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http://www.syracuse.com/articles/sports/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1174813226318070.xml&coll=1
Jamel Richardson signs a three-year free agent deal with America's Team.
Sunday, March 25, 2007 By Donnie Webb
Staff writer
The Dallas Cowboys asked former Corcoran High School wide receiver Jamel Richardson if he could postpone his workout for a week. A member of the Cowboys staff had a conflict and was requesting the delay so he could personally attend Richardson's tryout. The staff member was owner Jerry Jones.
Last Tuesday, on the same day Syracuse University was conducting its Pro Day workout at the Carrier Dome, Richardson was at Valley Ranch in Dallas wowing Jones and the Cowboys. Within minutes of emerging from the showers after the workout, the Cowboys extended a three-year free agent contract to Richardson.
Before Richardson could say yes, his agent asked for a delay.
On Wednesday, Richardson traveled to Indianapolis for a tryout with the Super Bowl Champions. The Colts offered him a free agent contract.
Richardson and his agent settled upon the Cowboys. On Friday, the NFL team announced it had an agreement to sign Richardson, 25.
Today, Richardson will board an airplane and travel to Dallas where he begins work immediately with his new employer.
"It's a dream come true," said Corey Parker, who trained Richardson at his Onondaga Hill weight-lifting facility called Strength In Motion. "I would describe it as something that's remarkable."
"Man, I love it," Richardson said on Saturday. "It's America's Team. It's crazy. Because I know what I'm going to do when I get there. I'm going to ball out and show what I can do, rep for Syracuse."
Richardson, 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds, is a 2001 graduate of Syracuse's Corcoran High School. He earned All-Central New York honors in football and basketball during his senior year. Richardson initially signed a letter-of-intent to play football at Michigan State. Richardson said Syracuse offered him a scholarship, but only as a linebacker. He rolls his eyes at the evaluation.
Richardson failed to get into Michigan State because of grades. There was a last-second attempt to sign with Division I-AA Massachusetts. That didn't work either and Richardson, through a recommendation out of Amherst, ended up at Victor Valley (Community) College in Victorville, Calif. Richardson was a two-time Junior College All-American in football. As a sophomore for the school's basketball team, Richardson was named first-team, All-California Community College.
Because of financial needs, Richardson left junior college and signed with the Canadian Football League's Saskatchewan Roughriders. He played in the 39 games over three and a half seasons and caught 118 passes for 1,501 yards and four touchdowns. Last summer, the Cowboys attempted to sign Richardson as a free agent. The Roughriders declined to release Richardson from his contract. So he played four games last season and had two touchdown catches before breaking his left foot.
"He thought that was a sign he shouldn't be there," said former Corcoran teammate Raquan Pride, who just finished his senior season at Rhode Island and is hoping to land a free agent contract around the upcoming NFL Draft. "He felt he should have been with the Cowboys last season."
Richardson returned to Syracuse this past winter distraught and overweight. That's when he landed on Parker's doorstep. Parker set up a program for Richardson to lose weight, rehabilitate the foot and improve his 40-yard dash time. Former Corcoran teammates such as Cedric Stevens and Pride provided encouragement.
Beginning in January, Richardson worked out twice a day at Strength In Motion. He had strength-building sessions in the morning and cardiovascular (weight-loss) training in the afternoon. In addition to dieting, Richardson did speed training at the Ultimate Goal in Marcellus. Parker said there was video tape analysis of his start and his running motion.
"The top-end speed for a receiver is critical," Parker said. "He just wasn't able to get to top-end speed. When he did get there, his mechanics were not very good."
A breakthrough came about two weeks ago when Richardson ran 4.53 seconds in the 40-yard dash. That was down from 4.79 seconds when he started back on his road to recovery in January. Richardson's agent relayed the news and the Cowboys immediately invited Richardson to a tryout.
"They were waiting on me," Richardson said. "They knew I had gotten hurt and they wanted me to work out for them again. They were just waiting on me to get healthy. When I felt I was ready, I just set the workout up."
With Jones, head coach Wade Phillips and the offensive staff watching, Richardson was put through a workout he said lasted "a couple of hours." In addition to all the Combine type tests, Richardson ran pass routes and caught footballs from quarterback Brock Berlin, the former University of Miami starter who was also in Dallas for a tryout.
"I caught every ball," Richardson said. "Every last one."
Richardson said he'll be competing to earn the fourth receiver spot behind Terry Glenn, Terrell Owens and Patrick Clayton. And while there is joy in his achievement, Richardson understands that the real prize will come only after he earns a spot on the roster and makes the team.
Richardson's agent, Paul Sheehy, told the Leader-Post of Regina, Saskatchewan, that he had arranged tryouts with 11 different NFL teams. The Cowboys and Colts, Sheehy said, were his client's best opportunities.
Richardson said the Cowboys were his top choice.
"I was just in love with the Cowboys," Richardson said. "They just showed me a whole lot of love and attention. They showed me so much respect, that they really wanted me. The atmosphere was better. I met the owner. That was just a plus for me. Then the head coach. It was just like so much love there.
"Really, it is a dream come true. Because, you know, growing up as a youngster, I liked Michael Irvin. I always wanted to be a Dallas Cowboys. I love my Giants, too. But, yeah, it is a dream come true."
Hopefully this isn't a repost. I had forgotten about this guy but at 6-3 and 220 with 4.5 speed and experience I wouldn't just write him off. He got a three year deal but I don't know anything about it. So it might not mean much.
I still want to see the guy in camp.
