Armond Armstead signs with Patriots

[Clonamery]

Personally, I think he's much more than that. I've been leading the Armstead fan club for a while. I've been interested in him as a talent for years. But it's really what he's done in the past 20 months that stands out to me:

1. USC basically kicked him off the team in the summer of 2011 because of medical concerns. He wasn't allowed to work out with the team, and was basically an outcast.

2. He tried to transfer to Oregon (where younger brother Arik had signed with Chip Kelly) but the USC lawyers blocked that, because USC didn't want him transferring to a Pac-12 rival. So he declared for the 2012 draft.

3. The USC lawyers wouldn't let him train or work out at the team facilities, or work out at the USC pro day for fear or possible medical mishaps and liability, so he pretty much had to go on his own without any of the normal support structure that prospects have to train for the draft. He didn't get a Combine invite. His private workout numbers were for a guy who hadn't played football in 9 months and hadn't trained under the supervision of trainers, so they are probably not reflective of his optimal athletic abilty.

4. Despite his potential, no NFL team drafted him or signed him as a UDFA because they were scared of the medical issue, despite reassurances from physicians. So he went to Canada to prove himself.

5. He went to Toronto, 2500+ miles from home, living on the road with older players with no support structure, without the financial resources that come with being a high NFL draft pick, and played an 18 game schedule (I'm not to worried about the "rookie wall"). According to his GM he never missed a practice. He showed the maturity to thrive on his own in a professional environment, and to carry himself as a professional. That's a big advantage over most college kids, who have not experienced life outside of the relatively sheltered and structured environment of college.

6. He made the CFL All Star team as a rookie, and his team won the Blue Grey cup. He was noted for his relentless motor as well as for his physical skills.

7. To the best of my knowledge, Armstead has never publicly complained about what happened. In an era where stars still ***** about being "robbed" of a SB 12 years ago, he seems to have dealt with difficult circumstances with maturity.

8. He chose the Patriots - with 15 NFL teams reportedly showing interest - in part because he said that he wanted to play for a contending team.

Add it all up, and it's a lot. It shows that this kid cares about winning, cares intensely about football, and has the drive and perseverence to overcome obstacles and succeed. There are a lot of talented kids out there, but not many of them have that kind of success record going into the draft.

Maurice Jones-Drew wrote as a guest columnist for Peter King's MMQB a few years ago:



Maurice Jones-Drew*fills in for Peter King's Monday Morning QB - Maurice Jones-Drew - SI.com

Armstead's always had the measurables and the physical talent. He's demonstrated the "want to", as far as I'm concerned. Not many highly recruited guys have had to do so much just to get their shot. Unless medical and physical issues derail him, I think he stands a much better odds of success than the average high draft pick.

Nice posts on this thread. Good back-up to your comments. Your contributions always make this site a worthwhile visit. Thank you.

 

[Tunescribe]

4. Despite his potential, no NFL team drafted him or signed him as a UDFA because they were scared of the medical issue, despite reassurances from physicians. So he went to Canada to prove himself.

This is the point that still baffles me. You'd think some NFL team would have looked a bit closer under the hood and figured he at least was worth bringing to camp.

 

[mayoclinic]

This is the point that still baffles me. You'd think some NFL team would have looked a bit closer under the hood and figured he at least was worth bringing to camp.

I was fervently hoping the Pats would sign Armstead as a UDFA last May. Teams were clearly scared of the medical issue and were waiting for more clarification. Armstead had this to say last June, after he signed with Toronto:

"I had an episode and I was hospitalized,'' Armstead told Canadian media. "They ran a bunch of tests and found out I didn't have any heart condition or any blood condition. That's basically it. I came out and tried to go to the draft, but teams were scared because of the history and they didn't want to take a chance on me....I didn't want to wait until July (for an NFL camp tryout). I decided on the sure shot. All I wanted was an opportunity and the Argos gave me one."

Prep Blog: Armond Armstead signs with CFL; has dominated early camp workouts

I love that "all I wanted was an opportunity attitude". Armstead made the most of his opportunity with Toronto, now he has a new opportunity with the Pats. I'm betting he'll make the most of that one, too.

 

[eom]

This is the point that still baffles me. You'd think some NFL team would have looked a bit closer under the hood and figured he at least was worth bringing to camp.

yeah, but you can say that about anybody who slipped through the cracks, and a lot of guys slip through the cracks.

 

[Tunescribe]

yeah, but you can say that about anybody who slipped through the cracks, and a lot of guys slip through the cracks.

Armstead was more highly touted than most. That's why I was surprised he didn't get a UFA offer.

 

[Uncle Rico]

This is the point that still baffles me. You'd think some NFL team would have looked a bit closer under the hood and figured he at least was worth bringing to camp.

I think it's not just the injury, but the related lawsuit. That combination really rachets up the perception of risk.

