Why Was DJK Cut By the CFL and the Barnstormers?

[MelroseHawkins]

He fumbled a bit during pre-season ball last fall in the NFL.

Oh yea. I remember that. I'm sure the execs do worry about that with his smaller frame.

 

[Ree4]

I thought he was elusive enough to know how to avoid hard hits. This is why I think he'd be that good 3rd down back that can catch. The elusiveness factor I think is what also benefited Sproles.

I'd agree, his elusiveness was very important for his ability and was important to his longevity, but I feel his lower center of gravity helped his longevity even more. Even getting hit indirectly hurts, having a thicker body helps absorb that

 

[Fryowa]

I almost refuse to think a healthy Wadley can't play in the league. He isn't a bell cow back sure. But he can play 20 snaps with 10-12 touches a game no problem at that level. Some of his best games in college were against PSU and Michigan. For peats sake if you can do what he did against them he can play against the pros too. Just needs the right team/fit

NFL scouts get paid six figures to see that stuff, and 32 teams' worth didn't think he'd work. Too small.

He's playing well in the AAF but not tearing it up, and that's basically NFL practice squadders.

 

[Fryowa]

KF is that you?

Players fall thru the cracks at the college level and the NFL level. Remember a guy named Kurt Warner coming close to a career at Hy-Vee instead of the NFL? If size guaranteed playing time NFL WR Willies would've started ahead of the skinny feel-good story.

AW isn't falling through the cracks. What more could he ask for exposure? He had 3 years of playing in the B1G, and he's playing for the AAF now. I've watched every Atlanta game, and it's not like he's getting screwed over by bad blocks or bad passes.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

NFL scouts get paid six figures to see that stuff, and 32 teams' worth didn't think he'd work. Too small.

He's playing well in the AAF but not tearing it up, and that's basically NFL practice squadders.

Theirs smaller backs than him that have played and still playing. Sproles, Jaquiz Rodgers, Trindon Holiday, Tarik Cohen to name a few. It's not just size. It's probably a combination of his lack of game breaking speed (40 time wasn't all that good) and maybe fumbles. It's a team/fit thing too. On the right team he could easily handle 10 touches a game. I wouldn't give him 20 plus though but more and more teams aren't doing that even with their bell cow. 20 is almost the line in the sand for what they want to give most backs anyway. Don't get me wrong he's not capable of doing what McCaffery is being asked to do in Carolina. But for handful of snaps a game he can do some of that.

 

[Fryowa]

Theirs smaller backs than him that have played and still playing. Sproles, Jaquiz Rodgers, Trindon Holiday, Tarik Cohen to name a few. It's not just size. It's probably a combination of his lack of game breaking speed (40 time wasn't all that good) and maybe fumbles. It's a team/fit thing too. On the right team he could easily handle 10 touches a game. I wouldn't give him 20 plus though but more and more teams aren't doing that even with their bell cow. 20 is almost the line in the sand for what they want to give most backs anyway. Don't get me wrong he's not capable of doing what McCaffery is being asked to do in Carolina. But for handful of snaps a game he can do some of that.

I don’t disagree that other small guys have played, I just think that 3 full years in the Big Ten, a full camp and preseason play with the Titans, and some time in the AAF is more than most guys get for evaluation; if there was a legit place in the NFL a scout would have seen it by now.

 

[HawkleberryFinn]

DJK could’ve been the first Colin kaepernick, a Nike rep, if he’d would’ve but released his tell-all book.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

I don’t disagree that other small guys have played, I just think that 3 full years in the Big Ten, a full camp and preseason play with the Titans, and some time in the AAF is more than most guys get for evaluation; if there was a legit place in the NFL a scout would have seen it by now.

I don't feel it's about a scout so much as it is just a GM/coach having the right spot available providing the right opportunity. Not to mention Wadleys agent has to be pounding the phone putting him out there. Some of the agents out there I think aren't worth their weight in sand.