The Auburn Tigers have their focus on preparing for their second season with Hugh Freeze at the helm — and with a solid recruiting class and their nemesis Nick Saban gone from the SEC, many in the college football world believe they could be competing for national titles sooner rather than later.
But on a far more negative note, one of the program‘s former wide receivers is facing some heinous allegations.
Prechae Rodriguez began his college career at the JUCO level, after shining for Coffeyville Community College in 2004 after hauling in 39 cataches for 553 yards and two touchdowns while returning 11 kicks for 236 yards. He was named Second-Team All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference, J.C Grid Wire honorable mention, SuperPrep Junco 100, and CollegeFootballNews.com’s Top JUCO Wide Receivers.
Rivals gave Rodriguez a 4-star ranking coming out of JUCO and he committed to play for the Auburn Tigers in 2005. While his role was limited at Auburn, Rodriguez shined when given the opportunity.
He saw action in 11 games, catching 13 passes for 240 yards and one touchdown. His first catch as a Tiger came against Ball State and he finished the game with three catches for 39 yards.
For the second straight game he posted a team high with 79 yards against Kentucky, one of the three catches against the Wildcats was a team season-high 41-yard touchdown in the second quarter, rushed for a 5-yard reverse touchdown early in the fourth quarter in that same game against the Wildcats.
After recording one catch for 18 yards in the South Carolina game Prechae Rodriguez surpassed the 100 yard mark in the 2005 season. In 2006 Rodriguez caught 14 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown. He posted an 18-yard reception against Nebraska in the Cotton Bowl. During the 2006 Iron Bowl Game against Alabama, he caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brandon Cox in the third quarter that served as the game-winner for the Auburn Tigers.
Prechae Rodriguez went undrafted in the 2008 NFL Draft and attended tryout camps for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and New York Jets. He signed with the New York Jets and was later released. On May 7, 2008, he signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League, which is where he began to find real success at the pro level.
Rodriguez emerged as one of the CFL’s most explosive offensive threats and was recognized as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats “Most Outstanding Rookie and went on to be nominated the CFL Rookie of the Year. Although he didn’t win ROY, Rodriguez received the finest players CFL 2008 East Division Rookie of the Year Award, Frank M. Gibson Trophy.
The former Auburn Tigers WR ended the 2008 season with 70 catches, 1,099 yards and seven touchdowns. In 2009 Rodriguez was on his way to another 1000 yard season when he was slowed by a bone bruise in a knee, he caught 45 passes for 495 yards with three touchdowns over 12 games. Rodriguez was among the CFL most dangerous wideouts during his time with the Tiger-Cats. His outstanding size and leaping ability made him a great target for quarterbacks.
In 2010, Rodriguez was traded to the Saskatchewan Roughriders which began the downfall of his professional career. His production dropped significantly, and he played for three different CFL teams in 2011 before trying his hand somewhere else.
The former Auburn WR signed with the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League in 2012 and became an instant star. At the end of the 2012 season, Rodriguez had 32 touchdowns and tied the single-season franchise record for receptions (125) and set the single-season franchise rookie record for receiving yards (1,653). He had stints with 6 other Arena teams before his career came to an end in 2016.
Former Auburn Tigers WR Prechae Rodriguez Arrested For Punching 9-Year-Old Autistic Student
Sometime after his professional football career came to an end, Rodriguez took a teaching role in Hillsborough County, Fla. where he grew up, but now that career has come to an abrupt end due to stunning allegations.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said a 9-year-old, non-verbal student hit Rodriguez with his hand at the Eisenhower Exceptional Center on Feb. 8, and that Rodriguez responded by punching the student in the face and knocking the student to the ground.
After an investigation, the former Auburn Tigers WR was arrested on Monday.
“I am disgusted by the actions of this individual who was not only in a position of authority and trust but was given the responsibility to protect our most vulnerable,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. “No child, under any circumstance, should be subject to this level of violence. There is no place for the abuse of children in our schools or in our community, and our detectives will continue to work to ensure that all of our students are protected.”
A woman at Prechae Rodriguez’s home said he had no comment on the incident.
Hillsborough County Schools said Rodriguez was terminated.
“Mr. Rodriguez was removed from the school while the investigation was going on and has now been terminated from the school district,” the district said in a statement. “We are deeply disturbed by the charges. The safety and wellbeing of our students is our top priority.”