Da'Rel Scott facts for kids
Scott during his time at Maryland
|
|||||||||||
| No. 34, 33 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | May 26, 1988 Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
||||||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 211 lb (96 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Plymouth Meeting (PA) Plymouth-Whitemarsh | ||||||||||
| College: | Maryland | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2011 / Round: 7 / Pick: 221 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Da'Rel Scott (born May 26, 1988) is a former American football running back. He was chosen by the New York Giants in the 2011 NFL draft. Scott played college football for the University of Maryland. He was a starting running back there.
In the 2008 season, he was the second-best rusher in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Only Jonathan Dwyer from Georgia Tech ran for more yards.
Scott played high school football at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School. He was a running back and free safety. Some experts thought he might be better as a wide receiver or cornerback in college. In 2006, he joined the University of Maryland. He spent his first year as a redshirt, meaning he practiced but did not play in games.
The next year, 2007, he played a little as a backup running back. He also played on special teams as a kickoff returner. Coaches wanted him on the field because he was very fast. He could run the 40-yard dash in 4.31 seconds.
In 2008, Scott became Maryland's main running back. He was often the top rusher in the ACC. He was later passed by Dwyer, but both made the All-ACC first-team. Scott also won the 2008 Humanitarian Bowl MVP award. He broke the University of Maryland's record for rushing yards in a bowl game. He finished the season with 1,133 rushing yards. He was the seventh player at Maryland to run for over a thousand yards in one season.
Contents
Early Life and Inspiration
Scott was born on May 26, 1988, in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. His parents are Gloria and Lee Scott Sr. He has two older brothers, Lee Jr. and James. His brother Lee Jr. played football, and James ran track.
When Da'Rel was eight, his father left the family. His father was not involved in raising the boys after that. Da'Rel felt let down. He later realized he did not need his biological father. He grew up with strong support from his mother, brothers, a cousin, a family friend, and his high school athletic director.
He went to Plymouth Whitemarsh High School. He played football, track, and basketball for four years. In football, he was a starter for three years. He played as a tailback and free safety. In his senior year, he ran for 2,523 yards and scored 38 touchdowns. He won the Maxwell Award twice for being the best player in his conference.
The Times Herald named him the area player of the year. The Associated Press named him an all-state player. He was also invited to the Big 33 Football Classic all-star game. Rivals.com rated him as a top "athlete" recruit. Scout.com noted his speed, saying he could run the 100 meters in under 10.5 seconds. They thought he might be better as a wide receiver or cornerback in college. Scott received scholarship offers from several top universities. He chose the University of Maryland. He studied kinesiology there.
Track and Field Achievements
Scott was also a great track athlete. In his junior year, he won the state championship in the 100 meters. His time was 10.56 seconds. He competed in track and field for all four years of high school. In 2010, as a senior, he ran the 60 meters in a personal best of 6.87 seconds.
College Football Journey
2006 Season: Learning the Ropes
Scott did not play in games during the 2006 season. This is called a redshirt year. After summer training, coaches moved him to wide receiver. This position needed more players. His coach, Ralph Friedgen, said Scott had some trouble adjusting. But he was named the offensive scout team player of the week. This was for his good practice before the Florida State game.
2007 Season: First Steps on the Field
In 2007, Scott was a backup running back. He played in nine games. He also returned kickoffs on special teams. Coach Friedgen wanted to use Scott because of his amazing speed. His 40-yard dash time was 4.25 seconds.
His first game action was against Wake Forest. He returned four kickoffs for 101 yards. His special teams play impressed the coach. Friedgen decided to get him involved in the offense. The next week, Maryland beat 10th-ranked Rutgers. Scott carried the ball three times for 29 yards.
Later in the season, against Boston College, Scott caught a short pass. He ran 57 yards for his first career touchdown. It was one of only two plays he had in that game. He finished the season as the team's leader in all-purpose yards. He also set a school record for kick return yards as a freshman.
2008 Season: Becoming a Star
After older running backs left, Scott became the starting running back. He played in 12 games and started 11. He ran for 1,133 yards and scored eight touchdowns. In the first game of the 2008 season, he ran for 197 yards. This was his first start.
He ran for 123 yards and his first rushing touchdown against Middle Tennessee. Against California, he ran for 87 yards and two touchdowns. He got a shoulder injury in that game. He missed the next game.
Scott returned for the game against Clemson. He helped Maryland come back to win 20–17. He scored the winning touchdown. He was held to low yards in some games. But he often led the ACC in rushing yards.
In the 2008 Humanitarian Bowl, Maryland played Nevada. Scott was benched for part of the game for breaking curfew. When he finally played, he ran for 174 yards. He scored two touchdowns. He broke the school record for rushing yards in a bowl game. Maryland won 42–35. Scott was named the game's most valuable player. He also became the seventh Maryland player to run for over 1,000 yards in a season. The Atlantic Coast Conference named Scott to the All-ACC first-team.
