Never ignore a D3 coach when they reach out. That coach lands a D1 job next year and you're the athlete who never responded. Respond to every coach at every level.
From a scouting perspective, London Fletcher is one of the best examples of why evaluations should go beyond size and measurables. Despite being considered undersized coming out of John Carroll University, Fletcher built a career through instincts, toughness, leadership, football intelligence, and consistent production
At @JCUFootball, Fletcher developed into one of the top defensive players in Division III football. He recorded a school-record 202 tackles during his senior season, earned multiple All-American honors, was named OAC Linebacker of the Year, won the 1997 Melberger Award as Division III’s Outstanding Player, and was later inducted into the @cfbhall
Although he went undrafted in 1998, Fletcher possessed many of the traits NFL teams look for in a linebacker:
• Elite instincts and play recognition
• Outstanding football IQ and processing speed
• Strong run-fit discipline
• Excellent tackling ability
• Sideline-to-sideline range
• Leadership and communication skills
• Block recognition and shedding ability
• Strong zone awareness in coverage
• Blitz timing and pass-rush ability
• Outstanding durability and consistency
• Relentless effort and competitiveness
What consistently stood out on film was how quickly he diagnosed plays and trusted his eyes. Fletcher rarely wasted movement, played under control, and routinely beat blockers to the point of attack because of his instincts and preparation
After signing with the St. Louis Rams, Fletcher quickly proved he belonged and became a key contributor on a Super Bowl championship team. He later starred for the Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins as well
NFL Accomplishments:
• Super Bowl XXXIV Champion
• 4× Pro Bowl Selection
• 2× Second-Team All-Pro
• NFL Tackles Leader (2011)
• Washington Ring of Fame Member
• NFL-record 215 consecutive starts by a linebacker
• 256 consecutive games played
• Over 2,000 career tackles
• 39 sacks
• 23 interceptions
• 19 forced fumbles
From a coaching perspective, Fletcher was the quarterback of the defense. He handled communication, adjustments, and ensured everyone around him was aligned correctly. His preparation, toughness, and leadership helped him play at a high level for 16 seasons
From a scouting perspective, Dwight Freeney was one of the most disruptive pass rushers the NFL has ever seen. He showed that elite production off the edge is not always about having ideal size or length
What made Freeney special was his combination of explosiveness, flexibility, leverage, hand usage, and one of the most effective spin moves in football history. His ability to threaten offensive tackles with speed and then counter instantly made him a constant problem for opposing offenses
The first thing that jumped off the film was his get off. Freeney consistently put offensive tackles on their heels because of how quickly he could attack the edge
Once blockers committed to stopping his speed rush, he would counter with his trademark spin move, creating pressure and disrupting the pocket. His ability to string moves together, attack leverage, and finish at the quarterback made him one of the most dangerous pass rushers of his generation
From a coaching perspective, Freeney was a great example of why pass rushing is about more than physical measurements. He wasn’t the tallest edge defender and didn’t possess elite length, but he consistently won because of his technique, balance, pad level, timing, and understanding of how to attack offensive tackles. He mastered rushing half a man, creating angles, and maximizing his athletic traits
At @CuseFootball, Freeney developed into one of the most dominant defensive players in college football. He finished his career with 34 sacks, including a school-record 17.5 sacks during his senior season. He earned Unanimous All-American honors, was a two-time First Team All-Big East selection, and finished ninth in the Heisman Trophy voting. One of the most memorable performances of his career came when he recorded 4.5 sacks against future NFL quarterback Michael Vick
Pre-Draft Measurements and Testing
Height: 6’0½”
Weight: 266 lbs
Arm Length: 32⅛”
Hand Size: 10”
40-Yard Dash: 4.48 🤯
Bench Press: 28 Reps
Vertical Jump: 40” 😦😦
His athletic testing backed up everything scouts saw on film. The explosiveness, burst, and lower-body power that showed up in his testing numbers translated directly to his ability to win as a pass rusher and create game-changing plays
The NFL career that followed exceeded the already high expectations scouts had coming out of Syracuse. Selected 11th overall in the 2002 NFL Draft, Freeney became one of the premier pass rushers of his era and a player offenses had to account for on every snap
NFL Accomplishments
125.5 Career Sacks
47 Forced Fumbles
7 Pro Bowls
3 First Team All-Pro Selections
Super Bowl XLI Champion
NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
The new head football coach at Narbonne, Patrick Goodpaster, is commander of Gardena Police Department’s Homicide unit. Narbonne grad. Tough challenge rebuilding but he looks ready to build from bottom up.
Excited to have @CoachBrionesAC, Defensive Line Coach at Austin College, joining us tomorrow at 6:30 PM CT to share with the DL community!
Register now to get the Zoom link: https://t.co/3EITRDaNpu
#CodeFBClinic#TheDLCode
@JumboElliott76 The Rams didn’t have a “True Pass Rusher” and now have the best. Verse was a dog but Myles is thee dog. I love JV but this is makes sense. A lot to give up but the NFC West is a grind.
When you pull up the tuition for a D3 school, the number hits you like a wall.
You show your parents. They shake their heads. Someone closes the laptop. And just like that, a school that could have been the perfect fit gets crossed off a list it never even made it onto.
That happens every single recruiting cycle.
What most families never get to is the part where the sticker price is not the real price. Where financial aid, merit scholarships, and one of the highest discount rates in the country bring that number down to something that actually makes sense.
There are athletes on D3 rosters right now from public schools, from towns that are not affluent, from families who almost did not apply because of that first number they saw online.
They kept digging. And it changed everything.
Every school in the country is also required by law to have a net price calculator on their website. Plug in your GPA and your family's information and you will get a real ballpark number, not the scary one on the homepage.
@BrantMcAdams is the head football coach at @PLUFootball and this week on the podcast he breaks down recruiting from a head coach's perspective and what families get wrong about D3.
Want the full episode? Comment PODCAST and I will send it over.