Giants Draft: Can Da’Rel Scott Revive EWF?
The Giants know Brandon Jacobs won’t be around forever and Ahmad Bradshaw might get the gate if he can’t overcome his propensity for fumbling.
Also, those two were always better when they had a third player rotating with them in the Giants’ backfield, a dynamic that the Giants have not been able to be recapture since Derrick Ward left the club several years ago.
That is why the Giants took RB Da’Rel Scott of Maryland with their final selection in this year’s NFL Draft.
Scott seems to be a logical pick for the Giants. First off, he has the prototypical size (5’10″, 205) and physical makeup that great backs such as Emmitt Smith, Terrell Davis, LaDanian Tomlinson and Tiki Barber had. Of course, he is not as highly regarded as those players were coming out of the collegiate ranks.
Second, he is lighting fast and is extremely versatile. His numbers do not jump out at you simply because he split time at Maryland with Davin Meggett, the son of former Giant David Meggett. The one statistic of Scott’s that does open eyes, however, is his 5.58 yards per carry average.
Scott is a “take it to the house” guy and could be the third gear the Giants have been missing since the EWF days. He is a proficient receiver and – did we mention this – he ran the fastest 40 (4.34) at the NFL Combine in March this year.
Jerry Reese on Scott: “Da’Rel Scott – we took a flyer on the guy because he is big and fast. He is fast, he had a terrific sophomore season. His production fell off, but late in the draft this is what you look for. You look for guys with some redeeming qualities. This guy is big and fast. We hope this guy will come over here and do a Willie Parker, one of those kinds of things. We’re really pleased with our draft class. We look forward to having these guys in here and get going with it.”
Tom Coughlin on Scott: “We had a very good workout with him. And he was very responsive. He worked his tail off; stayed extra, caught the ball well, shows you the kind of speed that he has. If you are even, he is gone. Let’s face it. What I looked at, I believe there was a 71-yarder, a 91-yarder and 61-yarder. And that is limited, shared play time.”
Da’ Rel Scott Official Media Release (courtesy NFL Media Dept)
Da’Rel Scott was also recruited by Virginia, Penn State, Boston College and Georgia Tech before signing his national letter of intent to attend the University of Maryland on July 24th, 2005. He spent the 2006 season with the scout team while adding bulk to his once 185-pound frame. He was originally recruited as a receiver, but made the transition to tailback before his first varsity season.
In 2007, Scott gained 135 yards on fourteen carries (9.6 ypc) while appearing in nine games. His only reception was good for a 57-yard touchdown. Most of his action came as a kickoff returner, totaling 566 yards on 26 run-backs (21.8 avg).
During the 2008 season, in twelve games, Scott gained a career-best 1,133 yards, the seventh-best season total in school history. He also had 209 carries (12th on the Maryland season-record chart), as he averaged 5.4 yards and scored eight times on the ground as a sophomore. He grabbed 21 passes for 171 yards (8.1 avg) and also threw a 9-yard pass for a score in the Wake Forest game.
In 2009, Scott was limited to seven games, starting five of them. He managed only 425 yards on 85 tries (5.0 ypc) while running for four touchdowns. He added 111 yards on twelve catches (9.2 ypc).
During the 2010 winter semester, Scott competed on Maryland’s indoor track team and ran a 60-yard dash in 6.87 seconds, as he claimed to have regained the speed he had in high school. During spring football camp, he recorded the fastest 40-yard dash time among the running backs at 4.33 seconds.
Head coach Ralph Friedgen praised Scott for the strength and size he added in the off-season, and offensive coordinator James Franklin described Scott as a “complete back”. Before the season, Scott was added to the Maxwell Award and Doak Walker Award watch lists.
Maryland entered the 2010 season with Scott and Davin Meggett sharing time as the number-one running back. Friedgen said, “At this point in time, I would say Scott and Meggett are 1A and 1B.” The senior “seized the bull by the horns” and collected 708 yards on 122 carries (5.8 ypc), finding the end zone five times. He snared 14 passes for 170 yards (12.1 ypc) and a touchdown and also completed a 4-yard pass for a score vs. Clemson.
In his final collegiate game, vs. East Carolina in the Military Bowl, Scott rushed for a career-high 200 yards on 13 carries, including two touchdowns on 61- and 91-yard runs. He was named the game’s Most Valuable Player, as he broke the school record for rushing in a bowl game that he previously set in 2008.
His performance was described as “utterly electrifying”, and left his “stock among draft-eligible running backs soaring with NFL scouts”. After that performance, he was invited to play in the East–West Shrine Game and the prestigious Senior Bowl.
