Ja'Wuan James

Ja'Wuan James's Biography

Ja’Wuan Amir James, widely known as a professional American football offensive tackle, was born on June 3, 1992. Throughout his career, he has been affiliated with several clubs, including the Miami Dolphins, the Denver Broncos, and the Baltimore Ravens. Notably, he remains a free agent and continues his journey in the world of professional football.

James started his football career in his early teens at North Gwinnett High School, Suwanee, Georgia where he played alongside Austin Shepherd. In his sophomore year, the team held a commendable 13–2 record, reaching the GHSA Class 5A state championship. However, they suffered a defeat against Lowndes led by Greg Reid and Telvin Smith. James, a driving force in the team even in his junior year, led North Gwinnett to the state quarterfinals, finishing with a commendable 10–3. Despite their efforts, they lost to Newnan led by Alec Ogletree. In his senior year, James played a crucial role in driving the team to the Region 7-5A championship. The team excelled in the entire season, finishing with a 13–1 mark, but lost to Camden County.

Beth due to his significant contributions, James received an invitation to the 2010 Under Armour All-America Game in St. Petersburg, Florida. He was also named Class 5A All-State by Georgia Sportswriters. According to Rivals.com, he was considered a coveted recruit, ranking as the eighth-best offensive tackle prospect and the sixth-best prospect from Georgia.

In 2010, James enrolled at the University of Tennessee where he played from 2010 to 2013. With a record-breaking 49 starts, he surpassed previous record holder Jeff Smith and made his mark in Tennessee’s football history. His consistent performance was a major asset to the team that produced three other NFL-starting offensive linemen.

After graduating from college, James accepted an invitation to the 2014 Senior Bowl alongside teammate Daniel McCullers. His consistent performance at practice generated a positive buzz and was instrumental in boosting his draft standing. Despite a knee injury that prevented him from participating in the Reese’s Senior Bowl, James was one of 50 college linemen to attend the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana. His performance through the combine drills was impressive and secured him sixth place among all offensive linemen in the three-cone drill and ninth place in the short shuttle.

In the NFL draft process, James secured personal meetings and workouts with multiple teams, including the Tennessee Titans and Miami Dolphins. He was ranked as one of the top offensive tackle prospects by various scouts and experts, leading to his selection in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins. He made his career debut with a victory against the New England Patriots and returned as a starting right tackle in subsequent seasons. Unfortunately, a toe injury during the 2015 season affected his play, leading him to be placed on injured reserve for the rest of the season.

Fighting through his injury, James maintained his role as the starting right tackle in the 2016 season, under new coach Adam Gase. Despite drafting top offencive tackle prospect Laremy Tunsil, the Dolphins chose to continue with James due to his proven record. A hamstring injury in the 2017 season, once again landed James on injured reserve, this time half-way through the season.

In 2018, James started 15 games, missing only one due to a knee injury. In the following year, he signed a four-year contract, valued at $51 million, with the Denver Broncos. Unfortunately, a knee injury marred his performance leading to only three appearances in the 2019 season. Adding to his woes, James had to opt out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An Achilles tendon injury sustained during non-team training led to him being put on the reserve/non-football injury list and subsequent release from the team in 2021.

Ever the fighter, James continued to pursue his career in football, signing a two-year contract, worth $9 million, with the Baltimore Ravens in mid-2021. Unfortunately, James suffered another Achilles tendon injury in the 2022 season opener that put him on injured reserve once again.

Born in New Jersey, James relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, in his pre-teen years and was raised by his two parents, Nichelle James-Mickens and Burkley James. Apart from football, he had a keen interest in basketball and played baseball briefly in his younger years. James credits his move to Georgia as the motivator for his move into football. In a personal milestone, James announced his engagement to longtime girlfriend Rainey Gaffin, former member of the Tennessee Volunteers softball team, through a tweet in July 2017. Despite the ups and downs in his career, James’s determination and desire to succeed have made him a name in the world of American football. His journey continues to inspire many young aspirant football players.