Post by Jonel on May 4, 2004 15:11:16 GMT -5
Undrafted rookies are out to prove themselves
By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch
05/02/2004
Rams running backs Steven Jackson (39), Dusty McGroty, (36) and Adam Mathews (26) take a break during the team's minicamp in St. Louis, Friday.
(James A. Finley/AP)
Illinois defensive tackle Jeff Ruffin would like to meet Marshall Faulk and Isaac Bruce. South Dakota cornerback Dwight Anderson wants to meet Aeneas Williams. For Southern Oregon running back Dusty McGrorty, it's Faulk. And for Idaho defensive tackle Brian Howard, it's Kurt Warner.
Actually, Howard ran into Warner, who happened to be at Rams Park on Friday.
"I got to talk to him a little bit in the weight room," Howard said. "We kind of talked about our faith and stuff, because I'm a Christian. So it was kind of neat to talk to him."
But for the most part, the 22 undrafted players at the Rams' rookie minicamp could only sit and wonder as they dressed in a locker room devoid of veteran players over the weekend. Wonder what it would be like to have a locker stall next to Faulk, or Williams, or Bruce on a permanent basis.
"We're out here to make the team," said Howard, who's from Kent, Wash., the same place former Rams tight end Ernie Conwell attended high school. "As an undrafted guy, you've got to prove yourself that much more. People overlook you. So you've got to work hard."
It has been done before. There are examples in recent Rams history of undrafted free agents who have made their mark. Defensive tackle D'Marco Farr, fullback James Hodgins, linebacker London Fletcher, safety Billy Jenkins Jr., kick returner Tony Horne. Mike "The Tackle" Jones, too, although he didn't enter the NFL with the Rams, as did the other examples.
It's safe to assume that two or three players in the current crop of undrafted rookies will make the Rams' opening-day roster.
"We don't know who they're going to be, but there's no question that can happen," coach Mike Martz said. "Teams lately have had more success finding college free agents. You come across an Arlen Harris this way. You come across an Andy King."
There's a story behind every one of the '04 undrafted rookies. It's just that fewer people have heard them.
Howard, for example, is an elite rugby player who was once chosen to play for the U.S. under-19 national team.
Ruffin is related to the late David Ruffin, former lead singer of the Temptations.
Anderson is from Jamaica, but has lived in Connecticut and Queens, N.Y., and played college or junior college football in Arizona and South Dakota.
Southern Mississippi cornerback Corey Yates has had reconstructive surgery on both knees, yet still claims to run a 4.3 in the 40.
As for McGrorty, he posted college numbers than even Faulk would be proud of. In four seasons with Southern Oregon, he gained 5,414 yards and scored 79 touchdowns. That rushing total ranks No. 4 all-time on the NAIA charts.
But McGrorty realizes he's swimming in a much bigger pond these days.
"This is a lot different," he said. "The facility's amazing here. I'm a little bit overwhelmed with the plays thrown at you. We've had to learn more plays right now than I had in my whole offense at Southern Oregon."
Portland State was the largest school to recruit McGrorty out of high school. The Rams were the only team to speak to him after the draft about signing as a free agent, although his agent had heard from Detroit before the draft.
"I had hopes of getting drafted and everything," McGrorty said. "But coming out of an NAIA school, I didn't expect it. I was just hoping to get a shot at playing at the next level."
Howard already is being called a poor man's Brian Young around Rams Park. He's an energetic, nonstop hustler. In football jargon, he's got a "good motor."
He wasn't hard to spot over the weekend. He was the guy running, not walking, back to the end of the line after taking his turn in drills.
"It's something I just kind of try to do all the time," Howard said, with a shrug.
Obviously, such characteristics are held in high regard by the Rams' defense. Defensive line coach Bill Kollar already has stressed that point.
"This team, just watching tape, all four linemen are running around making plays constantly," Howard said. "Hustling. Even the big guys."
Howard is a bigger guy than advertised. He was listed at 278 pounds in college, but weighed in at 295 at minicamp.
"It was disappointing not to get drafted," he said. "It's kind of been like this my whole life. I went to Idaho, barely got a scholarship there. I've kind of been overlooked a lot. So I'm used to it, and maybe that's why I play the way I do. I'm kind of trying to prove something."
Some of the undrafted rookies have more to prove than others. With that Motown sound in his background, Ruffin must show he can sing, and play, in training camp. Rookies have to sing at dinner time. And there's always a chance the rookie show could be revived after being canceled by Martz last training camp.
"I sing a couple tunes in the shower," Ruffin said. "But nothing in public. I've never done anything like that."
That's about to change.
Reporter Jim Thomas
E-mail: jthomas@post-dispatch.com
Phone: 314-340-8197
Courtesy of the St. Louis Post Dispatch
www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/Sports/Rams/7B82D2CAF83C87B386256E89001AE918?OpenDocument&Headline=Undrafted+rookies+are+out+to+prove+themselves
P. S.
Here's a picture of Jeff:
and a link to his bio
fightingillini.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ruffin_jeff00.html
By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch
05/02/2004
Rams running backs Steven Jackson (39), Dusty McGroty, (36) and Adam Mathews (26) take a break during the team's minicamp in St. Louis, Friday.
