John Capel Jr.

John Capel

Career information
College:	Florida
Position:	Wide Receiver
NFL draft:	2001 / round: 7 / pick: 208
Career history
Chicago Bears (2000)* Kansas City Chiefs (2001)* *Offseason and/or practice squad member only
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
No notable achievements

John Capel Jr.

Medal record
Men’s athletics
World Championships
	2003 Paris	200 m
	2003 Paris	4x100 m relay
	2005 Helsinki	200 m
Universiade
	1999 Palma de Mallorca	100 metres

John Capel Jr. (born November 27, 1978 in Brooksville, Florida) is an American sprinter. He is also a retired American football wide receiver for the Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Florida.

High school career

Capel attended Hernando High School, while there he was considered one of the nation's top wide receivers and was also one of the nation's top prep sprinters (won the 100 and 200 meters at the prestigious National Scholastic Champion-ships in the summer of 1997). He was named to several prep All-American teams. He rated as the nation's top receiver prospect by National Recruiting Advisor and received All-American honors from the publication. He was named to the Parade All-American Team. He ranked among the nation's top 35 prep players by The Sporting News. He played mostly running back, where he rushed for 1,229 yards in 1997 (9.1 avg) with 12 touchdowns and also recorded 28 receptions for 434 yards (15.5 avg) and three touchdowns. He was named to Florida's Super Seniors Team. He won the state 4A championship as a junior in 1997 in both the 100 (10.49) and 200 (21.01) meters.

College career

Capel attended the University of Florida and played football but left after the 2000 to enter the 2001 NFL Draft.

Freshman (1998)

In 1998, Capel played in every game as a true freshman, earning his only career start when the team opened with a three-receiver formation against South Carolina. He had two receptions for four yards and rushed the ball 11 times for 80 yards (7.3 avg) and a touchdown. He returned eight punts for 77 yards (9.6 avg) and 10 kickoffs for 274 yards (27.4 avg). Against Georgia he scored his first career touchdown, an eight-yard run. Against Syracuse in the Orange Bowl he returned three punts for 29 yards and two kickoffs for 37 yards.

Sophomore (1999)

In 1999, Capel played in every game, listed third on the depth chart at flanker. He did not participate in spring football drills due too schedule conflicts with his cometments to the school's track team. He recorded nine receptions for 84 yards (9.3 avg) and 63 yards on nine carries (7.0 avg). He returned nine kickoffs for 141 yards (15.7 avg) and two punts for -3 yards. Against Alabama in the SEC Championship Game he rushed the ball twice for seven yards. Against Michigan State in the Citrus Bowl he recorded 109 yards on five kickoff returns with a long of 38 yards.

Junior (2000)

In 2000, Capel did not play due too him competing as a sprinter on the U.S. Olympic team.

Amateur track career

Capel was a standout sprinter in high school, he arrived on the world competition stage in 1999. He withdrew from Florida in April, 2000 to concentrate on track.

In 1997, Capel won the National Scholastic 100 (10.49) and 200 (21.01) meter dash titles while attending Hernando High School. In 1998, he ran a personal best 10.40 in the 100 meters at Florida. In 1999, he won the NCAA Outdoor 200-meter championship (19.87). He finished second in the NCAA Outdoor 100 meters (10.03), fourth in the USA Outdoor 200-meter finals (20.29). He ran on the winning 4 x 100-meters relay at World University Games. He ran a 10.12 100 meters, a mark that ranks second best in University of Florida history, behind only Olympic medalist Dennis Mitchell. He won the SEC Outdoor 200m dash title in a Florida record 19.99 (the time ranked as the top American mark and the second fastest time in the world when run). He was named Florida's Most Valuable Track Athlete.

Professional football career

Capel tested positive for marijuana at the 2001 NFL Combine, and was arresnted a few months later for possession of marijuana. He was selected in the seventh round (208th overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. But was released during training camp. He then spent part of training camp in 2002 with the Kansas City Chiefs, but was released before the season began.

Professional track career

In 2000, Capel won the Olympic Trials 200 in a personal-best 19.85. He finished eighth in the 200-meter final in Sydney (20.49). He finished second in the NCAA Indoor 200, running 20.26, which broke the American indoor record. He finished fourth at the Pontiac Grand Prix Invitational (10.13). He finished second at the Adidas Oregon Track Classic 100 (10.21), third in 200 (20.42). He had bests of 10.12 in a heat at the Olympic Trials and 19.85.

Capel's major athletic highlight came in winning the 200m gold medal at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics, at the Stade de France in Saint Denis, Paris, France. He had previously made the final at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, but trailed in eighth after thinking there had been a false start. In August 2005 he won the bronze medal in the 200 m at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics.

Ban and return to track

He tested positive in 2004 and then again at the IAAF Norwich Union Indoor Grand Prix in February 2006, that time for a cannabinoid, which resulted in a two year ban from track. Since his two year ban for testing positive in 2006, Capel has become clean, and returned to competition. Which he contributes to his then 7-year old daughter for searching his name online and learning of his past troubles.

In June 2008, Capel traveled to Eugene, Oregon to compete to make the American Men's Olympic Sprint team, which would represent the United States of America in the 2008 Summer Olympics, in Beijing, China. However, he failed to advance out of the semifinals.

Outside of competition

While not competeing in track meets, Capel works for Flagstone Pavers in Brooksville, Florida, driving a forklift and picking defective blocks from outgoing orders.

See also

• List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences

External links

• USA Track & Field profile