BTW sorry about the title. I hit the enter button before I finished it.
Jamel Richardson signs a three-year free agent deal with America's Team.
Sunday, March 25, 2007 By Donnie Webb
Staff writer
The Dallas Cowboys asked former Corcoran High School wide receiver Jamel Richardson if he could postpone his workout for a week. A member of the Cowboys staff had a conflict and was requesting the delay so he could personally attend Richardson's tryout. The staff member was owner Jerry Jones.
Last Tuesday, on the same day Syracuse University was conducting its Pro Day workout at the Carrier Dome, Richardson was at Valley Ranch in Dallas wowing Jones and the Cowboys. Within minutes of emerging from the showers after the workout, the Cowboys extended a three-year free agent contract to Richardson.
Before Richardson could say yes, his agent asked for a delay.
On Wednesday, Richardson traveled to Indianapolis for a tryout with the Super Bowl Champions. The Colts offered him a free agent contract.
Richardson and his agent settled upon the Cowboys. On Friday, the NFL team announced it had an agreement to sign Richardson, 25.
Today, Richardson will board an airplane and travel to Dallas where he begins work immediately with his new employer.
"It's a dream come true," said Corey Parker, who trained Richardson at his Onondaga Hill weight-lifting facility called Strength In Motion. "I would describe it as something that's remarkable."
"Man, I love it," Richardson said on Saturday. "It's America's Team. It's crazy. Because I know what I'm going to do when I get there. I'm going to ball out and show what I can do, rep for Syracuse."
Richardson, 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds, is a 2001 graduate of Syracuse's Corcoran High School. He earned All-Central New York honors in football and basketball during his senior year. Richardson initially signed a letter-of-intent to play football at Michigan State. Richardson said Syracuse offered him a scholarship, but only as a linebacker. He rolls his eyes at the evaluation.
Richardson failed to get into Michigan State because of grades. There was a last-second attempt to sign with Division I-AA Massachusetts. That didn't work either and Richardson, through a recommendation out of Amherst, ended up at Victor Valley (Community) College in Victorville, Calif. Richardson was a two-time Junior College All-American in football. As a sophomore for the school's basketball team, Richardson was named first-team, All-California Community College.
Because of financial needs, Richardson left junior college and signed with the Canadian Football League's Saskatchewan Roughriders. He played in the 39 games over three and a half seasons and caught 118 passes for 1,501 yards and four touchdowns. Last summer, the Cowboys attempted to sign Richardson as a free agent. The Roughriders declined to release Richardson from his contract. So he played four games last season and had two touchdown catches before breaking his left foot.
"He thought that was a sign he shouldn't be there," said former Corcoran teammate Raquan Pride, who just finished his senior season at Rhode Island and is hoping to land a free agent contract around the upcoming NFL Draft. "He felt he should have been with the Cowboys last season."
Richardson returned to Syracuse this past winter distraught and overweight. That's when he landed on Parker's doorstep. Parker set up a program for Richardson to lose weight, rehabilitate the foot and improve his 40-yard dash time. Former Corcoran teammates such as Cedric Stevens and Pride provided encouragement.
Beginning in January, Richardson worked out twice a day at Strength In Motion. He had strength-building sessions in the morning and cardiovascular (weight-loss) training in the afternoon. In addition to dieting, Richardson did speed training at the Ultimate Goal in Marcellus. Parker said there was video tape analysis of his start and his running motion.
"The top-end speed for a receiver is critical," Parker said. "He just wasn't able to get to top-end speed. When he did get there, his mechanics were not very good."
A breakthrough came about two weeks ago when Richardson ran 4.53 seconds in the 40-yard dash. That was down from 4.79 seconds when he started back on his road to recovery in January. Richardson's agent relayed the news and the Cowboys immediately invited Richardson to a tryout.
"They were waiting on me," Richardson said. "They knew I had gotten hurt and they wanted me to work out for them again. They were just waiting on me to get healthy. When I felt I was ready, I just set the workout up."
With Jones, head coach Wade Phillips and the offensive staff watching, Richardson was put through a workout he said lasted "a couple of hours." In addition to all the Combine type tests, Richardson ran pass routes and caught footballs from quarterback Brock Berlin, the former University of Miami starter who was also in Dallas for a tryout.
"I caught every ball," Richardson said. "Every last one."
Richardson said he'll be competing to earn the fourth receiver spot behind Terry Glenn, Terrell Owens and Patrick Clayton. And while there is joy in his achievement, Richardson understands that the real prize will come only after he earns a spot on the roster and makes the team.
Richardson's agent, Paul Sheehy, told the Leader-Post of Regina, Saskatchewan, that he had arranged tryouts with 11 different NFL teams. The Cowboys and Colts, Sheehy said, were his client's best opportunities.
Richardson said the Cowboys were his top choice.
"I was just in love with the Cowboys," Richardson said. "They just showed me a whole lot of love and attention. They showed me so much respect, that they really wanted me. The atmosphere was better. I met the owner. That was just a plus for me. Then the head coach. It was just like so much love there.
"Really, it is a dream come true. Because, you know, growing up as a youngster, I liked Michael Irvin. I always wanted to be a Dallas Cowboys. I love my Giants, too. But, yeah, it is a dream come true."
Hopefully this isn't a repost. I had forgotten about this guy but at 6-3 and 220 with 4.5 speed and experience I wouldn't just write him off. He got a three year deal but I don't know anything about it. So it might not mean much.
I still want to see the guy in camp.
BTW sorry about the title. I hit the enter button before I finished it.
