Sussex County Punishers offensive guard and recent Salisbury University graduate Jerrod Sample is a mountain of a man. He stands 6 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs in at 385 pounds but is incredibly agile for an offensive lineman his size.
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Punishers offensive guard Jerrod Sample, at the line of scrimmage at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Sample will be playing for the Cincinnati Jungle Kats in the Arean Football League.NFL scouts took notice of the Seagulls starting right guard, and he was one of 15 football players and the only Division III player invited to showcase their skills in front of scouts from 25 NFL teams at a Pro Day at Duquesne College in Pittsburgh, Pa., last March.
And, according to Sample, the scouts were impressed with his ability but were concerned about his weight. So the NFL draft came and went without his name getting called, and he wasn’t signed as an undrafted free agent either.
“I was more hurt than anything,” Sample said. “Because, at the end of the day, all I have is myself. It’s not like I blew up overnight. I’ve always been big. And they saw what I could do and they liked it. But they were concerned about my weight.”
“I guess it just wasn’t my time,” he continued.
Sample’s dream of playing professional football seemed to be slipping away.
That was until Sample joined the Punishers of the Diamond Football League — which ultimately led to him getting signed by the Cincinnati Jungle Kats of the Arena Football League.
“Jerrod came to me and asked me if I thought he would get looked at playing with us,” Punishers assistant head coach Butch Yocum said. “And I told him there’s an opportunity out there for anybody.”
The Jungle Kats are owned by Ken Griffey Jr. and Sam Adams of the Cincinnati Reds and Bengals, respectively. And it was Adams who called Sample personally to invite him to play for his team.
“I got an e-mail from Sam Adams saying he wanted me to play for him and he left a number for me to give him a call back, but I thought it was a joke,” Sample said. “Then he sent me another message, and that’s when I realized this is really something. And the next morning he called me at 8 a.m. and said that I had to play for him.”
Sample and Adams talked for about 20 minutes and it was then that he was offered a one-year contract to compete for one of three starting positions on the offensive line.
The AFL may not be the NFL, but this opportunity could prove to be a vital stepping stone.
“Everyone’s ultimate goal is to go to the NFL,” Sample said. “So I’m just going to keep working and go step-by-step, and, hopefully, I’ll get a chance one day.”
And after suffering a serious knee injury during the first spring practice of his freshman year of 2000 at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Sample is fortunate to have a future in the sport at all.
He tore his posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and partially tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), and the doctors were skeptical of whether he’d ever play again.
Sample returned home to Bishopville, Md., in late 2001 before transferring to Salisbury University after a two-year hiatus. That was where he began the rigorous journey back to football.
“Jerrod had a significant knee injury,” Salisbury University head trainer Pat Lamboni said. “They had to reconstruct two of four major ligaments in his knee. And it would’ve been a career-ender — especially combined with his sheer size. But he worked hard and dedicated himself to rehab and was ready to go his first year back.”
Sample underwent surgery in late January of 2003 and then practically lived with Lamboni in the training room.
He’d rehab two to three times each day, five to six days per week. And, eventually, he’d worked himself into playing shape. It was a long but gradual process.
First, he had to reduce the swelling and improve his range of motion. Pins held his knee together for about a month following the surgery, so Sample lost considerable muscle mass. And the next step was regaining what he’d lost.
After defying the odds to recover from such an extensive knee injury, Sample still had to work himself into football shape. He was hampered by hamstring and ankle injuries through training camp before the medical staff finally cleared him to play in late September, according to Lamboni.
But once healthy, Sample proved he was worth his weight in gold.
He helped the Sea Gulls get to a 7-3 record in 2003 and achieve consecutive winning record for the first time since 1988.
In 2004 and 2005 they extended that streak and amassed an 18-4 record. They also won consecutive Atlantic Central Football Conference (ACFC) titles. They were the Eastern College Athletic Conference South Atlantic Bowl Champions in 2005.
During the 2004 and 2005 seasons, Sample and the rest of the offensive line gashed running lanes wide open for Sea Gull running backs. They cleared the way for 7,731 rushing yards for an average of more than 300 rushing yards per game and 83 rushing touchdowns.
Sample’s size may be overwhelming. But it’s the combination of his agility with his size that makes him a legitimate NFL prospect.
“Jerrod has great potential,” Salisbury University head football coach Sherman Woods said. “He’s a huge guy with great feet. And at 380 [pounds] he can move just as quick as someone 250 pounds.”
“If the NFL is serious about scouting, then this is a great opportunity for Jerrod to showcase his skills. Linemen, unlike skill players, are hard to come by. So pro scouts are going to be interested in him,” he continued.
The combination of his size and agility are amazing, but Lamboni believes that he’s going to have to lose weight if he’s going to have a shot at the NFL.
“There used to be a time when the NFL wanted the biggest linemen they could find, but now they want guys who are in the low-300’s who can move. And if Jerrod can get down to the 350-365 pound range, then maybe he’ll be looking at something different than the arena league,” Lamboni said.
“Jerrod has the quickest feet I’ve ever seen. But if he can get into the right stable and get his weight down, then he’ll be really exciting to see,” he added.
Sample’s struggle through injury was difficult. But he gritted through it and returned to football. His resilience and ability earned him an opportunity to get picked up by a NFL team. But he never received a call. And finally, Sample got his shot at the professional ranks — in an unlikely bend of the road less traveled, during a short stint in the DFL.
“I wasn’t too excited to play in the DFL, but my cousin [Punishers wide receiver] Torrez Spence recommended it. And I figured it would keep me in football shape in case an opportunity presented itself,” Sample said.
He blasted holes wide open for the Punishers and was a major reason they jumped out to a 3-1 preseason record. He hadn’t given up a sack during that span and was stenciled in as the Punishers starting right guard and team captain.
And though his Punisher family is happy that he’s finally received a shot, they’ll surely miss him as well.
“Jerrod is an awesome species [of football player],” Yocum said. “He does everything you ask him to do and more. After the first week of practice it was clear to the other guys why he was named captain.”
“It’s because he’s awesome,” Yocum continued.
“We’re disappointed to lose Jerrod,” Punishers team owner Tina Dennis said. “But at the same time we’re tickled for him.”
The Jungle Kats training camp will begin March 11, in preparation for a 16-game season starting at the end of the month.