</ref> He was waived on December 17 when the team signed fellow Northwestern State alumnus [[cornerback]] [[David Pittman (American football)|David Pittman]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Packers find second chances sometimes work out |url=http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/packers-find-second-chances-sometimes-work-out-ba7uo26-182630841.html |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=www.jsonline.com |language=en}}</ref>

===Florida Tuskers===
Nall was signed by the [[Florida Tuskers]] of the [[United Football League (2009–)|United Football League]] on August 25, 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3893176 |title=UFL's Florida Tuskers Sign 12 Players Including QB Craig Nall |date=August 25, 2009 |work=OurSports Central |publisher=[[United Football League (2009–)|United Football League]] |access-date=August 30, 2011}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080509072401/http://www.packers.com/history/all_time_roster/player/nall_craig/ Green Bay Packers bio]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20081126153513/http://www.houstontexans.com/team/player.asp?player_id=322 Houston Texans bio]

{{LSU Tigers quarterback navbox}}
{{Northwestern State Demons quarterback navbox}}
{{Green Bay Packers 2002 NFL draft picks}}
{{Scottish Claymores quarterback navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nall, Craig}}
[[Category:1979 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Alexandria, Louisiana]]
[[Category:American football quarterbacks]]
[[Category:LSU Tigers football players]]
[[Category:Northwestern State Demons football players]]
[[Category:Green Bay Packers players]]
[[Category:Scottish Claymores players]]
[[Category:Buffalo Bills players]]
[[Category:Houston Texans players]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:Florida Tuskers players]]
[[Category:American expatriate sportspeople in Scotland]]
[[Category:American expatriate players of American football]]