Canuck
Third String But Playing on Special Teams
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This has all been posted before but since Malcom has been missing from sight the last few days, I thought I would repost just how he came to be a Patriot.
http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-...009/quick-hit-thoughts-around-patriots-nfl-14
With no combine invitation in 2014, Butler hoped to open eyes by taking part in the University of Alabama Pro Day last year, which is sort of like a combine in and of itself. But when he ran a 4.6-second time in the 40-yard dash, his agent Derek Simpson recalled that “all interest had faded.” The draft went by and Butler’s name wasn’t called, and no team even offered an immediate free-agent deal. Said Simpson, “I’ll never forget it; I was at my dining room table and got a phone call. It was [Patriots cornerbacks coach] Josh Boyer and he said, ‘Is Malcolm still available? I can bring in one player in the country for a tryout and I picked Malcolm. I believe Malcolm can play in the NFL.’ We had to sign a release just to try out, and within one hour after his flight from Jackson, Mississippi, to New England, they had him run a 40 and he did a 4.4. From that point forward, it’s been nothing but incredible.”
Patriots scout Frantzy Jourdain, as noted by ESPN.com Insider Field Yates, was responsible for the initial report on Butler. Those in Rhode Island might remember Jourdain from his time at URI (1993-97), where he was a three-year starter at running back and strong safety. This was Jourdain’s 12th season with the Patriots’ personnel department and 10th year as an area scout, and like Boyer, his role in Butler landing in New England can’t be overlooked. The Patriots’ motto this year was “Do Your Job,” and because Jourdain did his exceptionally well, the little-known Butler was on the roster and in position to make the play that won Super Bowl XLIX.
http://nesn.com/2015/02/bill-belichick-details-scouting-malcolm-butler-with-dukes-coach-k/
Krzyzewski asked Belichick, “How do you find Malcolm Butler? How is he in that play in the Super Bowl from where he was, where he came from?” “You know, Mike, that’s a great question,” Belichick said. “When we scouted him at West Alabama the information on him wasn’t accurate and somehow or other his times and kind of athleticism got lost in the shuffle as sort of a slower corner that was just an OK athlete. “After the draft we signed a lot of free agents, and we had really no spots on our roster, and we invited about 20 players who weren’t drafted in for a weekend workout. He was one of those players and in order to sign him to our roster, we had to release somebody that we had already scouted and put on our team. But we just thought that Malcolm would be able to be competitive based on his athleticism and ball skills and how quickly he picked things up in the couple days that he was with us. “So we didn’t even have a roster spot, we created one. He came in and he played well in the spring, carried that over into training camp, ended up making the roster and was on and off the roster at different times during the year. There were a couple games he wasn’t active for. He kept competing, he kept getting better, and from West Alabama to Arizona and the Super Bowl is a long way. But he did it with a lot of hard work and he had an opportunity and he took advantage of it so it is really kind of a dream story for him and, you know, for all kids that play sports.” Butler’s reported 40-yard dash time was 4.62 seconds, though it was obvious from watching him this season that he’s much faster. The Patriots clocked Butler with a 4.4-second 40-yard dash when they privately ran him through the pre-draft drills, the cornerback’s agent told ESPN.com.
Read more at: http://nesn.com/2015/02/bill-belichick-details-scouting-malcolm-butler-with-dukes-coach-k/
http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-...009/quick-hit-thoughts-around-patriots-nfl-14
With no combine invitation in 2014, Butler hoped to open eyes by taking part in the University of Alabama Pro Day last year, which is sort of like a combine in and of itself. But when he ran a 4.6-second time in the 40-yard dash, his agent Derek Simpson recalled that “all interest had faded.” The draft went by and Butler’s name wasn’t called, and no team even offered an immediate free-agent deal. Said Simpson, “I’ll never forget it; I was at my dining room table and got a phone call. It was [Patriots cornerbacks coach] Josh Boyer and he said, ‘Is Malcolm still available? I can bring in one player in the country for a tryout and I picked Malcolm. I believe Malcolm can play in the NFL.’ We had to sign a release just to try out, and within one hour after his flight from Jackson, Mississippi, to New England, they had him run a 40 and he did a 4.4. From that point forward, it’s been nothing but incredible.”
Patriots scout Frantzy Jourdain, as noted by ESPN.com Insider Field Yates, was responsible for the initial report on Butler. Those in Rhode Island might remember Jourdain from his time at URI (1993-97), where he was a three-year starter at running back and strong safety. This was Jourdain’s 12th season with the Patriots’ personnel department and 10th year as an area scout, and like Boyer, his role in Butler landing in New England can’t be overlooked. The Patriots’ motto this year was “Do Your Job,” and because Jourdain did his exceptionally well, the little-known Butler was on the roster and in position to make the play that won Super Bowl XLIX.
http://nesn.com/2015/02/bill-belichick-details-scouting-malcolm-butler-with-dukes-coach-k/
Krzyzewski asked Belichick, “How do you find Malcolm Butler? How is he in that play in the Super Bowl from where he was, where he came from?” “You know, Mike, that’s a great question,” Belichick said. “When we scouted him at West Alabama the information on him wasn’t accurate and somehow or other his times and kind of athleticism got lost in the shuffle as sort of a slower corner that was just an OK athlete. “After the draft we signed a lot of free agents, and we had really no spots on our roster, and we invited about 20 players who weren’t drafted in for a weekend workout. He was one of those players and in order to sign him to our roster, we had to release somebody that we had already scouted and put on our team. But we just thought that Malcolm would be able to be competitive based on his athleticism and ball skills and how quickly he picked things up in the couple days that he was with us. “So we didn’t even have a roster spot, we created one. He came in and he played well in the spring, carried that over into training camp, ended up making the roster and was on and off the roster at different times during the year. There were a couple games he wasn’t active for. He kept competing, he kept getting better, and from West Alabama to Arizona and the Super Bowl is a long way. But he did it with a lot of hard work and he had an opportunity and he took advantage of it so it is really kind of a dream story for him and, you know, for all kids that play sports.” Butler’s reported 40-yard dash time was 4.62 seconds, though it was obvious from watching him this season that he’s much faster. The Patriots clocked Butler with a 4.4-second 40-yard dash when they privately ran him through the pre-draft drills, the cornerback’s agent told ESPN.com.
Read more at: http://nesn.com/2015/02/bill-belichick-details-scouting-malcolm-butler-with-dukes-coach-k/
