INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -Dan Whalen doesn’t look much like an NFL hopeful.
The slender 6-foot-1 quarterback from Case Western Reserve has been hanging around at the NFL Scouting Combine, accompanying agent Ronald Todd while trying to meet team representatives. He wasn’t invited to participate, despite being a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy last season, which honors the nation’s top Division III player.
Whalen looked comfortable wearing a buttoned-up shirt and mingling with media members and league officials, perhaps because he was a public relations intern for the Cleveland Browns last season. On game days, he ran statistics to reporters in the press box and helped with locker room interviews.
He also was an intern for Sports Illustrated in the summer of 2008. But for now, he’s not interested in wearing a press pass. Not after throwing for 9,720 yards and 87 touchdowns in his college career. He will have his Pro Day on March 12 at Ohio State, and he hopes – even expects – to get a shot in the league.
” he said. “I think with every opportunity I get, I can make the most of it, maybe start an NFL game and see what happens from there.”
His mentor, former Browns coach Sam Rutigliano, has said Whalen’s strengths are his accuracy, intelligence, leadership and determination.
He believes in himself, even if his friends aren’t sure the 190-pounder has a chance.
“What’s your plan B? That’s what they always ask.”
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FROM HAITI TO COMBINE: Vladimir Ducasse’s journey from Haiti, to the University of Massachusetts and then to the NFL Combine has been a long and unlikely one.
Ducasse was sent to live with an uncle in the United States at age 14 while his father stayed in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. He didn’t play football until his junior year of high school, when coaches and friends persuaded the then-275-pounder to try out.
He chose to attend Massachusetts, even though larger schools pursued him after his initial decision. He developed into an All-American offensive tackle, played in the Senior Bowl, and now, the 6-foot-5, 330 pounder is at the combine.
“Not too many small-school players get the chances I get, so there’s a lot of pride behind it,” he said.
All was well for Ducasse until the earthquake hit his homeland in January. His father’s house went down, but he was unharmed.
eard that everybody was OK, so after two days, I came back and started working out again.”
Now he’s focused on bringing pride to both Massachusetts and Haiti.
“I like competing,” he said. “I’m physical. Up at this level, everybody’s athletic, everybody’s talented, everybody’s fast. They just want to be able to see you finish and be physical, and that’s what I bring to the table.”
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LOW RENT: Former Cincinnati wide receiver Mardy Gilyard joked that the rent from living in his car was the lowest he’d ever paid.
He can laugh about it, now that he’s at the NFL Combine with an opportunity to make rent the least of his worries.
Gilyard was academically ineligible in 2006, and that set off a chain of events that changed his life.
He lived in his 2002 Grand Am while bouncing between jobs as a cook at an Italian restaurant, delivering pizzas and doing construction work.
“It took me from a kid that felt like I was everything and anything to football in Cincinnati to somebody who didn’t have anything left. I lost my scholarship, they evicted me out of my house. I just had to find faith, I had to find myself, I had to grow up. I arrogant, cocky, immature.”
He regained his eligibility, and caught 204 passes for 3,003 yards and 25 touchdowns the next three years.
He says he learned from the experience.
hings, I wouldn’t be here in front of you. There ain’t no shame in my game.”
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FINAL DRAFT ORDER: Coin flips broke three ties and finalized the first-round draft order.
Jacksonville will get the 10th pick while Denver will pick 11th after 7-9 seasons. Tennessee will select 16th and San Francisco 17th following 8-8 campaigns. Atlanta will choose 19th, and Houston 20th after 9-7 finishes.
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