Prospect Profiles
Jamaica Rector
Position: Wide Receiver/Return Specialist
College: Northwest Missouri State
Height: 5-10
Weight: 186
Hometown: Celeste, Texas
Analysis | Injury Report | Agility | High School | Personal
OVERVIEW
Few players in college football made as many big plays, gained so much yardage or found the end zone as much as Rector did during his four-year career at Northwest Missouri State. His brother, Andre, started opposite Jamaica at the other wide receiver position the past three seasons.
Rector was a two-way all-state player at Celeste High School, starring as a receiver and a defensive back. He was so highly regarded as a cornerback, he was named Texas Class 1A Defensive Player of the Year in 1999. He also excelled as a track athlete.
He redshirted at Northwest Missouri State in 2000, but immediately took over flanker duties the following year. He would go on to earn All-Mid America Intercollegiate Athletics Association honors over the next four years, grabbing 61 passes for 1,081 yards (17.7 avg.) and nine touchdowns in 2001. He also gained 69 yards and a score on 13 carries (5.3 avg.), 302 yards on 11 kickoff returns (27.5 avg.) and 182 yards on 18 punt returns (10.1 avg.) as a redshirt freshman.
In 2002, he would begin a string of three consecutive seasons earning All-America honors. He snared 78 passes for 1,242 yards (15.9 avg.) and six scores. Rector returned 36 punts for 514 yards (14.3 avg.) and two touchdowns and carried 14 times for 54 yards and a score that year. While his figures were slightly down in 2003, he still led the team with 63 catches for 971 yards (15.4 avg.) and eight touchdowns. Rector totaled 85 yards with two scores on 11 carries (7.7 avg.), 316 yards and a touchdown on 29 punt returns (10.9 avg.) and 458 yards on 14 kickoff returns (32.7 avg.).
He continued to pile up yardage, totaling a career-high 2,069 all-purpose yards in 2004. Rector grabbed 87 passes for 1,203 yards (13.8 avg.) and 15 touchdowns, shattering his own 2002 school season-records of 78 receptions for 1,242 yards. His 15 scores also set a new record, topping the old mark of 11 touchdowns, first set by Steve Hansley in 1984 and matched by Tony Miles in 1998.
In only 41 games, Rector re-wrote virtually every school and conference receiving record. He ranks third on the NCAA Division II career-record books with 289 catches, topped only by Andrew Blakely of Truman (300, 1999-2002) and Clarence Coleman of Ferris State (323, 1998-2001). Rector's 4,497 receiving yards are topped only by Coleman's 4,983 in D-II annals. His 38 touchdown catches broke the old MIAA record of 33 by Lester McCoy of Emporia State (1997-2000). He added 232 yards and four scores on 42 carries (5.5 avg.) and 1,138 yards on 41 kickoff returns (27.8 avg.). Only Jarvis Remond (1,682 yards, 1985-89) gained more yards on kickoff returns in school history.
Rector set school career records with 112 punt returns for 1,494 yards (13.3 avg.) and three touchdowns, surpassing Jason Melnick (83 returns, 1993-96) and Tony Miles (1,302 yards, 1997-2000). He ranks No. 10 in NCAA Division II history with an average of 188.74 all-purpose yards per game and No. 8 in D-II annals with 7,361 all-purpose yards.
ANALYSIS
Positives: Has long arms, good-sized hands and long legs … Fluid and natural open-field runner with good hip flexibility and agility … Has good initial quickness that he uses to compensate for a lack of strength in attempts to beat press coverage … Quick out of his breaks, but needs route refinement … Does a nice job of settling in the zone and coming back for the ball … Has enough acceleration after the catch to gain some separation … Has the body control and large hands to handle the underneath routes … Will not hesitate to fight for the ball in a crowd … Quick and elusive punt returner with sure hands and good instincts spotting the seam … Has the body control to make adjustments getting to the difficult throws … His ability to reach and pluck for the ball has resulted in some great acrobatic catches … Maintains concentration and will sacrifice himself to get to the high passes across the middle.
Negatives: Has a slight frame and little room for additional growth … Has quick feet, but lacks explosion off the snap and a second gear to elude after the catch … Uses his hands, but is not really physical or strong enough to defeat the jam … While he caught some deep throws at his level of play, it is doubtful that he will have the same success in the NFL, as he does not display blazing speed … Needs to improve his balance, as he can be knocked down quickly after securing the ball … Needs to show more aggression as a blocker, but does not like that physical aspect.
INJURY REPORT
2001 -- Did not play vs. Emporia State, Truman State and Missouri Western after suffering a right knee medial collateral ligament sprain vs. Washburn.
2002 -- Sat out the Southwest Missouri and Minnesota State-Mankato games with a right knee sprain.
2004 -- Did not play in the season opener vs. Minnesota State-Moorhead (undisclosed).
AGILITY
Campus: 4.49 in the 40-yard dash … 345-pound bench press … 300-pound hang clean … 10-foot-5 broad jump … Right-handed. Combine: 4.47 in the 40-yard dash … 2.58 20-yard dash … 1.58 10-yard dash … 4.13 20-yard shuttle … 11.12 60-yard shuttle … 6.78 three-cone drill … 36½-inch vertical jump … 10-foot-2 broad jump … Bench presses 225 pounds 17 times … 32-inch arm length … 9 5/8-inch hands.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Celeste (Texas) High School, playing football for coach Steve Solomon … Two-way all-state player, starring as a receiver and a defensive back … Was so highly regarded as a cornerback, he was named Texas Class 1A Defensive Player of the Year in 1999 … Also excelled as a track athlete.
PERSONAL
Parks and Recreation Management major … Son of Linda Rector … Brother, Andre, was a teammate and starting receiver at Northwest Missouri State (2002-present) … Born Aug. 10, 1981 … Resides in Celeste, Texas.
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