waving monkey
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IRVING, Texas – Rico Gathers’ signature, freshly inked on an NFL contract Friday morning, emphasizes one of the most dramatic transitions in recent Cowboys’ history.
After all, it was a mere one month ago that Gathers was drafted as a college basketball All-American with next-to-no football experience. It was as recently as March that Gathers averaged 11 points and nine rebounds for Baylor’s basketball team.
Gathers’ potential as an NBA prospect was limited, which is hardly unusual. What is unusual was the decision he made next – to declare for the 2016 NFL Draft, despite a nine-year hiatus from football.
Judging by his newly-signed Cowboys contract, it’s a decision that paid off.
“I have to look at this like it’s the last job I’ll ever have and I just have to get caught up,” Gathers said. “Now that I have the playbook, the little things come quicker and it’s just about studying and understanding my assignments. The coaches treat me like a football player and they expect me to know what I’m doing.”
The Cowboys picked up the athletic tight end prospect in the sixth round, and his potential seems to outweigh the riskiness of drafting a player with no proven football success.
Luckily for Gathers, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said the staff won’t be putting too much stock in their players’ pasts, only in how they perform at practice.
“The only thing that matters is what you do now,” Garrett said. “It doesn’t really matter when you were drafted, you’re getting an opportunity and we as coaches are going to use our eyes to evaluate. We aren’t going to go back into the history and we aren’t going to watch the college tape.”
link/http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2...evel-continuing-grow-during-offseason-program
After all, it was a mere one month ago that Gathers was drafted as a college basketball All-American with next-to-no football experience. It was as recently as March that Gathers averaged 11 points and nine rebounds for Baylor’s basketball team.
Gathers’ potential as an NBA prospect was limited, which is hardly unusual. What is unusual was the decision he made next – to declare for the 2016 NFL Draft, despite a nine-year hiatus from football.
Judging by his newly-signed Cowboys contract, it’s a decision that paid off.
“I have to look at this like it’s the last job I’ll ever have and I just have to get caught up,” Gathers said. “Now that I have the playbook, the little things come quicker and it’s just about studying and understanding my assignments. The coaches treat me like a football player and they expect me to know what I’m doing.”
The Cowboys picked up the athletic tight end prospect in the sixth round, and his potential seems to outweigh the riskiness of drafting a player with no proven football success.
Luckily for Gathers, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said the staff won’t be putting too much stock in their players’ pasts, only in how they perform at practice.
“The only thing that matters is what you do now,” Garrett said. “It doesn’t really matter when you were drafted, you’re getting an opportunity and we as coaches are going to use our eyes to evaluate. We aren’t going to go back into the history and we aren’t going to watch the college tape.”
link/http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2...evel-continuing-grow-during-offseason-program