Army’s Darkhorse Candidate for the NFL
Related GBK Article & Message Board:
• NFL Draft Chatter: The 12th Knight Message Board - OLB Andre Carter (4/26)
• Army Football 2023 NFL Draft and Free Agent Signings Tracker (4/27)
As the draft approaches most Army fans’ eyes have been on Andre Carter, who has shown up on a number of draft forecasts as an Edge defender, but another Army defensive player may be getting some looks by NFL teams as well.
Marquel Broughton attended Pro Day at West Point, but his numbers were not the kind that get a lot of attention from the scouts looking for a safety in the upcoming draft. We compared his measurables with 18 safeties from the 2023 Combine, and Broughton was shorter than all his competitors, while his weight was comparable to most. His 4.74 time in the 40 would have ranked 17th of 18 safeties, and his 31-inch vertical and 225 lb bench reps were close to the bottom of the pack as well.
Nonetheless, we’ve learned that he was given a tryout with the New York Jets and has an outside chance of being picked in a late round of the draft or offered an opportunity to come to camp as a free agent. The more astute scouts may see some things we call intangibles in his performance on the field.
Those of us who have watched Broughton play the past two years know that he is a fierce competitor with a high football IQ and a high level of leadership and discipline that West Point produces. He is good about getting to the right spot on the field and is a sure tackler with 168 tackles in the last two seasons.
He’s better at defending against the run than he is against the pass, but he led the team with 5 interceptions the past two years as well. While his chances of earning a starting role are slim, he could contribute on special teams or in some defensive packages.
NOTABLE: Oh by the way, this young man's feats go far beyond the gridiron when it comes to Army West Point.
Marquel was named a regimental commander, whereby he is in charge of 1,000 cadets, which is an accomplishment that has not happened in the past decade relative to a Black Knights' football player.
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