Archer attended Venice High School, where he was a member of the basketball, football, and track teams.
In track, he finished second in the 100 meters final of state track meet in his first full season of running (behind World Class sprinter Dentarius Locke and ahead of third place Denard Robinson), with a time of 10.49 seconds. He also ran the 200 meters in 21.46 seconds.
As a senior, he was named to the all-area first team in football. He helped Venice win two district titles.
He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at Kent State. Archer was offered track scholarships from both Clemson and Arkansas.
Kent State was the only school to offer him a football scholarship, and that"s where he elected to attend.
As a freshman at Kent State University, in 2009, he played in 11 games as a wide receiver/running back and had 246 rushing yards and 231 receiving yards. The following season, he had 140 rushing yards and 75 receiving yards.
Before the 2011 season, Archer was told a course he had taken again wasn"t going to count and without the credits he"s ineligible to play for the season. Although he was unable to suit up for games, he stayed with the team and continued to practice everyday and put more effort in his academics to make sure it wouldn"t happen again.
In 2012, Archer had 1,429 rushing yards, 16 rushing touchdowns, 561 receiving yards, and four receiving touchdowns.
His 23 total touchdowns led the MAC and set a single-season school record. Against Ball State, Archer had a 99-yard kick return for a touchdown and set a career-high with 350 all-purpose yards. Against Eastern Michigan, he had a rushing touchdown, a receiving touchdown, and a kick return touchdown.
Against Army, he had 222 rushing yards, a rushing touchdown, and a passing touchdown.
He made the All-MAC first team as a running back and kick returner. Archer was a consensus All-American.