(James A. Finley/AP)
Illinois defensive tackle Jeff Ruffin would like to meet Marshall Faulk and Isaac Bruce. South Dakota cornerback Dwight Anderson wants to meet Aeneas Williams. For Southern Oregon running back Dusty McGrorty, it's Faulk. And for Idaho defensive tackle Brian Howard, it's Kurt Warner.
Actually, Howard ran into Warner, who happened to be at Rams Park on Friday.
"I got to talk to him a little bit in the weight room," Howard said. "We kind of talked about our faith and stuff, because I'm a Christian. So it was kind of neat to talk to him."
But for the most part, the 22 undrafted players at the Rams' rookie minicamp could only sit and wonder as they dressed in a locker room devoid of veteran players over the weekend. Wonder what it would be like to have a locker stall next to Faulk, or Williams, or Bruce on a permanent basis.
"We're out here to make the team," said Howard, who's from Kent, Wash., the same place former Rams tight end Ernie Conwell attended high school. "As an undrafted guy, you've got to prove yourself that much more. People overlook you. So you've got to work hard."
It has been done before. There are examples in recent Rams history of undrafted free agents who have made their mark. Defensive tackle D'Marco Farr, fullback James Hodgins, linebacker London Fletcher, safety Billy Jenkins Jr., kick returner Tony Horne. Mike "The Tackle" Jones, too, although he didn't enter the NFL with the Rams, as did the other examples.
It's safe to assume that two or three players in the current crop of undrafted rookies will make the Rams' opening-day roster.
"We don't know who they're going to be, but there's no question that can happen," coach Mike Martz said. "Teams lately have had more success finding college free agents. You come across an Arlen Harris this way. You come across an Andy King."
There's a story behind every one of the '04 undrafted rookies. It's just that fewer people have heard them.
Howard, for example, is an elite rugby player who was once chosen to play for the U.S. under-19 national team.
Ruffin is related to the late David Ruffin, former lead singer of the Temptations.
Anderson is from Jamaica, but has lived in Connecticut and Queens, N.Y., and played college or junior college football in Arizona and South Dakota.
Southern Mississippi cornerback Corey Yates has had reconstructive surgery on both knees, yet still claims to run a 4.3 in the 40.
As for McGrorty, he posted college numbers than even Faulk would be proud of. In four seasons with Southern Oregon, he gained 5,414 yards and scored 79 touchdowns. That rushing total ranks No. 4 all-time on the NAIA charts.
But McGrorty realizes he's swimming in a much bigger pond these days.
"This is a lot different," he said. "The facility's amazing here. I'm a little bit overwhelmed with the plays thrown at you. We've had to learn more plays right now than I had in my whole offense at Southern Oregon."
Portland State was the largest school to recruit McGrorty out of high school. The Rams were the only team to speak to him after the draft about signing as a free agent, although his agent had heard from Detroit before the draft.
"I had hopes of getting drafted and everything," McGrorty said. "But coming out of an NAIA school, I didn't expect it. I was just hoping to get a shot at playing at the next level."
Howard already is being called a poor man's Brian Young around Rams Park. He's an energetic, nonstop hustler. In football jargon, he's got a "good motor."
He wasn't hard to spot over the weekend. He was the guy running, not walking, back to the end of the line after taking his turn in drills.
"It's something I just kind of try to do all the time," Howard said, with a shrug.
Obviously, such characteristics are held in high regard by the Rams' defense. Defensive line coach Bill Kollar already has stressed that point.
"This team, just watching tape, all four linemen are running around making plays constantly," Howard said. "Hustling. Even the big guys."
Howard is a bigger guy than advertised. He was listed at 278 pounds in college, but weighed in at 295 at minicamp.
"It was disappointing not to get drafted," he said. "It's kind of been like this my whole life. I went to Idaho, barely got a scholarship there. I've kind of been overlooked a lot. So I'm used to it, and maybe that's why I play the way I do. I'm kind of trying to prove something."
Some of the undrafted rookies have more to prove than others. With that Motown sound in his background, Ruffin must show he can sing, and play, in training camp. Rookies have to sing at dinner time. And there's always a chance the rookie show could be revived after being canceled by Martz last training camp.
"I sing a couple tunes in the shower," Ruffin said. "But nothing in public. I've never done anything like that."
That's about to change.
Reporter Jim Thomas
E-mail: jthomas@post-dispatch.com
Phone: 314-340-8197
Courtesy of the St. Louis Post Dispatch
www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/Sports/Rams/7B82D2CAF83C87B386256E89001AE918?OpenDocument&Headline=Undrafted+rookies+are+out+to+prove+themselves
P. S.
Here's a picture of Jeff:
and a link to his bio
fightingillini.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ruffin_jeff00.html
