Post by Bornthrilla on May 10, 2007 10:52:08 GMT -5
Back home in Carolina
Deloatch fills multiple needs in secondary, special teams
Published Monday, May 7, 2007
by Herbert L. White, herb.white@thecharlottepost.com
Curtis Deloatch and the Carolina Panthers have found a home-team advantage in each other.
The former N.C. A&T standout weighed other offers, but the playing at near his hometown of Ahoskie, N.C., brought the cornerback to Carolina for his fifth NFL season.
"It feels great," Deloatch said. "I had a couple of chances (to consider other teams). I went to Seattle, I went to Miami, to New Orleans, back to New York (Giants) and one day I woke up and Carolina called me. They were like 'man, I know you went through some things, why don't you come down here and talk to us.'
"I came down here, talked to my family and the more I thought about it, I thought it might be good to play in Carolina. I'm a Carolina boy, played football in Carolina, so I'm staying home."
Deloatch is familiar with NFL travel. An undrafted free agent in 2003, he made the Giants' roster and played three seasons there, starting 13 games in 2004. He went to New Orleans in 2006 and scored the Saints' first touchdown in the refurbished Superdome on a blocked punt, but wanted to maximize his playing time.
"Nowadays in the NFL, you're really blessed if you can stay with a team for more than four years," Deloatch said. "I was fortunate enough to stay with the Giants for three, played one season with the Saints. I found a home in Carolina."
Ironically, Deloatch's Giants connections ultimately led him to Carolina. Tim Lewis, who was hired as the Panthers' defensive backs coach in February, was New York's defensive coordinator when Deloatch broke into the league.
“When we signed him, I shared with (General Manager) Marty Hurney, (head coach) John Fox and our special teams coach Danny Crossman, that there weren’t many people that could keep him from getting down the field with regards to punt coverage,” Lewis said. “He’s a very good gunner. He’s got the size and speed to beat people that are trying to double-team him. From a coverage perspective, he’s a very good cover corner.”
Deloatch said the Panthers have talked about plugging him into several positions, primarily in three- and four-cornerback packages. At 6-2, 214 pounds, he has the size Fox prefers in cornerbacks.
"They know I have the ability, so I'm just another piece of the puzzle here in Carolina," he said. "Right now, they've got me playing nickel, corner, a little safety, I know a little dime. I'm also playing special teams and they've got me back catching punts. Basically, I'm a well-rounded athlete doing everything I can."
Says Lewis: “Curtis is blessed with size, speed, strength and good coverage ability. A lot of the qualities that you look for in an NFL cornerback, he possesses.”
And Deloatch will get a chance to do it at home, joining Carolina natives Brad Hoover (Western Carolina) and Julius Peppers (North Carolina) as Carolina-bred Panthers. Deloatch also sees himself as a role model for players from lower-profile college programs - especially historically black schools like A&T.
"I guess the biggest feeling I have is that people can look at me as an example that it doesn't matter where you come from or where you went to school to, as long as you put God first and work hard, you can be anything you want to be."
Deloatch fills multiple needs in secondary, special teams
Published Monday, May 7, 2007
by Herbert L. White, herb.white@thecharlottepost.com
Curtis Deloatch and the Carolina Panthers have found a home-team advantage in each other.
The former N.C. A&T standout weighed other offers, but the playing at near his hometown of Ahoskie, N.C., brought the cornerback to Carolina for his fifth NFL season.
"It feels great," Deloatch said. "I had a couple of chances (to consider other teams). I went to Seattle, I went to Miami, to New Orleans, back to New York (Giants) and one day I woke up and Carolina called me. They were like 'man, I know you went through some things, why don't you come down here and talk to us.'
"I came down here, talked to my family and the more I thought about it, I thought it might be good to play in Carolina. I'm a Carolina boy, played football in Carolina, so I'm staying home."
Deloatch is familiar with NFL travel. An undrafted free agent in 2003, he made the Giants' roster and played three seasons there, starting 13 games in 2004. He went to New Orleans in 2006 and scored the Saints' first touchdown in the refurbished Superdome on a blocked punt, but wanted to maximize his playing time.
"Nowadays in the NFL, you're really blessed if you can stay with a team for more than four years," Deloatch said. "I was fortunate enough to stay with the Giants for three, played one season with the Saints. I found a home in Carolina."
Ironically, Deloatch's Giants connections ultimately led him to Carolina. Tim Lewis, who was hired as the Panthers' defensive backs coach in February, was New York's defensive coordinator when Deloatch broke into the league.
“When we signed him, I shared with (General Manager) Marty Hurney, (head coach) John Fox and our special teams coach Danny Crossman, that there weren’t many people that could keep him from getting down the field with regards to punt coverage,” Lewis said. “He’s a very good gunner. He’s got the size and speed to beat people that are trying to double-team him. From a coverage perspective, he’s a very good cover corner.”
Deloatch said the Panthers have talked about plugging him into several positions, primarily in three- and four-cornerback packages. At 6-2, 214 pounds, he has the size Fox prefers in cornerbacks.
"They know I have the ability, so I'm just another piece of the puzzle here in Carolina," he said. "Right now, they've got me playing nickel, corner, a little safety, I know a little dime. I'm also playing special teams and they've got me back catching punts. Basically, I'm a well-rounded athlete doing everything I can."
Says Lewis: “Curtis is blessed with size, speed, strength and good coverage ability. A lot of the qualities that you look for in an NFL cornerback, he possesses.”
And Deloatch will get a chance to do it at home, joining Carolina natives Brad Hoover (Western Carolina) and Julius Peppers (North Carolina) as Carolina-bred Panthers. Deloatch also sees himself as a role model for players from lower-profile college programs - especially historically black schools like A&T.
"I guess the biggest feeling I have is that people can look at me as an example that it doesn't matter where you come from or where you went to school to, as long as you put God first and work hard, you can be anything you want to be."
