ESPN.com: Rakeem Cato's Only Chance

[Mike Gwinn]

SIXTY-FIVE DAYS[/B] before the NFL draft, Rakeem Cato takes a break near a box of Krispy Kreme donuts that he doesn't eat (but should), and contemplates numbers. There was a time, when news trucks rumbled through the West Virginia mountains to do feel-good stories on him, that he thought throwing for 14,079 yards and breaking records and winning games would matter. But now, the only thing scouts want to know is whether a miracle happened over the winter and he somehow morphed into the body of a stereotypical NFL quarterback....

ESPN.com

 

[NKY_HerdFan]

Wow. Sounds like Cato is shooting himself in the foot big time. Sad to read that article

 

[redsfan5590]

I was amazed at how large that article was. Good write up, but I don't think it helps Cato's case. Missing the CFL practice without telling anyone, and the fact that his agent doesn't know if he hates him and it seems he's unwilling to eat. I don't know just reading that article probably doesn't help Cato's image. I could be totally wrong though.

 

[wvkeeper(HN)]

That was a weird article.

 

[WV_Celt]

Man, the dude comes across as a complete head case.

If he wants to play pro football so badly, he needs to be willing and ready to play in the CFL. A much better option than making graham crackers for pay in the Arena League.

 

[SHAMMOND16]

The only structure the kid ever had in his life was when he was at Marshall under Doc. Now that he's on his own, it's up to him to take what he learned during his time here and make something of it. And all of those people who got their face time on ESPN, who acted like they were such big parts of his life, need to give him the best shot he has at succeeding.

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

Cato a headcase? Cato having some issues with depression, possible.
Posted from Rivals Mobile

 

[raleighherdfan]

He actually believed he had a shot as an NFL QB?? It was obvious it just wasn't going to happen. Hiring a used car salesman/ ambulance chaser for an agent also wasn't going to help much.

Scumbag media is also going to enjoy tearing him down further if he ends up going into a true personal tailspin.

 

[Herd In the Plains]

The agent is less than a novice. A distant friend would not reveal what he evidently did to the author.

 

[Marine03]

Article hit the nail on the head when it said he "was a system QB." He was, and that's ok but he has never been seen (in my eyes) as an NFL type QB. He should hit the cfl or arena league.

 

[Always The Herd]

Did/is he getting his degree?
Face it......everybody doesn't make it to the NFL (even if it is a dream)
Get a real job.
Not married & has 2 kids.....don't feel sorry for him....it was a choice he made
after entering college (not when he was "so to speak" in the projects).
What about the girl(s) he was with......is he concerned enough about them to get a job and pay child support?

 

[wvkeeper(HN)]

Herd Nation

Where former Football players getting destroyed after finishing their eligibility.


#eattheyoung

 

[Gochneaur645]

Originally posted by Always The Herd:
Did/is he getting his degree?
Face it......everybody doesn't make it to the NFL (even if it is a dream)
Get a real job.
Not married & has 2 kids.....don't feel sorry for him....it was a choice he made
after entering college (not when he was "so to speak" in the projects).
What about the girl(s) he was with......is he concerned enough about them to get a job and pay child support?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNykNxP7oQw

 

[Always The Herd]

Prove to me what was wrong with what was stated.

 

[bgr30]

Anyone know what Cato majored in?

 

[huntersdl2007]

Needs to be willing for CFL if free agency doesnt come a calling. 2 kids yes.. he needs to provide.. he is going from being "the man" to possibly unemployed. Prayers for the young man.

 

[mlblack16]

I'm shocked he didn't manage to put on any weight. It almost sounds like he is so convinced of his body of work in college up to the final bowl game being "good enough" to get him into the NFL that he need not do anything but sit back and wait for the draft.

I'd love to see him get a shot at some type of position in the NFL, but I don't see it happening being 178#.

 

[herdalicious]

Anyone know what Cato majored in?

I think its business management. I hate to say this though - judging from his communication skills (written and verbal), I'm not sure he's correctly geared to work in a business environment.

I've felt for a while that Cato was going to wind up being a poster child for the 99.999% of college football players who never get paid to play football. Many of them, for one reason or another, aren't really transformed by the collegiate experience, so when their playing days are done at 22, they go back to the situation they came from, really no better off for it.

 

[Herdon2]

I pray he does well. I really do. It's wierd he couldn't get an agent that had more experience though. I mean he is one of the most prolific passers in college history and threw the most TDs in consecutive games.

 

[Herdstruck]

Wow...the lack of support for someone who gave Marshall their best season in over a decade?

I bet in 1970 you'd be one of the people who'd be all for cancelling football.

Did/is he getting his degree?
Face it......everybody doesn't make it to the NFL (even if it is a dream)
Get a real job.
Not married & has 2 kids.....don't feel sorry for him....it was a choice he made
after entering college (not when he was "so to speak" in the projects).
What about the girl(s) he was with......is he concerned enough about them to get a job and pay child support?

 

[Herdstruck]

Honestly, if Kellen Moore and Case Keenum can get an NFL shot, so can Cato. It's not likely he is drafted but could get picked up by Free Agency.

 

[The Real SamC]

I thought Cato was on track to graduate with a teacher's degree. A PE teacher/coach can make a good living in south Florida (or most anywhere else).

In any event, life is what you make out of it. A free education is nothing to sneeze at, nor, for somebody in his position, is four years of being exposed to another culture, free room and board, and all of that.

