These Hurricanes football prospects are most hurt by workplace effects of coronavirus
A six-pack of Miami Hurricanes notes on a Thursday:
▪ The NFL’s new pre-draft rules that have been implemented during the coronavirus pandemic — which ban prospect workouts, visits or any in-person contact with players — are particularly hurtful to small school players who needed the extra exposure in front of NFL teams.
But it’s also hurtful to fringe prospects who weren’t invited to the NFL Combine from some of the bigger schools — a group that includes UM players Pat Bethel, Robert Knowles, Romeo Finley and Chigozie Nnoruka. All four have hired agents. None is likely to be drafted.
But all hoped to parlay strong performances at UM’s Pro Day — and workouts at Dolphins headquarters — into a better chance of landing a contract with an NFL team, or at least a tryout.
But with UM’s Pro Day and the Dolphins’ local day canceled because of the pandemic, Bethel and his agent, Stuart-based Jerome Stone, and Knowles and his agent, Miami-based former Hurricanes player Austin Pfenninger, have been trying to come up with other ways to catch the attention of teams, including sending video packages.
Bethel started last season and had 24 tackles, including 5.5 for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Knowles started nine games last season and had 83 tackles, five passes defended, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and strong contributions on special teams in four years at Miami.
Neither was invited to the Combine. Both are long shots to make the NFL. But neither wants to give up the dream.
“What we’re now doing is putting together a video tape that covers the majority of the Combine exercises - bench press, 40 - to send out to teams to keep them on the radar,” Stone said of Bethel. “We sent Pat to Texas to work with Pete Jenkins, who has trained defensive linemen, and we got film from that as well to send to teams.”
Pfenninger said he tried to get former scouts to come to a South Florida field to run Knowles through a 40-yard dash and other Combine-like tests, with the objective of sending that information to teams, but it never materialized.
“NFL teams will look at workout videos but any 40 times they will disregard unless it’s a former scout or personnel guy from the NFL ranks in attendance,” Pfenninger said. “He and I are bummed about this. He was very excited about the Dolphins local day. I’m trying to send out film to as many teams as possible. I talked to the CFL, which has pushed back its season to at least July; there seems to be some interest.”
Stone said the Seattle Seahawks and another team have reached out to Bethel to schedule an interview.
But for these fringe prospects, the odds of making the NFL - already long - have grown even longer because of the pandemic.
“It has been hurtful for Pat and any of the players who were not projected to be first- or second-round players,” Stone said. “All of the players need as much exposure as they can get.
“What it does for Pat is by not having the Pro Day, the 32 teams that would have been there will have missed out on that opportunity to see him. He had spent eight to ten weeks trying to get ready for that day, and it didn’t happen. Some of the schools that had earlier Pro Days had the benefit of that. But Pat’s state of mind is good. He’s continuing to work out at home.”
▪ Some notes on draft-eligible UM players who attended the Combine: According to a UM source, running back DeeJay Dallas has had FaceTime sessions with the Chargers, Cowboys and 49ers, among others…. Defensive end Trevon Hill, who has some admirers in the scouting community, has spoken with nine teams…. Defensive end Jon Garvin’s video-conferencing sessions have included the Green Bay Packers, and Philadelphia also is intrigued....
Receiver KJ Osborn has been attracting a lot of interest after a very strong NFL Combine showing in which he ran a 4.48 in the 40, had a 37.5-inch vertical, 123-inch broad and a 7.00 time in the three-cone drill. Teams know he has special teams value. This could be the deepest wide receiver class in history, and Osborn could be a third-day pick...
Four teams have done video-conference sessions with linebacker Mike Pinckney, who recently underwent surgery to repair a labrum injury in his hip. He’s telling teams he should be able to play by August.... Because of his issues leaving UM and then returning, Jeff Thomas has the widest variance among UM prospects; he could easily go early in day three or not at all.
