DERICK DEESE,
EL CAMINO COLLEGE - PLAYER
Inducted: 2003

Derrick Deese played his high school football at Culver in Los Angeles. After leaving High school Derrick attended El Camino College where he played tackle for John Featherstone for 2 years. In 1989 he was an All American tackle honorable mention.

He then transferred to the University of Southern California in 1990 and 1991 and again was an honorable mention tackle for the Pac 10 Trojans. He graduated and has a degree in sociology.

Derrick signed a free agent contract with the San Francisco Forty Niners in 1992. Derrick was injured in 1992 and 1993 and didn’t play. His luck changed in 1994 and he started 15 games and started in the Super Bowl that the Niners won.

He has made a career of beating the odds. The 6’ 3” 289 pounder is well below the average height and weight of starting tackles in the NFL. He is the smallest starting tackle in the NFL. There are no tackles listed as being shorter than Derrick’s 6’ 3”. He is also one of only 8 non drafted free agents starting at tackle in the NFL. Derrick has not allowed a sack in his last 21 games, and is one of only 3 offensive starters who has played all 5 positions on the offensive line. In addition he is extremely durable having missed only 5 games since 1996. He made his 100th career start against Kansas City this past year, and is in his eleventh season with San Francisco.

Derrick volunteers many hours in the off season to the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, and other charitable activities in his community, and also continues to help the football program at El Camino College. Derrick lives in Cerritos with his wife Felitia, and 3 sons, Derrick Jr., Donte, and Devin.