| Ricky Lee | |
| Position: | Offensive tackle |
| Birth Date: | 16 November 1999 |
| Birth Place: | Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 5 |
| Weight Lb: | 289 |
| High School: | Robert E. Lee (Jacksonville) |
| College: | |
| Undraftedyear: | 2023 |
| Pastteams: | |
| Statlabel1: | Games played |
| Statvalue1: | 6 |
| Statlabel2: | Games started |
| Pfr: | LeexRi00 |
Ricky Lee III (born June 11, 1999) is an American professional football offensive tackle who is a free agent. He played college football for the North Carolina Central Eagles before transferring to the North Carolina A&T Aggies. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Carolina Panthers after the 2023 NFL draft.
Lee was born on June 11, 1999, and grew up in Jacksonville, Florida.[1] [2] He attended Robert E. Lee High School—now Riverside High School–in his hometown, playing football and basketball; he was a first-team all-district selection at offensive tackle in football. He began his college football career with the North Carolina Central Eagles, starting all 11 games as a freshman and remained a starter as a sophomore in 2019.[3] Lee transferred to rival North Carolina A&T after the 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]
In Lee's first season at North Carolina A&T, he started all 11 games and had the second-most snaps played among their offensive linemen with 648.[5] He remained a starter for his senior season in 2022 and was named second-team All-Big South Conference.
After going unselected in the 2023 NFL draft, Lee was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent, being one of the few players from a historically black college (HBCU) around the league and the only one on the Panthers.[6] [7] [8] He made the team's final roster, being one of only two of the team's undrafted rookies to make the squad as well as one of only 20 HBCU players to make their team's initial roster.[9] [10] [11] He appeared in a total of six games in the 2024 season, being used exclusively on specials teams while seeing action on 24 snaps.[12]
On August 27, 2024, Lee was waived by the Panthers.[13]
On August 29, 2024, Lee signed with the Minnesota Vikings practice squad.[14] He was released on September 17.[15]
On September 25, 2024, Lee was signed to the Cleveland Browns practice squad.[16] He was released on October 8.[17]