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'Measurables' make USM's Fletcher NFL long shot
By Rick Cleveland • [email protected] • April 20, 2010
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Del.icio.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine Twitter FarkIt Type Size A A A Damion Fletcher, the most productive Division I running back in Mississippi college football history, does not show up on a single NFL mock draft.
http://www.clarionledger.com/articl...Measurables-make-USM-s-Fletcher-NFL-long-shot
I asked some NFL scouts why. All answered on the condition of anonymity.
"Love the kid, but he's just too small."
"Great college player, but he just does not project to the next level."
"Doesn't have the straight-ahead speed you have to have to be that small."
"Just doesn't run fast enough. He just doesn't have the measurables."
All agreed Fletcher will get free-agent offers and that he will get a chance to make an NFL team.
And that's all Fletcher wants.
"If they give me a chance, I'll produce," Fletcher said Monday in a phone conversation from Biloxi. "All I want is a chance."
I told Fletcher what some of the scouts had said.
"Nothing new," he said. "I've heard that stuff for years. It's the same stuff people said when I was coming out of high school. I know I don't fit the particulars a running back is supposed to have on paper. Just give me a chance is all I am saying. Just give me a chance."
186-pounder has 4.65 speed
Here are those measurables, to which the scout alluded: Fletcher stands a shade over 5 feet, 9 inches. He weighs 186 pounds, up from 180 last season. He was clocked at4.65 seconds in the 40-yard dash during USM's Pro Day in March. He was measured at 38 inches in a standing vertical jump. Only the last of those measurables would be considered a huge plus. The rest are sub-par.
Now then, here is what doesn't show up in those measurables. For 5 to 10 yards, Fletcher is as fast, as quick, as they come. You could play him in a game of tag on a handball court and never touch him. He's that quick. He is as fast coming out of a cut as he was going into it. He can stop and start, as the saying goes, on a dime. His full speed may not be what you want, but he gets to his full speed as fast as any I've seen. What's more, he has the hands of a wide receiver. He'll catch anything thrown his way.
"I understand those guys (the scouts) have a job to do," USM coach Larry Fedora said. "They put so much stock into the measurables, and I kind of understand that. But you can't measure what's in the guy's chest. You can't measure his passion. I'm just saying, not everybody at the next level has that passion for the game that Fletch has. Whoever gets him into camp is going to get a heckuva player."
Durable, can make 'em miss
These next measurables should count for something. In four straight 1,000-yard seasons at USM, Fletcher ran for 5,302 yards and 5.3 yards per carry. He scored 46 touchdowns. He played through injuries, which is something Fedora says the pros should consider.
"People are worried about him getting hurt because of his size," Fedora said. "The fact is he is extremely durable. He has that knack for not taking a hard lick. He avoids hard hits and he almost always delivers a harder blow than he receives. He gets after it. Maybe he doesn't have breakaway speed, but he'll get you 4 or 5 yards just about every time and you don't have to block 'em all for him to get those yards because he'll make 'em miss."
Fletcher plans no big draft party this weekend. He knows chances are, there won't be a reason to celebrate.
"I'll hang out and chill with my friends and family down here," he said.
If he gets drafted, fine, he said.
If he doesn't, he'll wait for somebody to call and offer him a chance, he said.
"Nobody drafted Pierre Thomas," Fletcher said. "He signed as a free agent, and he was the starting running back on the Super Bowl champions."
Thomas was indeed. He ran a 4.65 coming out of college, too.
To which scouts would reply, "Yes, but Pierre Thomas also weighs 215 pounds."
Those measurables, again.
Reach Rick Cleveland at [email protected]
By Rick Cleveland • [email protected] • April 20, 2010
Print this page E-mail this article Share
Del.icio.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine Twitter FarkIt Type Size A A A Damion Fletcher, the most productive Division I running back in Mississippi college football history, does not show up on a single NFL mock draft.
http://www.clarionledger.com/articl...Measurables-make-USM-s-Fletcher-NFL-long-shot
I asked some NFL scouts why. All answered on the condition of anonymity.
"Love the kid, but he's just too small."
"Great college player, but he just does not project to the next level."
"Doesn't have the straight-ahead speed you have to have to be that small."
"Just doesn't run fast enough. He just doesn't have the measurables."
All agreed Fletcher will get free-agent offers and that he will get a chance to make an NFL team.
And that's all Fletcher wants.
"If they give me a chance, I'll produce," Fletcher said Monday in a phone conversation from Biloxi. "All I want is a chance."
I told Fletcher what some of the scouts had said.
"Nothing new," he said. "I've heard that stuff for years. It's the same stuff people said when I was coming out of high school. I know I don't fit the particulars a running back is supposed to have on paper. Just give me a chance is all I am saying. Just give me a chance."
186-pounder has 4.65 speed
Here are those measurables, to which the scout alluded: Fletcher stands a shade over 5 feet, 9 inches. He weighs 186 pounds, up from 180 last season. He was clocked at4.65 seconds in the 40-yard dash during USM's Pro Day in March. He was measured at 38 inches in a standing vertical jump. Only the last of those measurables would be considered a huge plus. The rest are sub-par.
Now then, here is what doesn't show up in those measurables. For 5 to 10 yards, Fletcher is as fast, as quick, as they come. You could play him in a game of tag on a handball court and never touch him. He's that quick. He is as fast coming out of a cut as he was going into it. He can stop and start, as the saying goes, on a dime. His full speed may not be what you want, but he gets to his full speed as fast as any I've seen. What's more, he has the hands of a wide receiver. He'll catch anything thrown his way.
"I understand those guys (the scouts) have a job to do," USM coach Larry Fedora said. "They put so much stock into the measurables, and I kind of understand that. But you can't measure what's in the guy's chest. You can't measure his passion. I'm just saying, not everybody at the next level has that passion for the game that Fletch has. Whoever gets him into camp is going to get a heckuva player."
Durable, can make 'em miss
These next measurables should count for something. In four straight 1,000-yard seasons at USM, Fletcher ran for 5,302 yards and 5.3 yards per carry. He scored 46 touchdowns. He played through injuries, which is something Fedora says the pros should consider.
"People are worried about him getting hurt because of his size," Fedora said. "The fact is he is extremely durable. He has that knack for not taking a hard lick. He avoids hard hits and he almost always delivers a harder blow than he receives. He gets after it. Maybe he doesn't have breakaway speed, but he'll get you 4 or 5 yards just about every time and you don't have to block 'em all for him to get those yards because he'll make 'em miss."
Fletcher plans no big draft party this weekend. He knows chances are, there won't be a reason to celebrate.
"I'll hang out and chill with my friends and family down here," he said.
If he gets drafted, fine, he said.
If he doesn't, he'll wait for somebody to call and offer him a chance, he said.
"Nobody drafted Pierre Thomas," Fletcher said. "He signed as a free agent, and he was the starting running back on the Super Bowl champions."
Thomas was indeed. He ran a 4.65 coming out of college, too.
To which scouts would reply, "Yes, but Pierre Thomas also weighs 215 pounds."
Those measurables, again.
Reach Rick Cleveland at [email protected]
DAL @ GB
