2017 UDFA thread

[Bolt-O]

OL Dillon DeBoer, Florida Atlantic

[Formula 21]

Austin Ekeler, a 5-foot-9 running back out of Division II Western State Colorado University in Gunnison, could join Robinette as a late-round steal or an undrafted free agent. And he’s another still working toward his business degree, which he plans to complete next spring.

A finalist for the 2016 Harlon Hill Trophy, awarded to Division II football’s top player, Ekeler ran for 1,495 yards last season to rank fifth in the nation. He closed out his four years at Western State with a school record 5,857 rushing yards.

The Eaton native padded his resume last month with an impressive showing in front of scouts from all 32 NFL teams at Colorado’s pro day in Boulder. His 40-yard dash clocked in at 4.43 seconds, which would have been the fourth-fastest time among running backs at the 2017 combine had he been invited. Even more impressive? His 40.5-inch vertical leap would have tied for sixth among all participants at the combine.

[Bolt-O]

Patton story

http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/index.ssf/2017/04/chargers_sign_rutgers_wr_andre_patton_as_undrafted_free.html

The Wilmington, Del. native had 90 catches for 1,164 yards and 10 touchdowns over 44 games in his career, which was marked by constant changes at quarterback and playing second fiddle to Leonte Carroo. He had career-highs of 460 yards and five touchdowns in 2016, with Carroo off to the Miami Dolphins as a rookie third-round draft pick.

"I feel like I have some pretty good film," Patton said before the draft, "but I think some people overshadow me because of how their numbers and how their seasons turned out."

That's why Pro Day was so significant for Patton.

Known more for his sure hands than his speed in college, the 6-foot-3, 198-pounder was a surprise after training at TEST Football Academy. He had the top times in the 40-yard dash (4.40), the 20-yard shuttle (4.12) and the 60-yard shuttle (11.17).

"Coming from the position I was in," Patton said, "it wasn't like, 'You are going to go this round or that round.' It was, 'If you come out here and work your (butt) off and put up good times, then we got something behind us to prove to everyone else that you can compete with the best of the best.'"

Patton attended the Jets, Giants and Eagles local Pro Days and took a post-Pro Day test for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

[Formula 21]

Ekeler, a 5-foot-9, 199-pound bulldozer who maneuvers like a sports car, has proven plenty of pundits wrong just to get this far. He was lightly recruited while wrapping up his multi-sport high school career at Eaton.

Division II Western State Colorado University was the only school recruiting him that was willing to give him a shot at running back. As Ekeler juked, rumbled and charged his way toward becoming arguably the Mountaineers' best running back in program history, he proceeded to make coach Jas Bains and his staff look like masterminds.

He may do the same for whatever NFL front office executive looks beyond Ekeler's modest size and small-school background.

Ekeler left pro scouts somewhat slack-jawed as a surprising star at the University of Colorado's pro day last month.

He was part of a group of non-CU athletes that got whittled down from 15 to two because the scouts in attendance were a bit weary as they had already gone to Colorado State earlier in the day and were headed to the University of Wyoming the next day.

Those scouts were likely glad they stuck around a little longer to get a look at Ekeler.

A standout also on the track and basketball court at Eaton, Ekeler showed off a vertical leap of 40.5 inches — higher than any running back at the NFL combine.

His 40 time was 4.43 seconds and his broad jump was 10-foot-8, which would have ranked him fourth and third, respectively, among running backs at the combine.

After his impressive high jump performance, the scouts in attendance were hooked; intrigued enough to witness and take detailed notes of the rest of his workout.

Ekeler walked into CU's pro day with a point to prove, and he did just that.

"I proved what I was wanting to," he said. "It's kind of intimidating going into it. … Coming from a Division II (school), it's a lot harder just to get looks. So, when the opportunity comes, there's no room for a slip-up."

[Bolt-O]

40.9 vert leap and 200 lbs. I like it.

[Bolt-O]

Jacksonville St. QB Elijah Jenkins as an UDFA

[Millionaire Wussy]

40.9 vert leap and 200 lbs. I like it.

We lucked out he wasn't drafted. Good pickup!

[Formula 21]

PFW's NFL Draft 'late risers': Western State (Co.) RB Austin Ekeler
Ekeler was a star in the Division II ranks and his Pro Day numbers were very impressive
Follow @kfishbain
By KEVIN FISHBAIN - kfishbain@profootballweekly.com
Published: April 18, 2017 — 4:09 p.m.
(Sean Condon - Falcon Sport Shots)
(Sean Condon - Falcon Sport Shots)

In 2016, 38 players were selected in the NFL Draft even though they weren't invited to the Scouting Combine. In the last week before the draft, PFW is introducing fans to "late risers," prospects who didn't go to the Combine but impressed at a Pro Day and are getting attention from NFL teams at the right time.

