06-01-2017, 04:33 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-02-2017, 02:12 AM by deadendpath27.)
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Being in Vermont is like sailing on a green ocean. [/div]
Rolling green mountains and valleys makeup the identity of NSFL Prospect Kendrick Hendrix. From a young age he has been interested in hiking, fishing, hunting, and trapping in the isolated wilderness of one of the most underrated states in the country. Hendrix wants to show off his roots and give scouts and fans a better idea of the green oasis that is Vermont.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]
View from the Burlington waterfront[/div]
Kendrick started by taking us on a tour of the northern area of Vermont, home to the largest city,
Hendrix's hometown Burlington -- population ~42k. The beautiful waterfront is home to a small marina and even an aquarium & science center. This small city has a strong tourism industry, drawing from the tri-state metropolitan area and offering peaceful tranquility, away from the chaos and traffic.
Those who visit Burlington are usually avid outdoor adventurers including hikers, skiier/snowboarders, cyclists, and even sailors.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]
Jay Peak -- Jay, VT[/div]
Hendrix grew up taking day trips around the state to visit different mountains and resorts with his mother. During the winter season, resort Jay Peak is the place to be, attracting Olympians and a wide range of professional freestyle skiiers and snowboarders from all over the globe. Hendrix shared a memory of meeting Shaun White during a snow-jam in Vermont, saying "His orange curls were brightly glowing, man. I was mesmerized...".
During the summer, various hiking trails are easily accessible, including sections of the Appalachian Trail which teeter through the Southern Vermont mountains.
Being from such a beautiful area, Hendrix learned to appreciate nature early and using the tools he was given to his advantage. Speaking of tools, Hendrix was a farmhand from a young age and worked at various tasks to earn money to call his father in prison. He began an apprenticeship where he was taught to operate and sometimes repair heavy machinery like tractors, eventually leading up to a large group of his friends being employed under him in high school. It's tough to make a buck sometimes in such a small state, so Hendrix recruited several of his eventual varsity football teammates to work in the summers.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]
Hendrix's childhood home[/div]
Hendrix reminisced and told a story of throwing/bailing hay every morning at 6am, attending double sessions (two-a-days) at 9am and 1pm, and finally splitting up with his buddies to find himself back on the farm, working until dusk... all while riding his bike ~6mi to and fro. Hendrix credits this lifestyle as developing him and giving him the willpower to find courage in pain or adversity.
When Hendrix reached the 10th grade, his father began giving him the encouragement to find his calling and passion. Hendrix loved the farm but he knew he wanted more from life. Someday he could have his own farm and maybe even a college degree on the way. His football career, he says, started in the weightroom of his high school. His high school had changed their programs and introduced 'Strength & Conditioning' as a possible alternative to just P.E. classes. Hendrix is a self-touted gym class hero, but he says he got tired of beating the same people in gym class and needed to push himself beyond his limits. He recalls his first day of S&C classes, he was definitely strong, but his techniques and flexibility were lacking. He watched some kids half his size squatting 315 lbs. like nothing, so he began working on his techniques more and by the end of the year, he was pound-for-pound the strongest kid in his high school. He gave us an idea of his improvement, stating "Dude, I could barely bench the bar at first. I was about a buck-fifty and I was cut but I had no idea what it was like to isolate a specific group of muscles as I was used to working everything simeultaneously. By the end of the year, I was being recruited to the varsity football team as a defensive back and working out with some of my meathead buddies who eventually became linemen and backers."
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]
Photo of Hendrix's high school weightroom[/div]
Hendrix showed up to his first practice in some old beat up Jordan 1s to his teammates' entertainment. He hadn't saved enough money up to buy cleats yet as he was spending practically all of his money talking to his dad in prison over the phone. He didn't complain or show dissatisfaction, though. He showed up in J's and was still juking kids out of their cleats. Coaches caught onto his aggressiveness early on and saw him making plays on defense. After a few days of practice and conditioning, Hendrix was moved from his early role as scout team DB and special teamer to starting two-way player and special teamer as DB/WR and KR/PR/Gunner. His head coach stated "He was raw for maybe the better part of a week, and suddenly you had a kid who was embarassing his teammates in practice consistently and didn't even have cleats on his feet, yet. It was like he had been preparing for this show he put on. He was sometimes at practice before any of us coaches were, and was the most disciplined son of a gun, I'll tell ya. He ain't afraid to bust your berries, either!".
