DG151 - Part 2

And now, the second half of dread gallery #151, featuring rookies on teams in the two South divisions as well as the AFC West.

We finished part 1 with a look at Brandon Dixon, so we'll begin part 2 with his twin brother, Brian Dixon.

1. He was not drafted, as was his brother, but CB Brian Dixon faces the same difficult task of trying to win a roster spot - although not with the same team as his brother - after signing with the New Orleans Saints, here participating in his first practice on May 16.


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2. When I did my draft preview, I mentioned something about Brandon Dixon being the only one of the twins who was an NFL prospect. I wrote that only because only Brandon was invited to the Combine. But even as I did, I thought that was strange. Twins usually are the same person - at least athletically - so it didn't make sense that only one would be a prospect. So I (happily) stand corrected, and I'm not at all surprised that Brian Dixon is a prospect too, shown here at OTA practices on May 29 (left photo) and June 5 (right photo). Check out the story from the Times-Picayune: http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2014/05/twin_brothers_brian_brandon_di.html

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The Saints have more rookies with dreads in training camp this season than any other team- a total of 5.

3. The only one of the five to be drafted is former Florida LB Ronald Powell. Four players with dreads from the SEC were drafted this season, and Powell was the last of them - taken in the 5th round. Rushing the passer is Powell's specialty. 11 of his 19 career TFL (in three seasons) for the Gators were sacks.

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4. Louisiana native Nic Jacobs signed with the Saints after not being drafted. The 6-foot-5, 269-pound TE transferred after not playing much in his two seasons at LSU and had 4 TD catches in his only season for McNeese State in 2013.

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5. RB Timothy Flanders didn't get his dreads started until his senior season at Sam Houston State, so if he makes the Saints roster, it's going to be tough to see them this season. Like Jacobs, Flanders found greener pastures (and more playing time) in the FCS after beginning his career at an FBS school. After redshirting at Kansas State in 2009, Flanders transferred to SHSU and proceeded to become the school's and the Southland Conference's all-time leading rusher with 5,664 yards. The first time I saw Flanders (in the 2011 FCS playoffs), the way he ran reminded me a bit of Barry Sanders. I'm not saying he is going to end up in the Hall of Fame; but with Darren Sproles moving on, maybe there will be room on the Saints roster for Flanders.

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6. And here's another Saints rookie from the FCS - former Jacksonville State star S Pierre Warren. After an outstanding junior season in 2013 (5 INT, 12 PBU, 3 FR), the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder decided to skip his senior season. But nobody drafted him. And he's got his work cut out for him if he plans to be on the field when the Saints play at Atlanta on opening day.

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7. When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers debut their new uniforms at home against Carolina on opening day, C Josh Allen hopes to be in one of them. Allen, a 6-foot-3, 315-pounder shown here during a drill at rookie minicamp on May 17, was the starting center in three of his four seasons at Louisiana-Monroe. Josh signed as a free agent with the Bucs, who were the only NFC South team not to draft a player with dreads this season.

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8. With none of the WRs who caught passes for them last season back with the team this season, the Carolina Panthers surprised nobody when they selected WR Kelvin Benjamin when it was their turn to pick near the end of day 1 of the draft. At this time a year ago, I never would have imagined Benjamin, shown catching passes in his first NFL practice on May 16 (left photo) and at mandatory minicamp on June 19 (right photo), would be in an NFL training camp now. But after a stellar sophomore season at Florida State, the 6-foot-5, 240-pounder was able to skip his last two years at FSU and become a 1st round draft choice.

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9. "I really like this rookie - even if he did beat Auburn", Panthers QB Cam Newton tells a reporter as he walks off with Kelvin Benjamin after an OTA practice on May 28. 

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10. This is why we have practice .....
  ... Cam: "You were supposed to run a go route."
  .... KB: "No, I'm the hot receiver when the defense blitzes and I run an out."
  ..... WRs coach Ricky Proehl: "You're both wrong! Now let's run it again and let's get it right."

