It’s a disgrace that Joey Fisher and Ronnie Brown can’t be concerned in some kind of a bundle deal.
As the NFL draft approaches, the 2 former Shepherd University gamers and Maryland natives are inseparable. Fisher, an offensive sort out, nonetheless leads the way in which for his operating again, telling NFL groups that Brown is a participant they will’t afford to go on.
Numerous them are listening.
“He comes to me one morning and says, ‘I just got off the phone with the [Pittsburgh] Steelers,’” Brown stated. “He says, ‘I was on their podcast and I brought you up.’ A little later my phone rings, and it’s the Steelers.”
“That’s my man,” stated Brown, Fisher. “He really looks out and I’m forever grateful for that.”
It’s not as if Brown can’t stand on his personal deserves, however every little thing helps whenever you come from a tiny Division II faculty like Shepherd in West Virginia. It’s conceivable that each gamers may be drafted subsequent week or signal as free brokers.
Either approach, it’s in regards to the alternative to reside out a childhood dream.
“It’s definitely surreal,” Fisher stated. “It’s a 50-50 feeling where you’re excited, but also anxious. Everyone wants to hear their name called and you did your best to put it out there. Now, it’s in [the NFL’s] hands to where you go.”
The 6-foot-6, 322-pound Fisher might go wherever after the second spherical, which is slightly shocking. The Hagerstown native and Clear Spring High graduate initially dedicated to Maryland in 2016 however decommitted when former coach Randy Edsall left after the 2015 season.
He later went to Towson for his freshman season however left after the Tigers’ teaching workers, in accordance with Fisher, deliberate to maneuver him from his authentic place as a defensive finish to nostril guard.
Fisher spent the subsequent couple of years working along with his father, Jim, studying the commerce of changing into a locksmith. But he continued to elevate weights, work out and ship recruiting movies.
None of the universities had been , besides Shepherd.
“That spring came around, no phone calls. The fall of 2017 came around, no phone calls,” Fisher stated. “My old high school coach played linebacker at Shepherd, so he actually knew the head coach [Ernie McCook], and told them I was still putting in the work and going to the gym. So, I ended up coming in and playing here.”
Fisher has began for 3 years with the Rams. He is a mauler who was chosen to play within the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and later the Senior Bowl, however he missed the sport — thought of the premier all-star showcase for NFL prospects — due to a damaged bone on the base of his pinkie finger.
He nonetheless had a professional day at Shepherd, which was attended by representatives from all however one of many 32 NFL groups. He bench-pressed 225 kilos 40 instances, beating each participant on the NFL scouting mix. Southern California offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees completed with the highest mark in Indianapolis with 38.
Fisher additionally ran the 40-yard sprint in 4.97 seconds with a 10-yard cut up of 1.72 seconds. That’s smoking.
Several scouting stories say Fisher is highly effective on the level of assault and has robust palms. He has standout athleticism, however the criticism about him is similar as it’s for all gamers who didn’t play main faculty soccer.
Domination in Division II doesn’t all the time translate to the NFL. Regardless, the Washington Commanders, Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers and Ravens have all reached out to Fisher for extra in depth interviews or visits. He might play guard or middle within the NFL. That versatility improves his probabilities of making the workforce.
“Everybody I’ve heard from, at least the early grades, has me going on the second day or up until the sixth round,” Fisher stated. “But like I said, any opportunity I get would be a good one.”
Brown, a Baltimore native, has extra confidence than Fisher. It’s been that approach ever since he transferred from Sparrows Point to Dundalk High in his senior 12 months. Ask him about making an NFL workforce and he will provide you with a number of choices.
He may very well be a gunner on particular groups. He might play within the slot as a receiver or begin at operating again.
“I could play in the defensive backfield if needed,” Brown stated.
He might. He is athletic and difficult, however all the time has to show himself. As a 5-9, 175-pound highschool senior, he was named to the All-State workforce with greater than 1,500 dashing yards, however no faculty significantly recruited him.
According to Brown, Towson, Morgan State and Bowie State supplied him alternatives as a walk-on.
“I went to this little camp, the last one, and Shepherd was there,” stated Brown, who’s now 5-11 and 180 kilos. “I was going crazy, running routes out of the backfield, diving for catches. So I go in for my visit and the coach says, ‘We like your film, we like everything about you, and I’m not going to sugarcoat anything with you. Here, this is what we can offer you.’ He was honest and truthful, and I’m all about keeping it real.”
Brown began out as a returner earlier than splitting time within the backfield as a junior. But in 2022, he powered the Rams’ offense, dashing 219 instances for 1,863 yards and 19 touchdowns. He additionally caught 56 passes for 589 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Brown, although, isn’t a stats man.
“My father always told me, ‘Don’t look at the stats,’” Brown stated. “‘Just go out there and play. Because if you start chasing numbers, you start doing stuff that you don’t want to do and you start performing badly.’”
That’s classic Brown. On the sphere, his 40 time is 4.45 seconds. He has good persistence, imaginative and prescient and physique lean, and may develop into a weapon out of the backfield in passing conditions.
Like Fisher, he might go wherever within the draft after Day 2. He has been in in depth talks with the Ravens, Commanders, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks.
“I was born for this,” Brown stated.
And so was Fisher.
“It’s about opportunity. That’s all we want,” Fisher stated.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com