▪ Affable UM linebacker Shaq Quarterman, a potential mid-round pick, made a good point to UM’s Christy Chirinos about video conferencing sessions with teams:
“I’m just an in-person type of guy. You know, when you communicate with me in person, I just believe it has a different feel,” Quarterman said. “So, that kind of upsets me a little bit. I’d really like to visit these organizations and these facilities and have the coaches see me work out or have lunch with them, but, I still believe it will work out.”...
Though Trajan Bandy measured at only 5-8 at the NFL Combine, UM people believe he got the most out of his abilities, and cornerbacks coach Mike Rumph said he would tell NFL teams that his “best attribute is he is all ball.
“When you live in a society where you have to worry about social media and acting out outside the game, he literally stays in his house all day and watches film. He’s a film junkie. He’s not going out; you are not going to hear about him getting a DUI or going to clubs. He’s going to work extremely hard, and when the game comes on you will see somebody going full speed.”
▪ UM coach Manny Diaz, to WSVN-Fox 7 about the daily structure that Miami has achieved during the pandemic:
“We have developed a little bit of a routine,” Diaz said. “As a staff we’re with our players every morning. We wanted our coaching staff to be the first people our players interact with every day. Whether it’s a team meeting, offensive meeting, defensive meeting, academics - we have a staff meeting late in the morning and we spend the entire afternoon as an offensive, defensive staff going over recruiting film, scouting opponents for the fall.”
Via video-conferencing, UM position groups continue meeting with their coach at various times on weekdays. For wide receivers, there’s a regular 10:45 a.m. session with Rob Likens, with offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee also involved.
Defensive line coach Todd Stroud said he has a regular 10 a.m meeting, via Zoom, with his defensive linemen. They talk about “academics and navigating through these crazy times,” Stroud said.
Stroud said UM hasn’t yet given players tape of early-season opponents Temple, Wagner, UAB and Michigan State.
“We’re worrying about Miami [at this point], looking at some unwatched film from spring and showing individual drills,” Stroud said. “And they’re doing what they can do from a conditioning standpoint without putting themselves at risk.”
▪ Couple other notable things from Diaz from that WSVN interview. He continues to take accountability for last year’s disappointing 6-7 season.
He said he must “find ways I have to improve doing my job; the accountability starts with me.. In any line of work the work level is going to increase the better people you get in your organization. I’m very impressed with the coaches we were able to hire. The team notices the difference.
“And some of the new guys we brought in on the roster, everyone senses a little different bond in this team than we had in the past. We have to prove it on the field, but I’m encouraged by what I’ve seen so far.“
And on quarterback D’Eriq King, Diaz said: “Forget about the four spring practices, just the way he worked in the offseason program. The thing we noticed about D’Eriq on the field is not just the way he throws, but the way he connects with teammates. We had a running back in the first four practices break a run down the field and all of a sudden D’Eriq is three steps behind sprinting to celebrate with his teammate. He’s a guy that understands the quarterback position, connects with all his teammates and that’s been impressive early on.”
▪ Quick stuff: UM envisions Mike Harley Jr. and Xavier Restrepo as the primary slot receivers, and Marshall Few — now on scholarship — also impressed in the slot early in spring practice…. Former UM tight end Brian Polendey transferred to Colorado State, joining former UM defensive end Scott Patchan in Fort Collins....
Rivals.com recruiting analyst Corey Evans said of new five-star UM basketball signing Earl Timberlake: “A 6-foot-5, strong and well-built wing that can arguably play all three positions in the backcourt, toughness will never be lacking with Timberlake. He is a well-rounded playmaker that can be used on and off of the ball. The lefty is ready-to-go perimeter defender that is one of the top competitors in his class....
“Not a great perimeter shooter, Timberlake is a more than capable mid-range scorer that can create for others and himself. A top standout on the Nike EYBL circuit this summer, Timberlake showed the ability to flourish in whichever role that he was placed. He posted per-game averages of 18.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. Next fall, four-star forward Matt Cross will join Timberlake at Miami which creates a top-25 recruiting class entering the early signing period next week.”
This story was originally published April 16, 2020 at 4:29 PM.