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11. Already preparing for life after football, Kelvin Benjamin checks out the pictures he took after borrowing a photographer's camera at the NFL's rookie premiere at Los Angeles on May 31. Hopefully though, it's going to be a long time before KB has to worry about life after football. Let's hope that quote I included in my draft preview comes true:
         One month from now Kelvin Benjamin will hear his name called at the NFL draft, maybe at the end of the first round, maybe even later. Ten years from now we will all look back and agree that he should have gone higher.

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12. Already featuring the sick dreads of Robert Lester and Charles Godfrey in their secondary, the Panthers added another safety with very long dreads when they picked former North Carolina star Tre Boston, shown here in both photos at rookie minicamp on May 17. Boston, drafted in the 4th round, was the last of the 5 ACC players with dreads that were selected in this year's draft.

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13. There is one other rookie with dreads in Panthers training camp. He's RB Darrin Reaves, who signed as a free agent after nobody drafted him. Reaves scored 30 TD in his first three seasons at UAB before deciding to skip his senior season.

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14. The Atlanta Falcons also drafted a former Florida State Seminole, although they waited until the 4th round to take RB Devonta Freeman, who tied Kelvin Benjamin for the team lead with 15 TD for FSU during their undefeated 2013 season. With Steven Jackson rapidly approaching the finish line of his career, hopefully the 5-foot-8, 206-pound Freeman will prove to be a productive player for the Falcons for many seasons to come.

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15. Just before they selected Freeman, the Falcons drafted former Wisconsin S Dezmen Southward in the 3rd round, who hopefully will be more than just another player with great dreads. With no playoff games to worry about last season, the Falcons' coaching staff was chosen to coach one of the teams in the Senior Bowl back in January; and apparently they were so impressed with Southward there that they made him the 68th overall selection, much sooner than most people - including Southward himself - expected. There's no denying he has good speed; let's just hope he'll be able to cover somebody.

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16. Also trying to earn a roster spot with the Falcons is former Arkansas State WR Julian Jones, who made 11 TD catches the last two seasons for the Red Wolves after beginning his career as a DB. For any of you who play fantasy football, I'll relay this warning I saw in an article I saw a few weeks ago: When drafting your team, be very careful that you select Julio Jones, the Falcons' star WR, and don't accidentally end up with Julian Jones, who figures to play a lot on special teams if he makes the team at all.

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17. Jadeveon Clowney walks down the steps and to the field for his first NFL practice at rookie minicamp on May 16 after being the first player with dreads - and the first player period - selected in the 2014 draft, by the Houston Texans.

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18. There are four rookies with dreads on the Texans' roster at the start of training camp, but all eyes will be on Clowney, shown here doing an agility drill at practice on May 16. Speed is Clowney's greatest asset. There aren't many (if any) people alive who weigh 266 pounds that are as fast as he is.

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19. Used almost exclusively as a DE during his three seasons at South Carolina, Jadeveon Clowney will line up as an outside LB in the Texans' 3-4 defensive allignment, which means occasionally he'll be dropping back into pass coverage, as he tries here during an OTA practice on June 4.

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20. Jadeveon Clowney handles a 1906 replica football during the AFC rookies' visit to the Hall of Fame on June 28 as part of the rookie symposium. Jadeveon no doubt is daydreaming ..... "The next time I come here will be the day they induct me into here."

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21. Jadeveon Clowney flips back his dreads out of his face while stretching at practice on June 2. And just who is that who's stretching in front of him? .....

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22. ..... It's none other than former North Dakota State star CB Marcus Williams, shown here stretching at a minicamp practice on June 18 after signing with the Texans as a free agent.

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23. Marcus Williams gets instructions from Texans LB Coach Mike Vrabel during a special teams drill at an OTA practice on June 12: "You may have been an all-America in the FCS, but this is how we do it in the pros." The Texans hope Williams displays the same playmaking ability he showed in college, where he helped lead NDSU to three straight FCS championships. He made a school record 21 career INT for the Bison, including an FCS record 7 pick sixes.

