Photo by: National Underclassmen Football Combine
NUC & the NFL: Joe Haden Recalls His NUC Experience
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(NUC) - Football combines are one of the most ideal opportunities for young talent to be recognized and emerge as a top recruit, and National Underclassmen Combine (NUC) leads the way as the top youth and high school combine in the world. Just ask Joe Haden Sr., dad to Joe Haden, starting defensive back for the Cleveland Browns who as a sophomore in high school took part in an NUC event in 2005.
"I remember the Underclassmen Combine as if it were yesterday," said Joe Sr. "It was a great platform for Joe to get national exposure." and gain the national exposure he did.
After running a 4.4 40 yard dash and a 4.21 in the shuttle, and going head to head with another future NFL'er in Tyrod Taylor, Haden went on to have an outstanding season at Friendly High School in Maryland.
After running a 4.4 40 yard dash and a 4.21 in the shuttle, and going head to head with another future NFL'er in Tyrod Taylor, Haden went on to have an outstanding season at Friendly High School in Maryland.
"The combine was a great experience for me," Haden said. "I remember the instructors giving me compliments during the event and afterwards I definitely started getting more mail and interest from colleges."
David Schuman, owner of NUC remembers Haden's performance:
"You could tell this kid had the ability to make it to the next level. His understanding of the game balanced out his physicality and he really was the total package."
"You could tell this kid had the ability to make it to the next level. His understanding of the game balanced out his physicality and he really was the total package."
Haden went on to become a four-star recruit, and in 2007 he chose to take his talents to Gainseville to play for the University of Florida. After three remarkable seasons, one in which he was named by Sporting News as the National Defensive Player of the Year, he entered the 2010 NFL draft and went number 7 to the Cleveland Browns.
A remarkable trip by a remarkable athlete, who with the proper guidance as a young player through school and combine work, reached his dream of making it to the NFL.
"I feel so blessed to play a sport I love," said Haden. "It is awesome and I thank God every day."
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