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Scattershooting around the ACC, while looking forward to this weekend's NFL Draft ...
One of the more intriguing stories concerning UVa players in the draft is that two of its most marketable players won't likely be drafted because they're kickers. ESPN recruiting guru Mel Kiper Jr., ranks Connor Hughes and Kurt Smith the third- and fourth-best kickers available.
Hughes' rating doesn't come as a surprise. He broke the Cavaliers' all-time scoring record and was one of the most reliable booters in the country the past three years.
However, Smith's rating may startle a few because he had a lower profile as Virginia's kickoff man for the past few seasons and rarely had the opportunity to show his other skills ... that is until the program's Pro Timing Day back in March.
"You've got two good kickers here," said Dallas Cowboys scout Bruce DeHaven. "I've looked at all the film of kickers coming out of [Division] I-A and I-AA and I liked both these guys on film.
"It's rare to see two kickers in the same place," said DeHaven, who has been around the NFL for a long time. "I trust Coach [Al] Groh's judgment. When he says, 'Hey, these guys are good kickers, they're competitors, you need to come take a look at them, that's all I need to hear."
DeHaven was late arriving for the day due to travel connections, so by the time he joined the other NFL scouts at UVa's training facilities, both Hughes and Smith had already finished working out for the group. But, both agreed to go back out and do it again for the Cowboys' representative.
"For them to volunteer to go back out and kick again for me told me something about both of them," said DeHaven. "You get a little window into a guy's personality when you watch him work live. Those kickers volunteered to go out when it was a little bit cold, a little windy, and there wasn't real good footing."
Because kickers are rarely drafted, but rather signed as free agents, it probably didn't hurt the two Wahoos to get as much exposure as possible.
"We were just trying to show as many people as we could," Hughes said of that day. "Going back out a second time was just like going out for a second half."
Hughes didn't bypass much of anything that day, even jumping in during the bench press to show what he could do. He surprised some onlookers with 12 reps of 225 pounds, his personal high.
"I just wanted to have some fun," Hughes said.
Because the scouts had seen both UVa kickers on film, they had a good idea of what they could do. They knew that Smith could kick-off, but could he make field goals? Vice versa on Hughes.
"I think a lot of teams like to come in and see if you can do opposite things," Hughes said. "I did more kicking off than field goals and Kurt did more field goals than kicking off. We showed that we can kick in any kind of weather."
Contact Jerry Ratcliffe at (434) 978-7251 or jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com.
LINK
One of the more intriguing stories concerning UVa players in the draft is that two of its most marketable players won't likely be drafted because they're kickers. ESPN recruiting guru Mel Kiper Jr., ranks Connor Hughes and Kurt Smith the third- and fourth-best kickers available.
Hughes' rating doesn't come as a surprise. He broke the Cavaliers' all-time scoring record and was one of the most reliable booters in the country the past three years.
However, Smith's rating may startle a few because he had a lower profile as Virginia's kickoff man for the past few seasons and rarely had the opportunity to show his other skills ... that is until the program's Pro Timing Day back in March.
"You've got two good kickers here," said Dallas Cowboys scout Bruce DeHaven. "I've looked at all the film of kickers coming out of [Division] I-A and I-AA and I liked both these guys on film.
"It's rare to see two kickers in the same place," said DeHaven, who has been around the NFL for a long time. "I trust Coach [Al] Groh's judgment. When he says, 'Hey, these guys are good kickers, they're competitors, you need to come take a look at them, that's all I need to hear."
DeHaven was late arriving for the day due to travel connections, so by the time he joined the other NFL scouts at UVa's training facilities, both Hughes and Smith had already finished working out for the group. But, both agreed to go back out and do it again for the Cowboys' representative.
"For them to volunteer to go back out and kick again for me told me something about both of them," said DeHaven. "You get a little window into a guy's personality when you watch him work live. Those kickers volunteered to go out when it was a little bit cold, a little windy, and there wasn't real good footing."
Because kickers are rarely drafted, but rather signed as free agents, it probably didn't hurt the two Wahoos to get as much exposure as possible.
"We were just trying to show as many people as we could," Hughes said of that day. "Going back out a second time was just like going out for a second half."
Hughes didn't bypass much of anything that day, even jumping in during the bench press to show what he could do. He surprised some onlookers with 12 reps of 225 pounds, his personal high.
"I just wanted to have some fun," Hughes said.
Because the scouts had seen both UVa kickers on film, they had a good idea of what they could do. They knew that Smith could kick-off, but could he make field goals? Vice versa on Hughes.
"I think a lot of teams like to come in and see if you can do opposite things," Hughes said. "I did more kicking off than field goals and Kurt did more field goals than kicking off. We showed that we can kick in any kind of weather."
Contact Jerry Ratcliffe at (434) 978-7251 or jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com.
LINK