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24. With the first pick in the draft the Texans selected Jadeveon Clowney, and with the last pick in the draft they took ..... Lonnie Ballentine, who, until I saw this photo from rookie minicamp on May 16, I didn't even know had dreads. Actually, I have "? might be dreads" next to his name on the Memphis page of my notebook. But I never followed up on it because he didn't really do anything last season to make me take notice. First of all, he played for a bad team (the Tigers went 1-11, 2-10, 4-8, and 3-9 in his four seasons on the team), and also the 6-foot-3, 220-pound safety had 0 INT last season. Can't get noticed like that, Lonnie. But none of that matters now. If he can tackle and cover the tight end, he'll be in uniform on opening day.

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25. The Texans have one other rookie with dreads in training camp - former Nebraska DE Jason Ankrah, here engaged with LB Whitney Mercilus during a drill at minicamp on June 17.

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26. Just as it is with Jadeveon Clowney, Jason Ankrah, shown alongside Clowney here on May 16, will have to show he can play in the open field, because he'll be a LB with the Texans. He had 7 career sacks with the Cornhuskers, 4 of which came last season. 

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The Indianapolis Colts have a couple of unknown rookies with dreads trying to make the team this year .....

27. Of course, CB Qua Cox was hardly unknown in the SWAC, where he starred for Jackson State, finishing with 10 career INT for the Tigers. I didn't watch the Colts much last season, but other than Vontae Davis, I wasn't aware of any stellar play by their corners last season; so Cox, who wore jersey #47 at rookie minicamp before switching to the #46 he currently wears, has a pretty good chance of making the team despite not being drafted.

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28. Jacoby Jones has proven it's not impossible to get to the NFL from (Division 2) Lane College. 6-foot-4, 197-pound Greg Moore hopes to be the next WR from Lane to make it big in the NFL. Moore, signed as a free agent, compares himself to Larry Fitzgerald (good hands, good enough speed). But if he wants to play in the league as long as Fitzgerald, he'll need to show he can get open against much better DBs than he faced in the SIAC. The Colts roster appears to have a couple of WR spots up for grabs, so the opportunity is definitely there for Moore.

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29. With former LSU S Craig Loston now on the ex-dread list, there is only one rookie with dreads with the Jaguars. The Jaguars already have one 6-foot-6, 270-pound TE from California on their roster (starter Marcedes Lewis), and they'll have another if former Fresno State Bulldog Marcel Jensen makes the team. Jensen worked out at the Combine on Feb. 22 (left photo) but was not drafted and ended up with the Jaguars after signing as a free agent.

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30. WR Derel Walker is one of two rookies with dreads in camp with the Tennessee Titans, whose roster has at least a couple of WR spots up for grabs. The former junior college transfer scored 0 TD in his first 19 games for Texas A&M before making 5 TD catches in the Aggies' final 6 games last season. So I guess Walker is a late bloomer who is arriving with the Titans at the right time.

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31. It was not easy finding a photo of David Gilbert, and this was the best I could find. Gilbert (#46 at a minicamp practice on June 19) played DE for three seasons with Wisconsin before transferring to Miami for his senior season. With his dreads just now getting long enough to become visible outside his helmet, it'd be a shame if his career ended now. So hopefully the 6-foot-4, 254-pounder will impress in camp as he makes the position switch to LB.

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32. The last of the 6 players with dreads drafted in the 1st round, former Ohio State CB Bradley Roby warms up and works out at his first NFL practice after being selected 31st overall by the defending AFC champion Denver Broncos. 

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33. Bradley Roby, shown defending at practice on May 17 (left photo) and taking a drink of water on June 11 (right photo) was a three-year starter at CB for the Buckeyes, and the Broncos are hoping he's good enough to start on opening day as a rookie. He had 8 career INT for the Buckeyes and scored 5 TD, three of which came on special teams.

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34. The Broncos have been one of my least favorite teams over the years, so it was more than a bit disappointing to see WR Isaiah Burse in a Broncos jersey for his first NFL practice on May 16, shown here practicing getting his release from the line of scrimmage. After not being drafted, the former Fresno State star was a highly sought free agent and got a $12,500 bonus to sign with the Broncos.

