At the bottom of this blog is a story inside ACU Today, the university's magazine. Click on it and it goes fullscreen. It goes on to tell Gates road to ACU and his struggles to get where he is. I'm pretty excited about this pick, he is faster than Johnny Knox and hasn't failed to impress anyone - coaches and players - that he has been around. Hopefully his age is a non-factor for us and he can produce good results for the phins. http://blogs.acu.edu/acutoday/2011/04/22/gates’-football-dreams-now-focus-on-nfl-draft/
He's a major steal for us. Everything I've seen and read basically told me that if he was playing at the Big House or the coliseum he'd have been a 2nd rounder, but since he only played at Abeiline Chirstian, we got a steal. Good work Ireland, good work.
Last hurdles to clear remain in sight for the guy. Gotta prove he's a football player. Bring on training camp (whenever that happens)!
Really exciting to think what he can bring to the team and a kid that will hopefully just improve every year.
Glad you posted this! As an ACU alum I received a hard copy of ACU Today and thought this was the best story I've ever read on Edmond (Edmond, not Edmund ) It written by ACU's football play-by-play guy. I've seen Edmond play a number of times and he's electrifying. His first year at ACU they used him on end-arounds quite a bit because defenses didn't know him. For the most part, they phased that out by his sophomore year. He also returned kicks earlier in his career. As his career progressed, he became mainly a receiver only. True, he played against D2 DBs, but he absolutely owned them. I'm most curious about how he will adapt to NFL press coverage. Johnny Knox (another ACU received currently with the Bears) has struggled with this aspect - the physicality at the NFL level. Edmond is a little bigger and a little stronger and is more likely to go up after a ball. I don't recall Edmond returning punts at ACU, at least not with any regularity. But, with some coaching he could pick it up. Anyway, really excited to see the Fins got him. From all accounts he is an extraordinary young man. I've read on various blogs, articles, etc. that he's had off the field issues and that COULD NOT be further from the truth. His cousin, Bengals RB Bernard Scott did, but Edmond has not but very easily could have taken a different path. ACU was the perfect place for Edmond because the coaches are all about helping their players become men of faith. Their ultimate goal is for their players is that they learn to be responsible fathers, husbands, citizens, etc. Go 'Fins!
