Cortez Broughton

Cortez Broughton is an American former professional football defensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL). He spent 1 season with teams, like the Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Buffalo Bills.

Player Profile, High School, and College Career

Cortez A. Broughton was born on September 2, 1996, in Warner Robins, Georgia, USA. The interior defensive lineman stands 188 cm tall and played at a listed weight of 133 kg.

He attended Veterans High School in Warner Robins, where his massive frame and natural explosive power made him a highly disruptive force on both the gridiron and the wrestling mat. Broughton was a dominant presence along the defensive front, racking up All-State honors and establishing himself as one of the premier high school anchors in the state.

Committing to the University of Cincinnati, Broughton blossomed into a vital defensive anchor for the Bearcats from 2015 to 2018. Displaying a unique ability to collapse the pocket from the interior, he secured Second-team All-AAC honors as a sophomore in 2016. He completely took over games during his senior campaign in 2018, terrorizing opposing backfields with 18.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. His relentless penetration earned him a unanimous First-team All-AAC selection, putting him firmly on the radar of NFL front offices.

Professional Career

Broughton was selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in the seventh round (242nd overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft.

He broke onto the active roster as a rookie, providing key rotational value along the interior defensive line. However, his initial momentum was put on hold when he was placed on the non-football illness (NFI) list late in the 2019 season.

He returned to contribute in a depth role during the 2020 campaign, using his high motor to absorb double-teams before being waived by the Chargers ahead of the 2021 regular season.

In September 2021, Broughton was quickly signed to the practice squad of the Kansas City Chiefs. He spent the season absorbing the system and signed a reserve/future contract with the team in February 2022. After battling minor physical setbacks that led to a brief release due to a failed physical, Broughton displayed exceptional grit by healing up and re-signing with the Chiefs' practice squad later that autumn to provide vital depth during training periods.

Broughton completed his active NFL journey by joining the Buffalo Bills' practice squad in December 2022. He signed a reserve/future contract to remain in Buffalo for the 2023 offseason program, offering a physical, experienced presence in the trenches throughout training camp before being waived in late August 2023.

He finished his professional career having appeared in 11 regular-season games, logging nine total tackles and a pass deflection.

Career Highlights

• 2018 – First-team All-AAC selection after a dominant senior season at Cincinnati
• 2016 – Second-team All-AAC selection
• 2019 – Selected in the seventh round of the NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers
• Youth Legacy – Competed on the national stage in the 2009 Little League World Series