CAREER NOTES
Scott started 29-of-41 games at Maryland, carrying 430 times for 2,401 yards (5.58 ypc) and seventeen th touchdowns…Even though he had just three games with more than 20 rushing attempts, his 430 carries rank 12 school all-time record list…His 209 attempts as a sophomore also rank 12th on the UM season-record chart…Became just the tenth player in Maryland history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a career, ranking seventh on the Terps’ all-time record chart with his 2,401 yards…Ranks seventh on the school season-record list with 1,133 yards rushing in 2008…His 200 yards on the ground vs. East Carolina at the 2010 Military Bowl set the school bowl game record, topping his own mark of 174 yards vs. Nevada at the 2008 Humanitarian Bowl…He also became the 16th player in Maryland annals to rush for at least 200 yards in a game…His average of 5.58 yards per rushing attempt is topped by only Chet Hanulak (8.13 ypc, 1951-53) on the Terps’ career-record chart…Ran for over 100 yards in eight games as a Terrapin, the fourth-best total in school annals… Also caught 48 passes for 509 yards (10.60 ypc) and four touchdowns…Gained 599 yards on 28 kickoff returns (21.39 avg), as he also completed 2-of-3 passes (66.67%) for 13 yards and two touchdowns…Ranks eighth in school history with 3,509 all-purpose yards, as his 509 touches rank ninth on the Terps career-record chart…Is just one of four players in school history to post 2,000 career rushing yards and 500 receiving yards (also LaMont Jordan, Rick Badjanek and Alvin Blount).
2010 SEASON
on the Super Sleeper Team and All-Atlantic Coast Conference third-team selection by The NFL Draft Report…Named Military Bowl Most Valuable Player after setting the school post-season rushing yardage record vs. East Carolina…Shared tailback duties with Davin Meggett, but started all thirteen games…Carried 122 times for 708 yards (5.81 ypc) and five touchdowns…Ran for over 100 yards twice (Florida International and East Carolina)…Had fourteen receptions
for 170 yards (12.14 ypc) and three touchdowns…Added 33 yards on a pair of kickoff returns and also threw a 4-yard pass for a touchdown vs. Clemson…Gained 911 all-purpose yards, ranking second on the team, as he averaged 70.08 yards per game.
2009 SEASON
A consensus All-Atlantic Coast Conference preseason selection, Scott was limited to seven games that included five starting assignments due to a series of injuries…The junior totaled 425 yards with four touch-downs on 85 carries (5.00 ypc), as he made 12 catches for 111 yards (9.25 ypc), finishing with 536 all-purpose yards, an average of 76.57 yards per game…Turned the ball over three times on fumbles – twice vs. Middle Tennessee and once vs. Rutgers.
2008 SEASON
Scott earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference first-team honors from the Associated Press and the league’s media…Played in twelve games, starting eleven…Led the team, ranked second in the ACC and 30th in the nation with 209 carries (12th on the school season-record list) for 1,133 yards (seventh in Maryland season annals) and eight touchdowns, averaging 5.42 yards per carry…Caught 21 passes for 171 yards (8.14 ypc) and completed 1-of-2 passes that included a 9-yard score vs. Wake Forest…Ran for over 100 yards five times, tied for fourth on the school season-record chart…Named the Terps’ Most Improved Offensive Player after the season.
2007 SEASON
Scott was named to the Freshman All-Atlantic Coast Conference team…Rushed for 135 yards on 14 attempts (9.64 ypc) and caught one pass for a 57-yard score…Gained 566 yards on 26 kickoff returns (21.77 avg), as he amassed 758 all- purpose yards, an average of 84.22 yards per game.
2006 SEASON
Red-shirted as a freshman…Named offensive scout team player of the week for his work in practice leading up to the Florida State contest.
CAMPUS AGILITY TESTS
4.34 in the 40-yard dash…1.47 10-yard dash…2.50 20-yard dash…4.20 20-yard shuttle…6.92 three-cone drill…34-inch vertical jump…9’9” broad jump…Bench pressed 225 pounds 18 times…32 1⁄4-inch arm length…9 1/8-inch hands…74 3/8- inch wingspan.
About John Fennelly
Managing Editor of SNY.tv's Giants Football Blog - the ultimate destination for New York Giants' news, opinion and entertainment. View all posts by John Fennelly →-
Thetokyothinktank
-
Mickster
-
Anonymous
-
Touchdownmaker
-
http://www.facebook.com/amilcar.cuevas Amilcar Cuevas
-
Mickster