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35. Nobody with dreads has touched the ball on offense for the Broncos since Laurence Maroney was on the team in 2010. Burse, who dreads are among the best of all of this year's rookies, is hoping to change that. But with Wes Welker still going strong as a slot receiver, Isaiah is likely to get most of his playing time as a return man on special teams rather than on offense.

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The Oakland Raiders didn't draft anybody with dreads but have a couple of free agents with dreads in training camp, both of whom began their careers in junior college .....

36. Denico Autry will be trying to win a roster spot on the Raiders D-line. The 6-foot-5, 273-pound DE whose dreads are a bit too short to be easily seen, had 16 TFL and 6 sacks in his two seasons in the SEC for Mississippi State.

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37. Also with short dreads is former West Alabama WR Seth Roberts, who had 12 TD catches (out of 40 total receptions) as a senior in 2013. The Raiders had Greg Jenkins on the team last season as a rookie free agent, so maybe the 6-foot-2, 196-pound Roberts will do the same this year.

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The San Diego Chargers drafted a couple of players I like a lot who starred for Big 12 teams.

38. No, Jason Verrett is not crying because it was the Chargers who drafted him, although he is from northern California (Fairfield, and from the same high school as Marcel Jensen) and his parents are Raiders fans; nor is he crying because one of the media members at his press conference on May 9 made fun of his reduced dreads. It's just that becoming a NFL draft choice is hard; and for some guys (a lot of guys, actually) remembering just how hard it was to make it to this point really causes the tears to flow.

http://www.tcu360.com/football/2014/05/32340.jason-verrett-selected-25th-overall-pick-2014-nfl-draft

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39. Jason Verrett may reduce his dreads off the field, but so far he's always had them flowing at full blast whenever he's been on the field. Hopefully that will continue. Verrett could only watch during the Chargers rookie minicamp (May 16-18) since he was recovering from the surgery he had done on his shoulder (torn labrum) on Mar. 17.

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40. 12 days later Verrett was on the field and participating on a limited basis at on OTA practice on May 27 but did not practice in pads for the first time until yesterday (Aug.1), during the second week of training camp. Already before playing his 1st NFL game, he's in the running for the top 10 players with the longest dreads in the league.

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41. But Chargers fans don't care how long his dreads are, only how well he can cover. And if he covers receivers like he did during his three seasons at TCU, Verrett - the 4th CB selected in the 1st round of the draft and the first one with dreads - will be in the Chargers lineup for many Sundays to come.

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One of the receivers Verrett may have had some close encounters with during his three seasons at TCU is now his teammate .....

42. WR Tevin Reese runs an agility drill (left photo) and gets his height measured (right photo) - again - at Baylor pro day on Mar. 19 ..... still 5-foot-10, the same as he was at the Combine four weeks earlier and the same as he was listed during his entire career at Baylor.

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43. But the number that has everyone concerned about Tevin Reese is not his height, it's his weight - a skinny 170 pounds. Reese was an explosive playmaker at Baylor; but in the NFL .... if he lines up at WR, will he be strong enough to able to release from the line of scrimmage against press coverage?; and if he lines up in the slot, will he be able to take the hits without getting injured all the time? Those concerns are why he wasn't selected until the 7th round of draft. But if the answer to either of those questions is yes, then we should be seeing the first TD by a Chargers player with dreads since 2011.

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The Chargers also have a couple of undrafted free agents with dreads trying to impress in training camp, and they're both offensive lineman .....

44. G Craig Watts (not to be confused with G Chris Watt, who was the team's 3rd round pick) waits for the snap count at rookie minicamp on May 16. Watts, 6-foot-4 and 335 pounds, was a three-year starter at Division 2 school West Texas A&M.

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45. I couldn't find any photos of G Darryl "D.J." Johnson from any of the Chargers offseason practices, so I'm resorting to the photo accompanying his bio on the team's website. After redshirting in 2009, Johnson, 6-foot-4 and 295 pounds, was a starter for most of his four seasons with New Mexico. 

