Bio
2009(Professional): Wells was drafted 31st
overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2009 NFL Draft. He competed for
the starting running back job with Tim Hightower. On August 1, 2009,
Wells was signed to a 5 year contract. Later that same day, he was
carted off from practice with an ankle injury. On August 28, 2009,
Wells made his professional debut with the Arizona Cardinals in a
preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. He ended the night with 7
carries for a total of 46 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a 20-yard
score in the second quarter. On October 25, 2009, in the second quarter
against the New York Giants, Wells ran 13 yards for his first NFL
touchdown. In that game vs New York, Wells ran for 67 yards on 14
attempts. On December 20, 2009, Wells ran for his first career 100-yard
game against the Detroit Lions. In that game, he had 17 carries for 110
yards and a touchdown. On January 16, 2010, Wells scored his first
touchdown in the postseason, a 4-yard rush against the New Orleans
Saints.
2008(Junior): Wells rushed 13 carries for
111 yards and a touchdown in his first game against the Youngstown
State Penguins on August 30, 2008. He also suffered a foot injury.
After missing three games, he returned to the starting lineup September
27, 2008 against Minnesota, where he rushed for 105 yards on 14
carries. He then followed that performance up with a 22 carry, 168 yard
effort against Wisconsin, which included a 33-yard touchdown on the
game's first possession and a 54-yard run to start the second half. In
the November 15 game against Illinois, Wells leaped over an Illini
defender, images of which were re-broadcast widely. He entered the NFL
Draft, and was drafted 31st overall by the Arizona Cardinals.
2007 (Sophomore): Voted team Most
Valuable Player ... second team All-America (Rivals) ... first team
all-Big Ten ...1,609 yards for season with 15 touchdowns ... fourth
among all-time OSU single season rushers and first among sophomore
rushers ... 143 yards in Akron win ... 135 yards, TD at Washington ...
100 yards, TD vs. Northwestern ...pair of first-quarter scores at
Minnesota rushing for 116 yards ... gained 221 yards with a TD over
Michigan State ... 133 yards at Penn State ... rushed for 169 against
Wisconsin, scoring three second-half touchdowns ... two TD vs. Illinois
... career-best 222 yards with TD of 62 and 1 in win at Michigan ...
146 yards with a 65-yard TD in the BCS championship game ... offensive
player of week: Washington, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Michigan ... Big
Ten player of week: Michigan State, Michigan ... Archie Griffin award
for offensive MVP ...W.W. Hayes award for outstanding player in
Michigan game ... Big Ten all-academic.
2006 (Freshman): Played in all 13 games
as a true freshman and finished second on the team with 576 yards on
104 carries ... team’s outstanding first-year player on offense ...
averaged 5.6 yards per rush ... scored seven touchdowns ... made debut
in the opener vs. Northern Illinois and carried the ball 10 times for
50 yards and a touchdown, an 8-yard run ... carried five times each of
the next three games – against Texas, Cincinnati and Penn State –
before turning in 78 yards on 14 carries at Iowa ... scored a touchdown
in the final six games of the year, beginning with a 5-yard TD run at
Michigan State ... ran for 65 yards and a score vs. Indiana and turned
in 90 yards on 15 carries at homecoming against Minnesota ...
season-high 99 yards came on 11 carries at Northwestern ... against
Michigan, scored on a 52-yard run to give Ohio State a 14-7 lead early
in the second quarter ... finished the game with five carries for 56
yards... enrolled at Ohio State for spring quarter, 2006, and took part
in spring practice.
High School: 2006 Parade All-American and
named the nation’s top running back ... rushed for 2,134 yards and 27
touchdowns on 223 carries as a senior (9.6 avg.) ... rushed for 1,939
yards and scored 20 touchdowns as a junior ... 2005 National Player of
the Year and the No. 1 prospect in the nation by several publications
... scored three TDs on his way to being selected Most Valuable Player
of the U.S. Army All-America Bowl.
Personal: He was born August 7, 1988 in
Akron, Ohio. Son of James and Paulette Wells ... one of 11 children.
The nickname Beanie was given to him by his family at a young age and
he is quoted as saying, "I got the nickname because when I was young,
my big brother said I was skinny like a bean pole."