Ex-Cats

Jets draft son of former Lafayette, UK star George Adams at No. 6 overall

Herald-Leader Staff Report
Flanked by his parents George and Michelle Adams, LSU’s Jamal Adams arrived for the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft on Thursday in Philadelphia. Jamal was drafted by the New York Jets in the first round. His father was a star at Lafayette High School in the late 1970s and at Kentucky in the early ’80s.
Flanked by his parents George and Michelle Adams, LSU’s Jamal Adams arrived for the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft on Thursday in Philadelphia. Jamal was drafted by the New York Jets in the first round. His father was a star at Lafayette High School in the late 1970s and at Kentucky in the early ’80s. Julio Cortez AP

The son of former Lafayette and University of Kentucky football star George Adams was selected in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night.

Jamal Adams, a safety at LSU who wore his dad’s No. 33, went to the New York Jets with the sixth overall pick. The 6-foot, 214-pound Adams was a second-team All-Southeastern Conference selection last season.

His father, George Adams, was a star running back for the Generals before signing with Kentucky. He also was a first-round NFL Draft pick, going to the New York Giants with the No. 19 overall selection in 1985.

George Adams’ best NFL season was his rookie year, when he rushed for 498 yards and caught 31 passes for 389 yards. He scored four touchdowns in 1985. Adams had 886 career rushing yards and 1,014 receiving yards on 111 catches in the NFL, averaging 3.4 yards per carry and 9.1 yards per reception.

At Kentucky, he rushed for 2,648 career yards on 638 attempts (4.2 avg.) and caught 79 passes for 609 yards (7.7 avg.) He scored 27 career touchdowns.

This story was originally published April 27, 2017 at 9:33 PM with the headline "Jets draft son of former Lafayette, UK star George Adams at No. 6 overall."

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