Anyway, look for Cato to at least sign with the CFL, which would put $50K or so in his pocket, which is a nice start on life.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

I thought Cato was on track to graduate with a teacher's degree. A PE teacher/coach can make a good living in south Florida (or most anywhere else).

In any event, life is what you make out of it. A free education is nothing to sneeze at, nor, for somebody in his position, is four years of being exposed to another culture, free room and board, and all of that.

Anyway, look for Cato to at least sign with the CFL, which would put $50K or so in his pocket, which is a nice start on life.

I would hope he can make it with the CFL. The fact the her reportedly blew off a CFL tryout though, doesn't sound like him at all.

 

[HerdFan73]

Honestly, if Kellen Moore and Case Keenum can get an NFL shot, so can Cato. It's not likely he is drafted but could get picked up by Free Agency.

Both those guys are undersized, and Moore weighs 20 lbs more than Cato right now and Keenum weighs 30 lbs more. At 178 Cato would get absolutely broke in half in the NFL. Hell, even pat white broke 200 and you saw what happened to him. Also, by one chart I looked at the other day he would be tied for the 21st lightest player in the LEAGUE, any position (including kickers). He's just too small.

Edit. Said "Moore" twice. Meant Keenum.

 

[Herdstruck]

Give him the weight, he'd get a shot.

 

[RhinoD]

I think a team will sign Cato after the draft. Maybe he can make a practice squad and go from there... He seems like a good kid and gave everything he had to our university, so I won't talk trash about the guy on a message board. A lot of players wind up with kids in college, so indicting Cato for that is pretty shortsighted. Not to mention the poster who is already relegating him back to the hood in Liberty City.

 

[MorkofMorgantown]

Tough read for many reasons. It really does read as if Cato is suffering from depression. Perhaps a Marshall alumni in the area could reach out to him and see if he needs help. Best of luck to him. I hope he makes it.

 

[herdit44]

I think a team will sign Cato after the draft. Maybe he can make a practice squad and go from there... He seems like a good kid and gave everything he had to our university, so I won't talk trash about the guy on a message board. A lot of players wind up with kids in college, so indicting Cato for that is pretty shortsighted. Not to mention the poster who is already relegating him back to the hood in Liberty City.

someone will give him a mini-camp shot, but making a practice squad is probably not that likely, not many qbs are kept on practice squads, and those that are kept are usually guys that have prototypical nfl qb size, that need a lot of work in other areas.

cato's limitations in the eyes of the nfl, isn't so much his attitude, or his knowledge of the game, or his talent, it's merely his size, and there's not much he can do about that. he's not going to grow 5-6 inches, he's not likely going to put on 40 pounds of muscle, it is what it is...

but someone will sign him, likely, for off-season mini-camps, and he might get a fall camp invite out of that, might not.

 

[Incognito28]

Like many on here, I feel he's probably better suited for CFL just because of size. But, if he winds up back in Liberty City, that doesn't say much about us. None of you guys would help him get a decent job after all he's done for our university? I'd hire him at my construction company if football didn't pan out for him. I'd hire him on heart alone. I'd give him a shot. If he didn't work out, I'd fire him, but I'd say he'd be a good worker. The guy is tough. He'll be fine.

 

[marshallsig]

Wtf? Is Saul Goodman his agent?

 

[herdit44]

Like many on here, I feel he's probably better suited for CFL just because of size. But, if he winds up back in Liberty City, that doesn't say much about us. None of you guys would help him get a decent job after all he's done for our university? I'd hire him at my construction company if football didn't pan out for him. I'd hire him on heart alone. I'd give him a shot. If he didn't work out, I'd fire him, but I'd say he'd be a good worker. The guy is tough. He'll be fine.

then hire him. since he lacks his college degree, that limits the jobs he'd be qualified for...

 

[Incognito28]

then hire him. since he lacks his college degree, that limits the jobs he'd be qualified for...

That's what I'm saying. I absolutely will if he needs a job. I'd think a lot of us would. I'd venture to say that guy should have a job in the tri-state for the rest of his life if he needs one.

 

[CarolinaHerdzilla]

I did not see signs of depression in the espn piece. He speaks like a lot of folks do in the sports world. Unless he would have majored in Communications/English....it would be difficult for him to change his vocal presentation & his enunciation skills that were formed in early childhood. My heart is cheering he is successful in life and I feel Marshall was beneficial for his growth as a person. Just because he fathered two children out of wedlock does not make him a bad person. How does anyone know if he supports them or not? To infer he does not is totally wrong. A lot of college kids (including me) could have had children out of wedlock during our crazy college days!

Just saying......if the shoe fits....wear it!

HerdZilla22 in Charlotte

 

[Herdstruck]

I think many of you forgot where Cato was when he first got here.

Dude couldn't talk one bit, he was undersized like crazy, and was hot headed.

Since then he has really matured and become someone the school could be proud of.
He didn't get into trouble, never got arrested, was always humble and softspoken about many things. He was also a very approachable person...never allowed his ego to get ahead of him and he never spoke bad about Marshall.

Yeah, he has speech problems...psychologically it could be from the tragedy he suffered growing up in such a bad place. It's happened to people before. He's been able to deal with alot and any potential employer, reading his resume and asking him about his life, will quickly know what Cato's made of.

I wanted him to get a shot at the NFL and I still think he will. He turned down the CFL because he wanted to go for it all and set the bar for his goals VERY high, is there something wrong with that? Cato didn't want to go for anything less than the best...and he certainly could become an NFL player and sign with someone. If he doesn't, the CFL isn't going anywhere anytime soon.