Not many young men get to live the dream of becoming a professional athlete. They are driven away with the fear of failure. They are beaten down with the numbers and probabilities that tell them that it will be unlikely success. After all, according to most studies, only two percent of senior college football players make it to the National Football League that holds a little more than 1500 men. One must wonder what makes a few senior ball players from Texas Southern University think that they have a chance.
On a cool Monday morning, the senior tigers gave the scouts something to talk about as they witnessed all of their hard work being displayed on a chilly Monday afternoon. They were tested in speed, agility, power, and explosiveness by a group of NFL scouts from all over the country to see if they have what it takes to compete at the next level.
The SWAC champion football team consisted of some of the best talent in black college football and boasted the best defense in the FCS anchored by seniors like DejuanFulghum, Charles Smith, Jashaad Gaines, Joseph Warren, Kelvin Pooler, Arvell Nelson, Fred Gaines, Matt Hardrick, William Osborne and Curtis Thomas.
Although the average linebacker possesses a bulky 6’2” 240 pound body, Fulghum hopes to prove to the scouts that his 6’0” 224 pound frame will be outweighed by the tenacity and heart that he showed on the field that led to the achievement of the Black College Defensive Player of the Year Award and SWAC Defensive Player of the Year.
“I will always feel like I have something to prove until I play in my first NFL football game. The critics can say what they want until I win a starting job on the next level,” Fulghum said.
Fulghum had an exceptional performance running a mid 4.6 forty-yard dash and maxed out at 25 reps on the 225 pound bench press.
"Overall, I believe I did very well. I competed well with the other players at my position around the country.”
Fulghum hopes to follow in the footsteps of TSU alum Michael Strahan, who also won
SWAC defensive player of the year in 1992, and had a successful NFL career.
"I’m right in the mix with everybody. Looking at my accolades and film along with my performance I belong with the other Top rated linebackers on the draft boards.”
Thomas, who was also a first team SWAC selection from the 212 degree defense, had the scouts’ attention all morning with an explosive pro day performance as a defensive back. He gave the scouts a 4.5 forty yard dash, 18 reps of the 225 pound bench press, and a 37 inch vertical jump.
“Curtis Thomas did exceptionally well, but I’ve seen him training hard with me this whole time so I wasn’t surprised that he performed well,” Fulghum said.
Osborne, also a former All-American, had questions to answer from the scouts who needed to know if he still had the same burst that he possessed before a season ending injury last season. Osborne had to prove that with his 5’6” frame he could be a durable threat at the next level.
“I think I came out even with a lot of the all-purpose players around but I know at my size I have to run 4.3 with no problems,” Osborne said.I feel good about all the drills but I wanted to run a faster 40.”
Osborne ran in the mid 4.4 range in his forty-yard dash and gave the scouts a hint of the explosion that we saw from him during the 2008 season.
“I feel like I performed to the best of my ability, I look back on my career and my performance and I have no regrets.”
Osborne and Warren are two players that have to face questions about their size, but where they lack in height and weight, they make up for in speed and quickness.
“You’re going to get a player that gives 100% effort at all times. You get speed, ,quickness, and most of all you’re getting someone with a big heart," Osborne said. "That's something you can't coach."
Osborne, who had also been at TSU the longest of all the seniors, commented that the talent of these seniors had more attention than any of the players that he was here to watch perform in the past.
“We actually had a decent amount of scouts, said Osborne. Compared to other years we would only have like 2 or 3 scouts.”
Smith became known, in his last years as an offensive lineman for the Tigers, as one who would sacrifice his body to get better and help the team. Smith was also a 1st team All-SWAC selection for the tiger offense. Matt Hardrick, Skyler Trimble, and Fred Gaines played along Smith on a tough offensive line that ranked 12th in the FCS in rushing. Gaines gave the scouts a show in the weight room with 33 reps of the 225 pound bench press.
“The seniors this year were in the mindset that they would take time and train. Everyone stayed during spring break so everyone finished their drills at top speed and we were in condition,” Osborne said.
Nelson is another senior who had a lot to prove to the scouts after an up and down season as quarterback for the Tigers. In spite of a rough start, he ended up leading the Tigers to the SWAC championship. There were still questions of whether Nelson could play the quarterback position or not.
“When I was done with my workout one of the scouts came and told me that I would get a shot,” Nelson said. "That's all I needed to hear."
Jashaad Gaines and Kelvin Pooler are two versatile players that could fill in at different spots on an NFL roster. Gaines spent most of his career at outside linebacker but sometimes had to fill in at safety. Pooler came to the team as a tight end, but helped the Tigers to a solid year on special teams as a deep snapper. He had scouts very interested in his snapping skills.
For the first time since the class of 1993, the NFL scouts showed real interest in the talent that TSU had to offer. The seniors who are giving the next level a shot put it all on the line with something that players in the past did not have in their resume. They not only have their hard work, training, and championship attitudes. The scouts want to know what kind of men turned a program from dismal to dominant. They want to know how these young men help jolt the campus of TSU with the spirit of a champion.
