From Under the Radar...
From Under the Radar to the NFL Draft for Vineland’s Jamil Demby
Three players who competed for South Jersey high schools were selected in the NFL draft. Two of the names were more familiar to local fans, Alabama cornerback Anthony Averett of Woodbury and Temple defensive lineman Jullian Taylor of Williamstown.
Averett, who was a quarterback-defensive back at Woodbury, was selected in the fourth round by the Baltimore Ravens. Taylor, who played just one high school season at Williamstown, was selected in the seventh round by the San Francisco 49ers.
Averett played for the national champions, so he was always in the headlines. And local fans got to follow Taylor with Temple. After overcoming two knee injuries, he recorded 10 tackles for loss this season.
The third player selected from South Jersey, Vineland graduate Jamil Demby, a guard from the University of Maine, was chosen in the sixth round by the Los Angeles Rams, the 192ndoverall selection.
Demby flew under the radar with South Jersey fans, partly because he was an offensive lineman, and secondly that he competed for a Football Championship Subdivision school. Maine is highly competitive, competing in the Colonial Athletic Association (with the likes of Villanova and Delaware), but it is not a school that gets a lot of publicity in South Jersey.
Of course, NFL scouts knew all about Demby and to be taken in the sixth round is a testament to his ability and the career he enjoyed.
He was a tackle at Maine but is expected to be a guard in the NFL. He has the size to play either position at 6-foot-5 and 319 pounds.
Demby no doubt, solidified his status with his play in two postseason bowl games. He competed in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and then in the Senior Bowl, with many of the top prospects.
Demby started 40 games for the Black Bears. While he had the ability to play at the Football Championship Subdivision level, there is something to be said about going to a school and getting sufficient playing time.
This past season he earned several awards. Demby was a first-team all-CAA selection and earned a spot on the all-New England Football Team. He was also named to the Phil Steele FCS All-American First Team and was a second-team STATS FCS All-American.
He is one of those players who slipped through the cracks. Demby was excellent student at Vineland, graduating Summa Cum Laude.
He then took advantage of his extended playing time to excel at the FCS level. Demby was invited to the NFL Combine.
It all added up to being selected in the NFL draft. Demby proved that a player doesn’t have to have big reputation entering college to achieve excel and now get a chance to do so on the next level.
advertisement
Photo courtesy of University of Maine.
© SouthJersey.com 2018. All rights reserved. This article or parts thereof may not be reprinted or reproduced by any other party without the express written consent of SouthJersey.com. For more information, please call 856-797-9910.
For more Local Sports features, visit our South Jersey Sports page.
Author: Marc Narducci
Archives
More Articles
