Sumrall still deals with detractors

Brandon Sumrall has been dealing with this for years.

Too small and too slow. Too this and too that.

The Southern Miss defensive back continues to hear it, even after his college career has ended and he prepares for this weekend’s NFL Draft.

Sumrall, listed at 5-foot-10 and 193 pounds, started at safety in 2005 and 2006 before switching to cornerback in 2007. Safety is his first love.

“My size is kind of hurting me, but it is what it is,” Sumrall said. “I’ve just got to get in there and prove them wrong just like I’ve been proving everyone else wrong. So, that’s no problem.”

Sumrall couldn’t have had a much better career in the defensive backfield for USM. He was named All-Conference USA three times, including first team in 2007. The Beaumont native had 98 tackles and six interceptions his senior season. Sumrall’s nine forced fumbles tied current Atlanta Falcon Michael Boley for a Southern Miss career record.

Sumrall is one of 25 safeties listed on the NFL.com draft board. Rivals.com ranks him the No. 10 strong safety in the draft. Scout.com ranks Sumrall the No. 25 safety out of 32 and gives him two stars.

“I haven’t figured out the NFL system yet,” said Jay Hopson, the former USM defensive coordinator who is now an assistant at Michigan. “Some of the guys I think are sure bets don’t get drafted.

“Pound for pound, he’s definitely the hardest hitter and most physical player we had in a while. You’d take a million Brandon Sumralls.”

Unfortunately for Sumrall, the draft experts don’t feel the same way.

ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper said Sumrall probably won’t get drafted, but “can help you on special teams.”

Nolan Nawrocki, Pro Football Weekly draft analyst, said Sumrall could be a cover-2 cornerback, but called his speed a “big limitation.”

Sumrall said he had encouraging conversations with the Jacksonsville Jaguars, Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys during USM’s Pro Day on campus.

Because he heard over and over to work on his flexibility in the hips – which allows you to change directions quickly while chasing receivers – Sumrall spent seven weeks in Miami working with a personal trainer on exactly that.

Hopson said plenty of NFL scouts came through Hattiesburg and left saying that Sumrall would get drafted.

“He can do so many things, he can play a number of positions,” Hopson said. “Brandon’s not a whiner or complainer.”

Which is exactly how Sumrall is approaching this weekend. He said he’ll watch the draft, but because his family is looking forward to it.

Sumrall is more apt to relax and reminisce about the struggle.

He remembers rushing for 1,566 yards and scoring 22 touchdowns as a senior at Perry Central, but being switched to defense at USM.

Sumrall did record 139 tackles as a linebacker that last year of high school, but was switched to the defensive backfield once he stepped on campus.

“I never doubted myself,” Sumrall said. “Football is football. It’s hard for people to understand that. If you know how to play, you know how to play.”

Offensive lineman Chris Clark is the other Golden Eagle with the best chance of being drafted – being named to the all-sleeper team by Scout.com.

Source: Clarion Ledger

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