A journey to stardom for Miami Dolphins’ Cameron Wake

[DKphin]

In fact, Wake might be having his best season.

Entering Sunday’s action, Wake’s 6½ sacks ranked fourth-most in the league. Pro Football Focus, which grades every NFL snap, rated him as by far the best 4-3 defensive end in the game. Not only did the website list Wake as the league’s most effective pass-rusher — eclipsing even Houston’s terrific J.J. Watt — he’s no slouch against the run, either.
“I’d be hard-pressed to find a guy that makes more of an impact in the game than Cam does,” said Kevin Coyle, the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator.
Coyle rattles off Wake’s strengths like a kid reciting a Christmas list.
He’s strong at the point of attack. He slips blocks. He has unbelievable flexibility. He plays with great energy.
And, most important, he can make game-changing plays at any moment.
Just ask Bobby Massie, the Cardinals’ rookie tackle who Wake victimized for 4 1/2 sacks in Week 4.
It was a career high for Wake, whose combination of size (6-4, 260 pounds), speed (he claims to have run a sub-4.5 40) and strength (he’s the most chiseled member of the Dolphins locker room) make him a truly unique talent.
“It’s hard to compare him to anybody,” said teammate Karlos Dansby. “This guy’s a freak. He’s in a league of his own. The things he does on the field and in practice every day separates him from everybody else.”
And his oft-told back story makes it all the more impressive. Wake didn’t play organized football before his 17th birthday, went undrafted out of Penn State and needed a two-year apprenticeship in the CFL before breaking through in the NFL.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/10/22/3060798/a-journey-to-stardom-for-miami.html#storylink=cpy

 

[DeeperImage]

As an Assistant Coach myself (9U), I cant tell you how hard it is for players to adjust to (see below) the game when they haven't been playing since 5 or 6 years old. Every blue moon, you get a Cam Wake, Jimmy Graham, etc. Injuries typically plague players that come in late to the game.

A. Getting hit
B. Football IQ in general

I love the Cam Wake story. Glad he is on our team.

 

[Butterfrog 2.0]

As an Assistant Coach myself (9U), I cant tell you how hard it is for players to adjust to (see below) the game when they haven't been playing since 5 or 6 years old. Every blue moon, you get a Cam Wake, Jimmy Graham, etc. Injuries typically plague players that come in late to the game.

A. Getting hit
B. Football IQ in general

I love the Cam Wake story. Glad he is on our team.

I'm sure it helps to play at a younger age, but you certainly do not need to play at 5 or 6 to be playing at a high level when you're in your 20's. In fact a lot of NFL players won't let their kids play football before they enter middle school because of all the research done and how it puts too much stress on a kids body at that age. Now my son has been playing since he was 6, and it was I was the one that let him play but I often wonder if that was a smart decision.