Crew Of JMU Prospects Confident In NFL Chances
These former James Madison standouts have all previously envisioned the next step.
Maybe trading their home games at Bridgeforth Stadium for ones inside Lambeau Field, Arrowhead or Gillette Stadium. Perhaps putting away the purple and gold attire for the iconic powder blues or traditional silver and black uniforms.
“This is something that’s been at the top of my mind since I started playing football in seventh grade,” quarterback Ben DiNucci said. “I think every kid’s dream growing up is to play at the highest level possible. And just to have that validation that an NFL team likes the skill set I possess or what I could bring to their team, and shoot, just to go out there and show what I can do, is all I can ask for.”
When DiNucci and each of his ex-JMU teammates first believed that they could make it as a pro varies, but over the next few days is when they can earn their initial opportunity via the NFL Draft or free agency afterward.
“Mine was later on, I guess,” wide receiver Riley Stapleton said, “probably when I played against N.C. State my redshirt junior year and had some success against them. I scored a touchdown, but just playing against an ACC opponent, I kind of thought right there that if I keep working at this thing maybe I’d get an opportunity to play in the NFL.”
The seven-round event begins with the first round on Thursday at 8 p.m., continues with rounds two and three on Friday, and then concludes with the remaining four rounds on Saturday. The draft – happening completely virtually, with clubs making their selections remotely this year due to COVID-19 – will be televised on ABC, ESPN, and the NFL Network.
And Day 3 is likely when the majority of Dukes will learn their fate – either by being drafted in the later rounds or contacted by an NFL club to ink an undrafted free agent contract immediately following the NFL Draft.
“I’ve probably gotten three hours of sleep over the last week,” defensive end Ron’Dell Carter, the Dukes’ top prospect, said. “I’ve been up all night until five o’clock in the morning, six in the morning, seven in the morning. I just can’t sleep. I’ve been anxious and this week has been taking forever.
“It’s just like ‘Can Saturday hurry up?’ Because the reality is when Saturday actually hits, I’m going to be on a professional team and that’s going to be a huge moment for me.”
Many projections or mock drafts have Carter pegged somewhere between a fifth- and seventh-round selection, and he said that’s consistent with what he’s been hearing from his agent and NFL personnel. If he goes undrafted, he’s confident he’ll be able to sign a contract quickly, he said.
Should Carter or DiNucci, who said he’s heard from some teams he could go in the sixth or seventh round, or any other JMU product be chosen during the draft, it’ll mark the second straight year a former member of the Dukes is drafted. Last year, former cornerback Jimmy Moreland was a seventh-round choice of the Washington Redskins. If two JMU players are drafted this week, it’ll be the first NFL Draft since 2010 – the year Buffalo chose Arthur Moats and Jacksonville picked Scotty McGee – that two former Dukes are taken.
Carter, a consensus FCS All-American this past fall and participant in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, said dating back to the all-star game he’s met or spoken with 30 of the 32 NFL franchises which include six Zoom or FaceTime interviews over the last month. DiNucci said he’s had conversations with 15 teams, and FaceTime meetings with six or seven clubs including the Chicago Bears, who had 11 staffers – most prominently general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy – on the call with the quarterback.
Beyond Carter and DiNucci, cornerback Rashad Robinson said he’s done a few interviews with teams inquiring about his health and medical records after his successful bounce-back season in which he tallied 52 tackles, three interceptions and 11 pass breakups on the heels of missing all of the 2018 season with turf toe.
“A lot of guys got hurt by not having a pro day,” Robinson said, “because it was our last chance to get in front of scouts to show we’re healthy and things like that, so to have teams still reaching out, it’s a blessing and it does make you feel good.”
The Dukes’ pro day, which was scheduled for March 19, never happened due to the coronavirus. But according to JMU’s NFL Draft hopefuls, they don’t feel as if the lack of a pro day is a hindrance to their chances.
Robinson has kept in shape by working out with Moreland. DiNucci said to keep sharp, he’s thrown passes to Riley and tight end Dylan Stapleton a couple of times at Indiana University of Pennsylvania since the three are western Pennsylvania natives.
Wide receiver Brandon Polk ran a 4.28 40-yard dash at a private pro day in front of former Atlanta Falcons general manager Ken Herock to gain added interest. Carter, fellow defensive end John Daka, who led the FCS in sacks and tackles for loss in 2019, and safety Adam Smith said they each had video of themselves running through drills that their respective agents were able to send to scouts.
Daka said he ran a 4.48 40-yard dash on tape and Smith said during a pro day his agency set up he ran a 4.49 40-yard dash and hit 17 reps on the bench press.
“If there were things that I could’ve done myself that I didn’t do, then I’d be more nervous,” Daka said. “But I put everything I had on the line and did everything I could do, so the ball is in their court and I’m confident knowing I did everything I could.
“I’m just excited. I’m excited to live a childhood dream of mine.”
Daka had virtual meetings with four different teams, he said, and Smith said he’s spoken to four teams as well.
“I don’t necessarily think I’m going to get drafted, but a phone call after the draft would be pretty cool,” Smith said.
Center Mac Patrick said he’s drawn interest from the Baltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders and is hoping his film will be impressive enough to gain an NFL opportunity. Patrick played in 43 consecutive games over the course of his Dukes career.
“It’s a bummer pro day didn’t happen,” Patrick said, “but on the positive side, they can only judge you from your film, especially from this last year. And I’m definitely confident in my film and what I put on tape, so especially for me since I wasn’t going to put any crazy numbers up on pro day anyway, what’s going to get my name out there is my film.
“And I played to my strengths [last season]. I’m not the biggest guy, so I played to my strengths of being quicker and more mobile than the other guys and [offensive line coach Damian Wroblewksi] really helped me with that. I was able to exploit some guys who were a little bigger, but weren’t as quick or agile as I was.”
Riley Stapleton said multiple teams have asked if he is willing to make a position change from wide receiver to tight end, and that because Dylan made the same switch from high school to college that he believes he can. Both Stapleton brothers have had interviews with a few different clubs, they said.
“We’re anxious, we’re excited and obviously, it’s been a pretty long process,” Dylan, who succeeded at JMU the past two years after transferring from Division II Slippery Rock, said. “There were obviously some ups and downs with pro day being canceled and the schedule change with having to come back home to work out, but I think when all is said and done, we have a lot to look forward to and we’re excited about it.”
JMU coach Curt Cignetti said: “Even though the way the NFL is conducting business has changed, the number of spots they have to fill hasn’t. So while they didn’t have the opportunity to do a pro day, most of the teams across the country didn’t either. And so, people have to fill roster spots and those opportunities are going to be there. I think we have a number of excellent prospects that played last year as seniors and are going to have a great opportunity to stick on a roster and I’m excited to see where they all end up.”