Austin Ekeler never thought a vertical jump would mean so much.

A Division II running back from Western State (Co.), Ekeler went to Boulder for his Pro Day, but the NFL scouts in attendance had already done Colorado State’s Pro Day earlier and we’re on their way to Wyoming the next day.

Ekeler was one of 15 non-CU players waiting for the Colorado players to wrap up. Once they did, the scouts said they only had time for two workouts, and Ekeler was one.

“It was definitely intimidating,” Ekeler said this week. “They cut a bunch of people that they were going to see somewhere else. It’s not what you expect. I always thought it’d be more of a relaxed kind of thing. The feel of the room is tense. Everyone’s quiet. It’s all on you. Everyone’s looking at you. It was intense. But I enjoyed it.”

Ekeler started with his vertical. Standing 5-foot-8 and 5/8, Ekeler jumped 40.5 inches. That would have been the best at the Combine among running backs.

“[The scouts] wanted to see if they wanted to stick around,” Ekeler said. “I jumped 40 [inches] and they said, ‘Oh, OK, maybe we should stay around so we don’t miss this.’”

Ekeler then ran a 4.43 40, which would rank fourth at the Combine at his position. His 10-foot-8-inch broad jump would have ranked third among backs, along with his 6.85-second three-cone drill.

This D-II running back is squarely on the NFL radar.

Ekeler went to a small Colorado high school and despite 2,300 rushing yards and 43 touchdowns as a senior, he received no interest from the FBS Colorado schools. Of the Division II schools that were interested, only Western State wanted Ekeler to play running back.

“I thought I was under recruited,” Ekeler said. “I had a fire in me. It had pissed me off. I wanted to prove to the world that I could play at the highest level.”

He believes that fire will help him make an NFL roster.

“I showed everything I could to show I could play in the next level again,” he said. “I’m planning on getting another chance, like a redo, at a bigger level, a more competitive level. Throughout college, that same fire stayed with me that I had coming out of high school. It’s still with me now, to say 'Hey, I can actually do this.'

“… We’re small-town kids. I had to work even harder even to get a look. I had to have four great years in college. In a D-1 level, if you have one great year, you can get one good look. Shoot, for D-2, that’s not even close. I understand that.”

It was after Ekeler’s freshman year that he realized he had what it took to play at the next level. He wound up starting nine games as a true freshman, rushed for 1,049 yards and was named the conference’s Freshman of the Year.

As a sophomore, Ekeler set Western’s single-season records with 1,676 rushing yards and 2,903 all-purpose yards. He led all of Division II in 2015, averaging 203.9 all-purpose yards a game. Last season, he was the regular-season rushing champ with 1,495 rushing yards.

Leading up to the draft, Ekeler is training with a group that includes Christian McCaffrey, a player at Ekeler’s same position but with much different fanfare. McCaffrey has the famous bloodlines, played at Stanford, was a Heisman finalist and is expected to be a first-round pick.

Ekeler is scouring NFL teams’ depth charts to see where could be a good fit if he has a choice as an undrafted free agent. He said he’ll watch the draft and pay close attention to which backs go where.

Last summer, Ekeler interned at Noble Energy, where he could have received an offer, but his supervisor there — a big football fan — said, “Pursue your dreams and you can come back to work later.”

Ekeler’s college accomplishments include a 344-yard game … against Western New Mexico, and a 316-yard game with five touchdowns … against Colorado Mines. The level of competition Ekeler faced will be considered his weakness, but he’s not fazed.

“Sure, some teams weren’t as great as the others, but I was consistently putting up numbers, I was consistently showing I could catch the ball out of the backfield, read the right block, outrun people,” Ekeler said. “Just consistency in my game. I think that’s the thing I can lean on the most. For four years, I’ve been at the top. … I’ve been playing at a high level. Maybe the competition isn’t high, but I’ve been playing at a high level for four years. Over the span of four years, that’s given me respect.”

[Bolt-O]

We lucked out he wasn't drafted. Good pickup!

If he has vision and can catch, he could make it. RB's don't need to have 'competition' grades.

[CTrout]

#Chargers signed #Kansas CB Brandon Stewart, represented by @AllanCunanan.

[Bolt-O]

Notre Dame LB James Onwualu

[Formula 21]

#Chargers signed #Kansas CB Brandon Stewart, represented by @AllanCunanan.

And sponsored by @gatorade, presented by @mcdonalds