Portal:Hispanic and Latino Americans/Selected Individual/10

Mark Travis John Sanchez (born November 11, 1986) is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft as the fifth overall pick by the New York Jets and the second quarterback taken overall. He played college football at the University of Southern California (USC).

Sanchez grew up in a well-disciplined and athletic family. In the eighth grade, he began to play football and learn the intricacies of the quarterback position, training with his father, Nick. A well-regarded prospect, Sanchez committed to Southern California following his successful high school career in which he led his team to a championship title during his final season. At USC, Sanchez was relegated as the backup quarterback during his first three years though he rose to prominence due to his brief appearances on the field in 2007 due to injuries suffered by starting quarterback John David Booty. Sanchez also became popular within the community due to his Mexican-American heritage. Named the starter in 2008, Sanchez led USC to a 12–1 record and won the Rose Bowl against Penn State for which Sanchez was awarded the Most Valuable Player award for his performance on offense. (more...)