Craig Yeast
| No. 3, 84, 5 | |
| Date of birth | November 20, 1976 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | Danville, Kentucky |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Wide Receiver, Kick Returner |
| College | Kentucky |
| NFL draft | 1999 / Round: 4 |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1999–2000 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 2001 | New York Jets |
| 2002–2006 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| 2008 | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| Career stats | |
| |
Craig Nelson Yeast (born November 20, 1976 in Danville, Kentucky) is a former Canadian Football League wide receiver and kick returner for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Previously, he played in the National Football League from 1999 through 2001. He has currently resigned as the head football coach at Fremont Ross HS.
High school career
Yeast played quarterback and running back for Harrodsburg High School in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. Harrodsburg High School merged with Mercer County Senior High School in 2006.
College career
Yeast played four seasons for the University of Kentucky Wildcats, 1995 - 1998. When he graduated, Yeast was the all-time leader in career receptions in the history of the Southeastern Conference, with 208 catches, and was second in career receiving yards with 2,899. In 1998 he returned three kickoffs and one punt for touchdowns. As a senior he was a third team All-American according to College Football News, and was also a consensus All-Southeastern Conference first-team selection and a semi-finalist for the Fred Biletnikoff Award. Yeast was also a member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, (Mu Theta - University of Kentucky)
NFL career
Yeast was the third pick of the fourth round in the 1999 NFL draft. He played for the Cincinnati Bengals and the New York Jets. His best NFL season came as a Bengal in 2000 when he caught 24 passes for 301 yards (12.5 average) and had one rushing attempt for 15 yards.
CFL career
In four seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Yeast has 158 receptions for 2,706 yards (17.1 yards per catch) and 13 touchdowns. In 2004 Yeast had 59 catches for 1,184 yards (20.1 average) and 8 touchdowns. In 2005 Yeast had 65 catches for 1,010 yards (15.5 average) and 3 touchdowns. On July 29, 2006, Yeast was released by the Tiger-Cats. Following his years as a Tiger-Cat, Yeast had a short stint with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.[1]
Coaching career
After one season as head coach at Bryan Station High School in Lexington, KY, he became wide receiver coach at Tiffin University, which competes in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in NCAA Division II. On March 3, 2014, he became the head football coach at Fremont Ross (OH) HS in Fremont, Ohio.[2]