2009 Season: Dealing with Injuries
In April 2009, Scott injured his knee during practice. He missed the spring game. He started the summer as a top running back. But another player, Davin Meggett, also played well.
In the first game of the season, Scott ran for 90 yards. He scored Maryland's only touchdown on a 39-yard run. He scored another touchdown the next week. He ran for 117 yards against Middle Tennessee. But he also fumbled the ball twice.
Scott broke his wrist against Clemson. He missed the next five games. He returned for the second-to-last game against Florida State. He ran for 83 yards. In the last game, he ran for 45 yards and a touchdown. He also caught three passes.
2010 Season: Strong Finish
In 2010, Scott felt he had regained his speed. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds. His coaches praised his strength and size. They called him a "complete back."
Scott and Davin Meggett shared time as the main running backs. In the first game, Scott ran for 58 yards and a touchdown. Against Florida International, he gained 103 yards and scored two touchdowns. He had a 56-yard run and a 9-yard run where he broke three tackles.
Against Duke, he caught a short pass and ran 71 yards for a touchdown. At Clemson, Scott threw a four-yard touchdown pass to the quarterback. This was a trick play. During that game, he became the tenth player in school history to gain 3,000 all-purpose yards.
In his final home game, he had negative rushing yards. But Maryland still won. In the 2010 Military Bowl against East Carolina, Scott had a career-high 200 rushing yards. He scored two touchdowns, including a 91-yard run. He was named the game's Most Valuable Player. He broke his own school record for rushing in a bowl game. His performance was called "electrifying."
Scott finished the 2010 season with 708 rushing yards. He ended his college career with 2,401 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. He also had 3,509 all-purpose yards. He ranks seventh in school history for career rushing yards. He is second in career yards per carry.
Scott was invited to play in the East–West Shrine Game and the 2011 Senior Bowl. He played well in practices before the Senior Bowl. In the game, he ran for 15 yards and scored a touchdown.
College Statistics
| Maryland | Rushing | Receiving | Returning | Passing | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lg | TD | KRs | Yds | Lg | TD | Att | Cmp | Yds | Avg | Lg | TD | Int | ||||
| 2007 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 135 | 9.6 | 33 | 0 | 1 | 57 | 57.0 | 57 | 1 | 26 | 566 | 60 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2008 | 12 | 11 | 209 | 1,133 | 5.4 | 63 | 8 | 21 | 171 | 8.1 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 4.5 | 9 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 2009 | 7 | 5 | 85 | 425 | 5.0 | 48 | 4 | 12 | 111 | 9.3 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2010 | 13 | 13 | 122 | 708 | 5.8 | 91 | 5 | 14 | 170 | 12.1 | 71 | 3 | 2 | 33 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 41 | 29 | 430 | 2,401 | 5.6 | 91 | 17 | 48 | 509 | 10.6 | 71 | 4 | 28 | 599 | 60 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 4.3 | 9 | 2 | 0 | ||||
Professional Football Career
| Height | Weight | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
211 lb (96 kg) |
4.34 s | 1.55 s | 2.55 s | 4.20 s | 7.15 s | 34 in (0.86 m) |
9 ft 9 in (2.97 m) |
19 reps | |||
| All values from NFL Combine | ||||||||||||
New York Giants
The New York Giants picked Scott in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL draft. He was the 221st player chosen overall. Giants general manager Jerry Reese said they picked him because he was "big and fast." At the NFL Combine, Scott ran the 40-yard dash in 4.34 seconds. This was the fastest time for any running back there.
Scott earned a spot on the Giants' team. He played behind Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. In a preseason game against the Chicago Bears, he had a 97-yard touchdown run. Against the New England Patriots, he ran a fake punt 65 yards for another touchdown.
He played his first regular season game in Week 1 against the Washington Redskins. He played in 11 games that season. He was part of the team that won Super Bowl XLVI. They beat the New England Patriots 21–17.
In October 2012, Scott was placed on injured reserve. This meant he could not play for the rest of the season due to a knee injury.
The Giants let him go in October 2013. This was after his first career start. But they re-signed him a week later. This happened because another running back, David Wilson, was out with a neck injury. The Giants then let him go again after he injured his hamstring.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Scott signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in April 2015. This team plays in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was released by the Blue Bombers in January 2016.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Scott then signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on May 28, 2016. This is another CFL team.
Personal Life and Motivation
Scott finds motivation for games by thinking about his past. He says he will always have feelings about his father not being there. He uses these feelings to push himself.
While Michael Jordan was his childhood sports hero, he did not choose his jersey number, 23, because of Jordan. Scott chose it by combining his older brothers' high school numbers. His brother James wore number 20, and Lee Jr. wore number 3. Scott said, "They were my father."
