CSNbbs

With 1 week to go until the NFL Draft, I thought I'd start a thread to provide updates on our Dukes - and other goings on. The NFL schedule will be announced tonight at 8pm. It was announced earlier today that the Redskins will be hosting the Giants on Thanksgiving evening (8:30pm, NBC national broadcast).

Taylor Reynolds has been making the rounds and Greg Madia just tweeted this on Khalid Abdullah...

Greg Madia‏ @Madia_DNRSports

JMU RB Khalid Abdullah tells me he met with the New York Giants on Tuesday in NJ. Visited team facility, had dinner with coaching staff.

(04-20-2017 02:01 PM)Wear Purple Wrote: [ -> ]With 1 week to go until the NFL Draft, I thought I'd start a thread to provide updates on our Dukes - and other goings on. The NFL schedule will be announced tonight at 8pm. It was announced earlier today that the Redskins will be hosting the Giants on Thanksgiving evening (8:30pm, NBC national broadcast).

Taylor Reynolds has been making the rounds and Greg Madia just tweeted this on Khalid Abdullah...

Greg Madia‏ @Madia_DNRSports

JMU RB Khalid Abdullah tells me he met with the New York Giants on Tuesday in NJ. Visited team facility, had dinner with coaching staff.

Awesome - Abdullah deserves to play in the NFL

(04-20-2017 03:12 PM)DUKES DUKES DUKES Wrote: [ -> ]

(04-20-2017 02:01 PM)Wear Purple Wrote: [ -> ]With 1 week to go until the NFL Draft, I thought I'd start a thread to provide updates on our Dukes - and other goings on. The NFL schedule will be announced tonight at 8pm. It was announced earlier today that the Redskins will be hosting the Giants on Thanksgiving evening (8:30pm, NBC national broadcast).

Taylor Reynolds has been making the rounds and Greg Madia just tweeted this on Khalid Abdullah...

Greg Madia‏ @Madia_DNRSports

JMU RB Khalid Abdullah tells me he met with the New York Giants on Tuesday in NJ. Visited team facility, had dinner with coaching staff.

Awesome - Abdullah deserves to play in the NFL

If he had dinner with the staff, he'll be starting for the Giants next season. No way they can deny this young man once a face-to-face has been had.

(04-21-2017 01:26 AM)BleedingPurple Wrote: [ -> ]

(04-20-2017 03:12 PM)DUKES DUKES DUKES Wrote: [ -> ]

(04-20-2017 02:01 PM)Wear Purple Wrote: [ -> ]With 1 week to go until the NFL Draft, I thought I'd start a thread to provide updates on our Dukes - and other goings on. The NFL schedule will be announced tonight at 8pm. It was announced earlier today that the Redskins will be hosting the Giants on Thanksgiving evening (8:30pm, NBC national broadcast).

Taylor Reynolds has been making the rounds and Greg Madia just tweeted this on Khalid Abdullah...

Greg Madia‏ @Madia_DNRSports

JMU RB Khalid Abdullah tells me he met with the New York Giants on Tuesday in NJ. Visited team facility, had dinner with coaching staff.

Awesome - Abdullah deserves to play in the NFL

If he had dinner with the staff, he'll be starting for the Giants next season. No way they can deny this young man once a face-to-face has been had.

I agree and just watch the tapes

NFL strength training for this guy? Damn...hate the giants but feel like it would be a great fit

(04-21-2017 10:20 AM)bcp_jmu Wrote: [ -> ]NFL strength training for this guy? Damn...hate the giants but feel like it would be a great fit

Yeah, I almost hate the Gernts as much as I hate the 'skins but I'd certainly be rooting for Khalid wherever he goes. Running back in the NFC East is a tough gig but maybe he'd follow in the footsteps of another CAA product (Brian Westbrook).

Or Delvin Joyce.....

Giants seem to keep tabs on JMU grads.

Anyone have any thought if Vad's NFL chances are still alive?

Assuming he would have to be picked up as a free-agent/attend camp somewhere, but not sure if that is likely to happen before or after the draft, or not at all.

Would really be cool to see him get a real shot.

