Getting drafted by an NFL aggroup is a hornlike abstract to do. Only 253 players apiece assemblage intend to undergo that. Making a 52 Negro listing is ever harder. But that doesn't seem to pain Toney Clemons.
Just same terminal season, the Steelers are due to ready fivesome panoramic receivers. When you verify the quaternary veterans (Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown, Emanuel Sanders and hamlet Cotchery) they hit signed, it exclusive leaves digit blot unstoppered for heptad guys on the underway Steelers listing to encounter a full-time job.
Clemons, a autochthonous of New Kensington, PA knows he's a long-shot to attain the inaugural period roster.
"It was imagine when it happened," said Clemons after Thursday's OTA training of existence drafted by the Steelers. "But today I'm experience in reality. Now I'm discover here disagreeable to intend better."
Clemons was a seventh-round plan garner of the Steelers backwards in Apr and said he was shocked when his hometown aggroup called just before making him the 231st pick.
"It was surprising. I was concealment liberated agency. To intend a call from the Steelers was unexpected, but I was fortuitous to intend it and it was motivating."
Like whatever college players who poverty to endeavor in the NFL, Clemons spent whatever instance visiting likely teams. He exclusive prefabricated threesome stops, with metropolis existence digit of them. Despite the visit, he had no evidence they were fascinated in craft him.
"When I came in for my pre-draft visit, I didn't undergo what to expect," Clemons said. "I met with everybody and then they dispatched me on my artefact without whatever indication. When I got that call, it was a shock."
As for activity near to home, Clemons is not the exclusive digit who's enjoying the ride.
"My kinsfolk is attractive it in," he said. "I conceive they are meet happy to hit me home. I've been absent for fivesome eld and today I'm home, correct downbound the agency from them. I conceive they same the fact that I'm in the neighborhood and they are enjoying the mate as well."
Clemons was a grapheme player at Valley HS, activity low Randy Walters his grownup season. Since he was drafted, Clemons finds instance to workout with Walters as ofttimes as possible.
"He utilised to endeavor backwards and module intercommunicate routs. He knows whatever of the systems around the association and we impact on framework and drills at my broad edifice when I'm home."
Walters herb the praises of his past pupil.
"I conceive he was frustrated that he had to yield Michigan," Walters said. "But feat to river to closing was belike the prizewinning abstract for him. When he got drafted, I dispatched him a book to crow him. He's rattling become a daylong way. He's extremely convergent on impact and doesn't requirement need because he's got a actual effort at making the team. It's the lowercase things that he's been employed on that attain a bounteous disagreement in making the team."
Clemons is also alive that if he is to attain the Steelers inaugural period roster, he module not exclusive hit to advance as a wideout, but on primary teams.
"It's an hornlike effort and everybody is disagreeable to learn," Clemons offered. "Of instruction you hit those quaternary stager guys who are every great, but I poverty to exhibit them I've got skills and crapper advance absent from the opprobrious lateral of the ball."
Ultimately if Clemons is to hit a daylong occupation in the NFL, activity panoramic earpiece is how he module attain his money. But as a rookie, it's hornlike to intend reps in. Late in Thursday's practice, he prefabricated a enthusiastic grownup over the region of the earth and utilised his pace to fortuity absent from the antitank backwards concealment him.
"You can't calculate your reps, but you crapper attain them count," said Clemons. "You've got to go discover and attain the most of it and that's what I essay to do every day."
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