Former Bethune-Cookman receiver KJ Stroud has officially signed as an undrafted free agent with the New York Jets of the National Football League.
Stroud, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound senior wide receiver from Brooklyn, N.Y., becomes the first B-CU player to ink a free agency agreement with an NFL team following this year’s NFL Draft. He arrived to the Wildcats program in 2011 after transferring from Rutgers where he spent the 2009 and 2010 campaigns.
Draft Zone Spotlight: David Blackwell, QB/WR, Bethune-Cookman University
When you think of complete football players, if you don’t have David Blackwell in that list then you missed a player. Blackwell originally signed with Iowa out of school, but would eventually play for Iowa Western a JUCO school. He was a triple threat for the school and would play WR, QB and LB. David rushed 33 times for 188 yards and one TD while throwing for 132 yards and one score for Iowa Western which would eventually land him on Bethune Cookman’s roster in Daytona Beach. David played a couple games last year at QB for Bethune and he was a beast at the helm. He threw for a total of 409 yards with three touchdowns on 22-of-38 passing, with only one interception on the year. Last year David played wide out as well. Keep an eye on this athlete, because he could be a huge asset to some team looking for a dual threat player.
How many teams were recruiting you coming out of high school and how did you make your decision?
I had about 20 offers like LSU, Syracuse, Iowa, UCF, Arkansas, Ole Miss
Who was your favorite NFL team growing up, and did you have a player you rooted for?
It was St. Louis Rams. Player: Torry Holt
At your position, how do you break down film, please inform our readers what you look for when breaking down film?
I peak at pre-snap and post-snap coverage and also look for different techniques and tendencies to determine play.
Dawud Lane shows his support for Aunt Gail (Breast Cancer survivor)
Draft Zone Spotlight: Dawud Lane, LB, Bethune-Cookman University
When you watch the Bethune-Cookman games, big Dawud Lane stuck out and was a fierce competitor. He was a very highly recruited defensive lineman/linebacker which attended Rutgers University in New Jersey. He has been given a couple nicknames one is “Wood” which is short for Dawud because he lays wood when he plays. Another one is “Mr. Energy” because he is always fired up. I talked to one person at Bethune Cookman who said that Dawud would run a 4.5 all day every day at 6’2, 225 pounds. That is very impressive. Enough of me talking, check out the linebacker from B-CU.
How many teams were recruiting you coming out of high school and how did you make your decision?
Out of high school I was not that highly recruited maybe 9 or 10 D1-A offers. I made my decision to attend Rutgers originally where I earned my undergrad degree. The reason I went there because as a young man I wanted to stay home in New Jersey and I truly loved the coaching staff at Rutgers. Upon graduating there I still had eligibility so I decided to come down to Bethune Cookman to receive my masters while helping build this program.
Who was your favorite NFL team growing up, and did you have a player you rooted for?
That’s an easy one thee Dallas Cowboys, second greatest franchise ever next to the one that picks me up. Real Stars wear Stars and the stadium opens up to allow God the best view. The players I rooted for growing up was Deion Sanders & Lawrence Taylor I loved their showmanship, and ability to take over a game. The passion that LT plays with while rushing the passer and Deion ability to take risk in coverage because of his speed are characteristics I adopted into my game.
At your position, how do you break down film, please inform our readers what you look for when breaking down film?
Breaking down film is at this level of college and the pros are an essential aspect to being productive. At Rutgers the coaches would do detailed breakdowns of tendencies and third down plays in which at BCU we did not have the man power to do so. Thus I took it upon myself to study route combinations that coincide with down and distance to gain an advantage defensively. After taking a couple days studying that you move into o line stances to get run/pass reads and then gun mechanics as far as the QB and alignment for the Wide receivers, now there are plenty more but I have to preserve my career.