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46. An impressive showing at Idaho pro day earned RB James Baker and his awesome dreads (he made my dread all-America team in both of his seasons with the Vandals) a shot with the Kansas City Chiefs, and I was really looking forward to seeing how he would do in training camp. But unfortunately Baker, a 6-foot-2, 228 pounder shown here at rookie minicamp on May 24 after signing as a free agent, has not made it to training camp yet due to 'personal reasons'. The Chiefs haven't given up on him yet, placing him on the Reserve/Did Not Report list rather than releasing him. With his size and decent speed, I thought he had a good chance of making the team; so hopefully whatever problems he's having won't prevent that from happening.
Without Baker around, the Chiefs currently have no rookies with dreads in camp.
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DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT
Those are the 68 rookies with dreads currently in training camp, and here are a few more who (hopefully) might add to that total as the season moves along.

47. Former Auburn DE Kenneth Carter was at the Chiefs rookie minicamp - shown here on May 25 on the second day of the camp - but was not signed at the end of the 3-day camp.  

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48. Actually former LSU LB Lamin Barrow did make the cut - he was drafted in the 5th round by the Denver Broncos. But unfortunately his dreads got cut. After he performed at the Combine with dreads (on Feb. 24, left photo), they were gone by the time LSU had their pro day on Apr. 9 and later at Broncos rookie minicamp (right photo) on May 17. 

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49. Also going without dreads in training camp is CB Keith Lewis - one of the players I featured in my draft preview - who signed with the Buccaneers after not being drafted. Aggravating me even more was his tweet from June 25: "I'm growing my dreads back" ..... Well damn, Keith, why'd you cut them off in the first place?

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The Saints' rookie minicamp was loaded with dreads. In addition to the five players still on the roster, there were at least three more who didn't make it (for now) .....

50. Former Colorado State CB Shaq Bell still has "On the path to the NFL" on his Twitter profile, so let's hope he still is.

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51. Louisiana native Lesley Deamer starred as a D-lineman for Northwestern State the last three seasons. Hopefully he hasn't be growing these dreads for nothing.

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52. Well, well, well. We finally get a look at the dreads of RB John Hubert. Hopefully it won't be the last. This is the way his dreads would have looked while he gained all those yards for Kansas State the last three seasons had not Coach Snyder been so preoccupied with making sure you didn't see them.

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Three former East Carolina Pirates have been told they're not good enough for the NFL. I doubt any one of is taking "no" for an answer though, at least not yet anyway .....

53. RB Vintavious Cooper, a regular on the dread stars list during his two seasons at ECU, was not signed at the end of the Detroit Lions rookie minicamp.

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54. LB Derrell Johnson, shown here at mandatory minicamp on June 12, actually was still with the Dolphins at the beginning of training camp but was released less than a week later.

LAST MINUTE UPDATE: Johnson has now been signed by the Arizona Cardinals (yesterday).

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55. RB turned S Michael Dobson got a tryout with the champs during their rookie minicamp, but the Seahawks told him, thanks but no thanks .....

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56. ..... Ditto for RB Ryan Montague, whose sick dreads have been on display in Division 3 at Louisiana College, where he had a couple of 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

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57. DE/DT Tim Jackson, a 1st team dread all-American last season, here showing off his athleticism at North Carolina pro day on Mar. 25, was so disappointed when the Texans released him three days before the start of training camp that he tweeted, "If it wasn't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all."

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58. When I first saw his dreads, I was really looking forward to seeing Jamaine Sherman try to earn a roster spot with the Rams. But unfortunately the 6-foot-3, 205-pound WR, who caught passes for five different colleges - including a 1,084-yard, 7 TD season for East Texas Baptist in 2013 - injured his hamstring on the second day of training camp and has been placed on the injured reserve list.

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Good luck to all of this year's rookies - even the ones without dreads.
Last year I stated that I wanted at least 60% of the class of rookies with dreads to play during the regular season. Well, the 2013 class of rookies with dreads came up a bit short, as 45 of the 81 players featured in DG146 were in action (including the two who cut off their dreads), or 55.6%, for at least one game.
I'll be hoping for that 60% again with the 2014 class.