FIU star D’Vonte Price puts NFL opportunity on pause for one more collegiate season
For two months, running back D’Vonte Price struggled with the biggest decision of his life.
Price could apply for the NFL Draft — which several agents were urging him to do — or he could return to FIU for one more season.
“I had a different decision every day,” Price said. “I’d wake up one day and say, ‘I’m going.’ The next day, I would say, ‘Nah, I’m staying.’
“I had agents in my ear. I had family telling me, ‘You should go.’
“Ultimately, I felt the best decision for me was to come back, put more on film and have a successful season with my brothers.”
Price said the experience was stressful.
“Some of the people who I thought would say, ‘Do what’s best for you’ … They were pushing me to go to the NFL. I felt they were wanting me to go for the wrong reasons.
“But I did what I felt was best for me, not taking into consideration what everybody else felt.”
Price, a 6-2, 215-pounder with speed, is ranked Conference USA’s sixth-best prospect for the 2022 NFL Draft, according to Lindy’s magazine.
In just five games last year, he rushed for 581 yards, four touchdowns and a 6.84-yard average that led C-USA. He was also 10th in the nation in yards per game.
Price said he felt Tim Harris Jr., who had been his running backs coach at FIU since he signed, “had my best interests at heart.” Price said the same was true about FIU coach Butch Davis and strength coach Andreu Swasey.
But about two months after Price had made his December decision to stay, Harris bolted FIU for UCF, where he will serve as co-offensive coordinator.
“When I first heard that news, it was like a heartbreak,” Price said. “He always believed in me. He pushed me, even when I thought he was being too hard. He just wanted me to be the best I could be.”
After Harris left, Davis promoted Sean Binckes — who was an FIU graduate assistant last year — to running backs coach.
“[Harris] would lay the law down,” Price said when asked about the differences between the two coaches. “[Binckes] is more laid back, but he makes sure we know the plays.”
Price knows the plays. In fact, after four years at FIU, he has become a vocal leader, joining Bryce Singleton, Shemar Thornton, Logan Gunderson and Lyndell Hudson as offensive captains.
“I’ve never had to be so vocal before,” Price said. “I’ve always been a leader in the background, not saying much.
“But this year I’ve had to step out of my comfort zone, speaking up and making relationships with guys.”
Price said FIU’s 0-5 record last year was another factor in his return.
“Last year [due to COVID-19], we didn’t bond as a team and have that brotherhood,” he said. “This year has been the best offseason since I’ve been here.
“We’re a player-led team now. We don’t have to have coaches get on dudes. We get on dudes ourselves.”
Price, who is majoring in public administration and is set to earn his Bachelor’s degree in December, has earned some money due to the new NIL [name, image and likeness] rule.
Chicken Kitchen and Diced are among the companies Price is now endorsing.
“It’s been a blessing,” Price said. “My agency is getting me endorsement after endorsement, and it’s come at the perfect time.”
Price, who has exceptionally long hair, was asked if he had ever thought about capitalizing on that fact.
“I’m trying to get Pantene or something,” Price said with a smile. “Somebody needs to get me a shampoo deal. I’m waiting on that.”