Post by FIUPantherFan on May 14, 2008 16:20:34 GMT -5
Few high school coaches ever get a chance to win a state championship or coach an NFL player. Nigel Dunn has done both. But what he has done more than any other coach of late -- possibly in the entire country -- is the latter.
''I got a call the other day from a reporter who told me that I've got more former players in the NFL than any other coach in the country,'' said Dunn, who has a list of 10 former players he has coached from his time at Miami High (1994-99) and Norland (2000-current) currently in the league -- including former University of Miami receivers Andre Johnson and Roscoe Parrish. ``I don't know if its a record. But I definitely feel very blessed.''
Blessed or not blessed, Dunn knows how to evaluate talent and help it go places. Earlier this decade, he pulled Dwayne Bowe out of the hallway at Norland and helped launch a career that led Bowe to being a national champion at LSU before he was selected as a first-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2007.
Dunn has another receiver at Norland now who is drawing lots of comparisons to Bowe in 2009 recruit Xavier Rhodes.
Last Friday, I made a pit stop at Norland during my spring tour to watch the 6-2, 190-pounder during practice. Although I didn't see an instant comparison to Bowe, I was impressed with how Rhodes does not shy away from contact.
On one play in which he caught a quick outlet pass during 7-on-7 work, Rhodes had an opportunity to use his speed and outrun an opponent down the sideline for a touchdown. Instead, he opted to run up the middle of the field. After breaking an attempted tackle by a linebacker, Rhodes stiff-armed a safety and outran the rest of the secondary for a score. Although he caught an earful from coaches for not bouncing outside and using his speed, it was the type of play Dunn said shows how Rhodes and Bowe are a little different.
''I think talent-wise, he is right there with Dwayne,'' Dunn said by phone Wednesday. ``Both have big-time strength and speed. I think X might be a little faster than Dwayne was at this time and maybe a little more physical. Dwayne would catch the ball and try to elude you. X wants to catch the ball and run you over.''
Dunn said Rhodes has 4.45 speed in the 40-yard dash and currently has scholarship offers from Miami, Florida State, FIU, West Virginia and Auburn. Rhodes told me he likes ''FSU.'' Dunn said he expects more schools to pursue Rhodes soon, though. After catching 20 passes for 271 yards and four touchdowns last season and sharing the limelight with FIU signee Emmanuel Souarin, Rhodes figures to be the central focus of Norland's spread offense this fall.
FIUFanatic, is it time to start the "Is it Premature....2009" thread edition?
''I got a call the other day from a reporter who told me that I've got more former players in the NFL than any other coach in the country,'' said Dunn, who has a list of 10 former players he has coached from his time at Miami High (1994-99) and Norland (2000-current) currently in the league -- including former University of Miami receivers Andre Johnson and Roscoe Parrish. ``I don't know if its a record. But I definitely feel very blessed.''
Blessed or not blessed, Dunn knows how to evaluate talent and help it go places. Earlier this decade, he pulled Dwayne Bowe out of the hallway at Norland and helped launch a career that led Bowe to being a national champion at LSU before he was selected as a first-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2007.
Dunn has another receiver at Norland now who is drawing lots of comparisons to Bowe in 2009 recruit Xavier Rhodes.
Last Friday, I made a pit stop at Norland during my spring tour to watch the 6-2, 190-pounder during practice. Although I didn't see an instant comparison to Bowe, I was impressed with how Rhodes does not shy away from contact.
On one play in which he caught a quick outlet pass during 7-on-7 work, Rhodes had an opportunity to use his speed and outrun an opponent down the sideline for a touchdown. Instead, he opted to run up the middle of the field. After breaking an attempted tackle by a linebacker, Rhodes stiff-armed a safety and outran the rest of the secondary for a score. Although he caught an earful from coaches for not bouncing outside and using his speed, it was the type of play Dunn said shows how Rhodes and Bowe are a little different.
''I think talent-wise, he is right there with Dwayne,'' Dunn said by phone Wednesday. ``Both have big-time strength and speed. I think X might be a little faster than Dwayne was at this time and maybe a little more physical. Dwayne would catch the ball and try to elude you. X wants to catch the ball and run you over.''
Dunn said Rhodes has 4.45 speed in the 40-yard dash and currently has scholarship offers from Miami, Florida State, FIU, West Virginia and Auburn. Rhodes told me he likes ''FSU.'' Dunn said he expects more schools to pursue Rhodes soon, though. After catching 20 passes for 271 yards and four touchdowns last season and sharing the limelight with FIU signee Emmanuel Souarin, Rhodes figures to be the central focus of Norland's spread offense this fall.
FIUFanatic, is it time to start the "Is it Premature....2009" thread edition?