(04-21-2017 11:51 AM)arlingtonduke Wrote: [ -> ]Anyone have any thought if Vad's NFL chances are still alive?

Assuming he would have to be picked up as a free-agent/attend camp somewhere, but not sure if that is likely to happen before or after the draft, or not at all.

Would really be cool to see him get a real shot.

TBH, I don't see him catching on with any NFL team. Having said that, he could get a training camp contract. That is, the club's real purpose is to have QB's to avoid wearing out their starter with the large number of throws that have to take place in practices, mini camps, etc., so they can complete something close to a legit evaluation of receivers. I still think any chance Vad might have is in Canada or the Arena League. (and I'm aware he had a short cup of coffee with Saskatchewan I think it was last season in the CFL)

OT here but I was somewhat surprised to see the VCU basketball player, Mo Allie Cox, get a FA contract with the Colts. He hasn't played football since high school but is a big guy.

The Giants' GM, at one point, had his son on the JMU football team, if I'm recalling correctly.

Greg Madia‏ @Madia_DNRSports 1h1 hour ago
JMU OL Mitchell Kirsch said he’s talked to between 10 and 12 teams during pre-draft process. Has worked out for Ravens and Redskins.

Greg Madia‏ @Madia_DNRSports 7m7 minutes ago
Mel Kiper Jr. likes Khalid Abdullah’s production: “You go for over 1800 yds & 22 TDs averaging 6.1 ypc, I don’t care who you do it against.”

Greg Madia‏ @Madia_DNRSports 4m4 minutes ago
Kiper added he thought JMU played enough good teams and that Abdullah was productive against those good teams.


I think it's HUGE for Khalid to get mentioned by Mel Kiper. That alone just increased his draft stock. Lazy scouts will pay a little more attention thanks to the ESPN talking head doing their work for them.

nice correction Kiper.. .maybe he realized that half our wins were against ranked FCS teams?

All anyone has to do is look at the two best teams on JMU's schedule this past season- ACC ranked UNC and 5 year defending champion North Dakota State- both top 50 programs nationally and check the box score of how Abdullah performed on the road against those teams and that tells you all you need to know in terms of whether you should draft him in the mid-late rounds.

@ UNC
18 carries 116 yards 6.4 Average 27 Long 2 Rushing TDs, 2 receptions 38 yards 19 average 27 Long 0 Fumbles

@ NDS
23 carries 180 yards 7.8 average 55 Long, 2 receptions 51 yards, 41 long 1 TD 0 Fumbles

Credit to JMU's O line and Offense for those performances as well but come on- that's ballin!

NJDuke97

Ain't that the thruth!!

Hope Khalid gets the opportunity to play on Sundays. Much will depend on him going to a team that has need of his skills.

Brian

I plan on buying his jersey, wherever he lands... oh yes, he WILL land!

I believe Khalid will get drafted, he is a stud on the field and an OUTSTANDING young man off the field, he catches on with the right team and gets a legit shot he could have a 6-10 yr career in the NFL.

I believe Kirsch, Reynolds, Davis and Steele will all be UDFA, with Kirsch and Reynolds possibly taken in the later round of the draft. I personally would love to see Ravenel get a shot, he's such a sneaky receiver, he has a lot of intangibles.

I think the best thing going for Khalid to get drafted is his ball control. I know he's fumbled, but it was a very rare occurrence. As a fan, that was one of the things I was least concerned about when he had the ball. Add on the fact he runs with a purpose and is a high character guy... a team would be stupid not to draft him.
That being said, I honestly don't see him going until the last day of the draft. He's a diamond in the rough for sure.

Just a feeling on this because a lot of your guys follow this closer than I do and know more about the NFL Draft but I think both Abdullah and Reynolds will get drafted - maybe even Kirsh. I think the Championship is an X factor so in the late rounds NFL teams will want to use a spot on some of our talented guys who come from the JMU championship culture. It would be interesting to know how many draftees (not counting the obvious guys like Wentz) NDS had the prior 5 years after they won FCS titles.

NDSU was D2 until 2004 and I believe they've made the playoffs every year they were eligible.
I'm sure they were overlooked by NFL scouts prior to the 2011-2015 run of championships in part from recently moving up.