Jocelyn Borgella

Jocelyn Kenza Borgella (born August 26, 1971) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL). Born in The Bahamas and of Haitian descent, he moved to the U.S. at age three and grew up in Florida. After playing football at Miami Edison High School, he was a four-year starter for the Cincinnati Bearcats in college and led the nation in interception return yards as a junior. He was selected by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 1994 NFL draft, becoming the first Haitian to be drafted into the NFL and later the first to play in a game. He played with the Lions in 1994 and 1996 and with the Scottish Claymores of the World League of American Football in 1995. After a brief stint with the Cincinnati Bengals in 1997, he played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL) in 1997 to 1998. He was also a member of the Montreal Alouettes and Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the CFL as well as had stints in the Arena Football League with the Tampa Bay Storm and Grand Rapids Rampage.

Early life Borgella was born on August 26, 1971, in Nassau, The Bahamas, the oldest of four children. His parents were both from Haiti and had moved to The Bahamas for job opportunities. In 1974, at age three, his family moved to Little Haiti in Miami, Florida. Borgella had interest from a number of top college football teams, although many lost interest due to his lateness in completing college entrance exams. College career At the University of Cincinnati, Borgella studied criminal justice. Standing at and weighing , he won a starting role at cornerback as a true freshman for the Bearcats in 1990. He played all 11 games in 1990. He then recorded four interceptions for 58 yards as a senior in 1993, helping the Bearcats compile a record of 8–3. He concluded his collegiate career with 12 interceptions for 263 yards, setting Cincinnati's career interceptions record. He became the first Haitian to be selected in the NFL draft. The Miami Herald reported that his selection served as an inspiration to others in Little Haiti, and the football coach at Edison High School said that "Him getting drafted has lifted our program. When I came here three years ago, I don't think the Haitian athletes felt there was a light at the end of the tunnel". In 1995, he was sent to the Scottish Claymores of the World League of American Football to "get more playing experience". With the Claymores, Borgella posted three interceptions, although he suffered a sprained knee playing for them. He was traded to the BC Lions prior to the 1998 season and changed his position to linebacker there. Borgella played in eight games for the Lions and was their leading tackler with 51 tackles before being released in September, which he said "caught me off-guard. I was really surprised". Following his release from the Lions, he joined the practice roster of the Montreal Alouettes. He was later released during the team's training camp. He signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in May 2000, but was released the following month. He was also briefly a member of the AFL's Grand Rapids Rampage in 2001. Personal life Borgella married his wife, Katina Scott, a year after he graduated from high school.