Nice Story on Adam Humphries

Aug 7, 2015, 11:55 PM

Former Dorman standout Adam Humphries is no stranger to transporting his image from an afterthought into the forefront of coaches’ minds wherever he goes.

This time he’s attempting to once again overcome the same underdog status in which he began his productive Clemson career, competing at football’s highest level at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp.

“It’s becoming something where I’m getting used to that role of being overlooked,” Humphries said. “It’s funny, when I come into a camp people don’t really have high expectations for me and that’s always an opportunity to prove them wrong. It’s kind of like an edge I bring to myself when I play, knowing people may think a certain way of me and then I can go out and show them I’m more than what they think. That’s kind of something I’ve used to my advantage.”

The 5-foot-11, 195-pound receiver went undrafted after playing in 53 collegiate games, a record for a Clemson wide-out. He received an invite to the Buccaneers rookie minicamp and in two days did what he’s become accustomed to doing, catching enough attention to be signed on as a free agent, receiving a legitimate opportunity to make the 53-man roster.

When he returned to Tampa for off-season workouts, he quickly came even further onto the radar of Bucs head coach Lovie Smith, who praised Humphries to the Tampa Bay Times.

“First, I didn’t know who he was,” Smith said. “I know where he’s from now. Good quickness. Smart with good instincts. I think there’s about three players I’ve coached in my career that started from tryouts, without a contract, walking in and proving they deserve a contract, proving they belong in camp, then ending up playing. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do.”

When Humphries first arrived at Clemson with few other offers, there were plenty of naysayers who pegged him as simply a package deal to help land the far more sought after blue-chipper Charone Peake. Humphries looked like a lock to redshirt his first season, but played his way onto the field and even started twice. He topped 40 catches as both a sophomore and junior (finishing his career with 127 for 1,097 yards) despite competing for playing time with the likes of Sammy Watkins, DeAndre Hopkins, Martavis Bryant and Jaron Brown, who all moved onto NFL success.

“You come in and just kind of keep your head down and grind, that’s what I’ve done my whole life,” Humphries said.

He also served as Clemson’s punt returner (where his 476 yards ranks 10th in program history) and understands his experience on special teams, even on punt and kickoff coverage, could prove invaluable toward making an NFL roster. Brown has been somewhat of an advisor to Humphries since he took the same undrafted free-agent route to the NFL. He’s beginning his third year in Arizona after earning a three-year contract for almost $1.5 million and has caught 33 passes for 369 yards and three touchdowns in 32 games.

“Jaron has really been a good guy for me to talk to because we were really in the same boat,” Humphries said. “I’ve heard from him and everyone else how key special teams are for a guy like me to make the team. Obviously you can be a great receiver and perform and make some big catches and score touchdowns, but I also need to make myself more valuable through special teams, which is very crucial to making that roster. I realize it’s possible to do it and I just have to keep working.”

Humphries said having gone to Clemson with its recent success of putting talented skill position guys into the NFL has also helped his early professional profile.

“It definitely doesn’t hurt because the first day out in Tampa I was approached by several guys asking me what Clemson was like and asking about playing with Sammy, Nuk and Martavis. It’s something that people know about throughout the country and everyone respects. Even our coaches know that about Clemson and have a ton of respect for what we’ve done as a program and what we’ve produced as a wide-receiver group. Being a part of that group is a great thing to put on my resume and definitely adds some respect from the other players.”

Master chef
Humphries has been catching passes from former Florida State Heisman Trophy winner and fellow rookie Jameis Winston. Humphries said one of Winston’s more noticeable traits was his ultra competiveness, which is even on display off the field.

The rookies participated in a bonding session at the Art Institute of Tampa earlier this summer with a two-hour cooking class that ended with four-man teams being judged on best dish and presentation. Humphries, with a shrimp pasta among the highlights, helped lead his foursome to the win over Winston’s group.

“Jameis is a very talented guy and great competitor who hates to lose,” Humphries said. “When we won that cooking competition, he was furious because he thought he made the best food. I was happy to take home the trophy as best cook, although I really just made the best connections with the culinary students and they kind of helped us out and kept their mouths shut, letting everybody think we’d done it all. It was some fancy stuff.”

Good Luck Adam and GO TIGERS!!!

http://www.goupstate.com/article/20150807/ARTICLES/150809778/1088/SPORTS?p=1&tc=pg

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Nice Story on Adam Humphries

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