 

[Get it shawtaay]

This is the point that still baffles me. You'd think some NFL team would have looked a bit closer under the hood and figured he at least was worth bringing to camp.

Yeah. I was really surprised no one brought him to camp last Fall. I'd think if teams had medical reservations they could work them into the terms of the contract effectively to protect them from liability, although Armstead might not have agreed to that.

 

[mayoclinic]

Yeah. I was really surprised no one brought him to camp last Fall. I'd think if teams had medical reservations they could work them into the terms of the contract effectively to protect them from liability, although Armstead might not have agreed to that.

They might have, but by June 1 Armstead was already under contract to Toronto. As he mentioned in the article cited above, he decided to go for a "sure thing" in order to prove himself, rather than sit around hoping for an NFL team to call. Seems like he made a good choice.

 

[aztecafut]

I love that "all I wanted was an opportunity attitude". Armstead made the most of his opportunity with Toronto, now he has a new opportunity with the Pats. I'm betting he'll make the most of that one, too.

I didn't know anything about this guy before reading your posts but this is something that also really sticks out with me and it seems that he HAS made the most of his opportunities so far. I hope he keeps that attitude with this new opportunity with the Patriots, but after reading your posts, I'm pretty confident that he will.

MJD said that "Not many highly recruited guys have to do as much JUST to get a shot" and I think that this is true for a lot of guys coming out of college and in mind it makes them not work as hard once they get their shot and it makes them take things for granted in my opinion.

One of the names that come to mind is JaMarcus Russell. Very athletic first round pick, got a fat check from the Raiders, and then gets complacent before he accomplishes anything. He shows up to camp out of shape and never put any effort into learning the playbook so that he could do HIS job. 4 yrs later and he's out of the NFL.

Another name that pops into my head when I think about making the most of your opportunities is Terrel Owens. His case is a little different but has some similarities with Armstead's case. Towards the end of his career, TO was broke and he really needed a paycheck. He was begging NFL teams for another shot and even holding his own workouts to get teams interested. But teams knew his history and no one gave him the shot he so desperately wanted. But... just like Armstead, a CFL team decided to give him a shot and, if I recall correctly, even gave him ownership interests in the team. Perfect chance for TO to prove himself to make an NFL comeback right??.. Wrong!.. Instead, TO decides that he will only practice when he feels like it and even to skip games he didn't feel like playing in. The result?... The team fires him and takes away his owner rights.

Armstead seems to have the opposite attitude from these guys and if he is as talented as you say he is, it could be a recipe for a very successful career and hopefully he can help the Pats D take one more step towards Elite status.

 

[manxman2601]

This is the point that still baffles me. You'd think some NFL team would have looked a bit closer under the hood and figured he at least was worth bringing to camp.

I think it shows how scared teams are of illness/injury in an era where every roster position counts. Doesn't bode well for Jarvis Jones.

 

[eom]

I didn't know anything about this guy before reading your posts but this is something that also really sticks out with me and it seems that he HAS made the most of his opportunities so far. I hope he keeps that attitude with this new opportunity with the Patriots, but after reading your posts, I'm pretty confident that he will.

MJD said that "Not many highly recruited guys have to do as much JUST to get a shot" and I think that this is true for a lot of guys coming out of college and in mind it makes them not work as hard once they get their shot and it makes them take things for granted in my opinion.

One of the names that come to mind is JaMarcus Russell. Very athletic first round pick, got a fat check from the Raiders, and then gets complacent before he accomplishes anything. He shows up to camp out of shape and never put any effort into learning the playbook so that he could do HIS job. 4 yrs later and he's out of the NFL.

Another name that pops into my head when I think about making the most of your opportunities is Terrel Owens. His case is a little different but has some similarities with Armstead's case. Towards the end of his career, TO was broke and he really needed a paycheck. He was begging NFL teams for another shot and even holding his own workouts to get teams interested. But teams knew his history and no one gave him the shot he so desperately wanted. But... just like Armstead, a CFL team decided to give him a shot and, if I recall correctly, even gave him ownership interests in the team. Perfect chance for TO to prove himself to make an NFL comeback right??.. Wrong!.. Instead, TO decides that he will only practice when he feels like it and even to skip games he didn't feel like playing in. The result?... The team fires him and takes away his owner rights.

yeah, I'm pretty sure that wasn't the cfl

 

[aztecafut]

yeah, I'm pretty sure that wasn't the cfl

Actually it was the Indoor Football League... I stand corrected.

 

[Claremonster]

Remember the 1st round pick that the Pats lost? This might be that pick.

 

[BB4PRez]

I am excited the Pats got Armstead.

But he has not even taken an NFL snap yet so I think we can hold off for a little while in putting him in Canton

 

[Frezo]

I am excited the Pats got Armstead.

But he has not even taken an NFL snap yet so I think we can hold off for a little while in putting him in Canton

It's too late for that. They have already started construction of the "Armstead Wing" in Canton.