FLINT, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Two-time All-American and the 2008 NFL number one overall pick, Jake Long will be honored by his home town area in early December. Long, along with seven over individuals and three teams, were introduced on Wednesday at the Genesys Athletic Club for their induction into the Greater Flint Area Sports Hall of Fame.
Long is from Lapeer, Mich., playing for Lapeer East High School. He was a three-sport star playing football, basketball, and baseball. In 2022, he was named to the All-State Dream Team for football. He chose the University of Michigan to play at from 2003-2007 where he earned two All-American awards, two-time Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year, while being a finalist for both the Outland and Lombardi Trophy.
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In 2001, he was a Flint All-Metro League lineman on both sides of the ball. The final game of 2001 brought three rushing touchdowns for Long. Later that year in basketball as a sophomore, he helped Lapeer East to a perfect 14-0 in the Metro League and 17-3 record. It was Lapeer East’s first unbeaten team in the Metro league since 1989. At the end of his junior year in baseball (2002), he had set the school home run record was the fifth-ranked high school football prospect in Michigan.
His senior brought lots of accolades as he helped Lapeer East to a school record nine-game winning streak. East made the playoffs for the first time in 27 years and the 9-2 record was the best in school history. He verbally committed to Michigan just before the season started after a camp in Ann Arbor in the summer. He earned All-State honors as a lineman and became the number two rated player in Michigan. The basketball season was the same success as they had back-to-back undefeated Metro League records repeating as champions. Two more awards came for basketball as a first-team selection for the Metro League and Honorable Mention All-State for Class A by the Associated Press.
He then went on to play nine seasons in the NFL for the Miami Dolphins (five years), St. Louis Rams (two years), Atlanta Falcons (one year), and Minnesota Vikings (one year). He was a four-time Pro Bowler and was a First-Team All-Pro in 2010 playing in 104 games starting 99.
The Greater Flint Area Sports Hall of Fame will also induct Marty Embry (Flint Central basketball), Gwen Wentland-Mikinski (Grand Blanc track and field), Michael Miller (Flint Northern track), Darryl Johnson (Flint Central basketball), Dave Hollingsworth (former Beecher girls basketball coach), Ben Lewis (Fenton football and wrestling), and Tom Skinner (media). The three teams to be inducted are Michigan School for the Deaf’s track and field teams from 1961, 62, 63, Flint St. Matthew’s 1962 basketball team, and Powers Catholic’s 1993 and 94 girls golf team.
The ceremony will take place on December 3.
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