Post by The Legend on Nov 16, 2011 22:02:59 GMT -5
Rayder at the press conference announcing his position change
With the UFSL’s inaugural draft inevitable in the near future, veteran of the VFL and FSL Tom Rayder decided to mark his return to the game. Some expected it may be as a fullback, where he played for the champion Ohio Thunder in the FSL; some believed he would return as an outside linebacker, the position that he played in his first season with the Wellington Hurricanes in the VFL, where he was voted Outside Linebacker of the Year for Season 1, or perhaps as a defensive back, the position he played in the VFL’s final season. Despite all speculations, Rayder silenced the media with a completely unexpected announcement:
“I’m going to be playing quarterback in the UFSL.”
Rayder in action in his first workout as a QB
The question immediately posed by the press inquired as to why he chose to make this specific position switch. “I’ve always had a good arm,” he answered, “I just haven’t shown it off for you guys. You know from the VFL and FSL that I have the work ethic necessary to pick the defense apart, and I have experience on the offensive side of the ball from my early days. So it made sense to me to play quarterback in the UFSL, because naturally I would be an important part of the team and could make a large difference, whereas before I played positions where, despite my talent, I couldn’t single-handedly put the team on my back and win the game for us. Now I can, not that I’m going to need to with the talent that I know will be around me here.”
Teams may be apprehensive in drafting Rayder because he has never played quarterback before, but those who know him have plenty of confidence that he will be able to excel at whatever position he plays.
When asked where he thought he would be drafted, Rayder replied, “I really don’t know. Quarterbacks and running backs generally go early, as do middle linebackers, but I’m still not sure where I’ll go. I think I’ll go earlier than I did in the VFL (11th overall) but I think I definitely won’t go first or second. I’ll play like a first or second overall pick, but I probably won’t be drafted there. Then again, if too many quarterbacks enter the draft, I may drop to the third or fourth round. I don’t believe that would be justified, but it could happen.”
The Hurricanes' pick of Rayder at 11 had a lot of people scratching their heads, but it proved to be a good pick.
Listed as one of the “head-scratcher” picks of the VFL’s inaugural draft as an outside linebacker in the first two rounds, Rayder proved critics wrong and helped lead one of the league’s strongest run defenses. Now he hopes to prove any doubters wrong and lead one of the league’s best passing attacks. Could it happen? Who knows? If his time in the UFSL is anything like that in the VFL, it not only can but will happen, regardless of the system Rayder is placed in.
Rayder left the media with a final statement, “I just want to let any GMs out there questioning me know that they won’t regret taking me with an early pick, because I’ll help drive the team’s offense to success regardless of the talent around me.”