After working his way to one of the team captain roles, he began to hone his skills on offense and by the middle of his first season of football, he had over 1,000 yards and 10 tds. On defense he was scoring, as well as special teams. You couldn't keep him away from the endzone. On one play, Hendrix recalls a moment where he deflected a pass, forced a fumble, recovered that fumble, and returned it for a touchdown all in the same play. His pass deflection landed in the hands of an opponent and Hendrix made them pay for it with a ruthless hit with the shoulder right to the sternum of the receiver. This play singlehandedly made a name for Hendrix, as it popped up on SportsCenter and several other media outlets. When Hendrix realized there were people watching, this is when things got serious.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]
Hendrix's big hit, which notoriously made SportsCenter's Top 10[/div]
Being watched is one of the biggest motivations to Hendrix to work harder. He wants his father to be able to see him play, but obviously a Vermont high school is a longshot for someone in a Texas prison, confined to local broadcasts only. Hendrix put up huge numbers in his first season and pushed his team into contention for its first sectional win in over a decade. They squeaked into the state quarterfinals after an overtime comeback led by Hendrix's quarterback. However, in the state quarterfinals, they reached their final destination. The team stunk it up and Hendrix put up less than 100 all-purpose yards in a game for the first time in his young football career. It was an all-around dominance by their opponent, but Hendrix wasted no time sulking. He got in the weight room again and again before showing up to practice his senior year looking like he ate the old Hendrix. He put on a solid 20lbs of muscle in that offseason and gained some height, bringing him up to 6ft. He was now blessed with a new assortment and dimension of skills, as he found himself working on jump balls and becoming a more aggressive receiver who could fight for the ball and take pressure off his new QB.
His senior year, he hit every goal he and his coaches set, and then some with 1,700 yards, 21 TDs on 85 receptions in only 8 regular season games. Averaging over 20 yards per catch on around 10 receptions per game, he found the endzone on around 25% of his receptions. On defense he had managed 6 Ints (3 pick-six), 2 FF, and 4 fumble recoveries, and 42 tackles to go with 4 special teams touchdowns. He did all this with a new sophomore QB, mind you. While he wasn't the best tackler, he still managed to stand out on defense. His team had little resistence as they marched into a state semi-final rematch with the same team that had beaten them the year before in the quarter-finals. Hendrix had prepared for this team, which had graduated only a few of their starters from the previous year, surprisingly. He knew how to dissect a defense on the field and in the film room by now. He shredded them with YAC that game and only allowed 1 catch on 13 targets as a defender. He put his team on his back as they powered into the school's first state championship appearance.
Being a state finalist would've been enough in Hendrix's high school. He had the girls, the attention of his peers, the power to choose between his pick of the best D1 colleges in the nation, you name it. Hendrix could've stopped there and settled, but he continued to fight on and in the state championship, when he found his team struggling to put up points in the first half, gave a memorable speech in the lockerroom. "It was next level, man. I've been reading books on coaching and motivation for half my lifetime and this kid came in like he was Ray Lewis or something. I was stunned. I think we all were.". Hendrix and his team came out of the tunnel and put up one of the most exciting and explosive quarters in high school football history with 4 TDs through the air and 3 interceptions. The only scoring in the entire game came in that single 3rd quarter, as Hendrix's coaches began giving the 2nd team reps. Hendrix, barely able to contain himself, was having a ball coaching and cheering his team on from his sideline. As the clock wound down, there was a rush of fans to the field and notable members of the team, including Hendrix, were being hoisted above a crowd of jubilous fans. That smile on his face never shone brighter until the moment Hendrix announced his intent to play for Baylor the following fall.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]
Hendrix signs his letter of intent to attend Baylor
[/div]
Playing for Baylor was more than just football. Hendrix turned down offers from football giants Ohio State, Michigan, and even LSU to attend Baylor. Hendrix made it known his decision was very much influenced by the location of the prison his father was incarcerated in. It was now possible for his games to be broadcast to his father, and a lifelong dream had been achieved.
Tonight, Hendrix is preparing for one of the most monumental nights of his life, as he will be attending the 2017 Inaugural NSFL Draft as a well-known but underrated prospect. He hopes to land on a team with the leadership and ability to guide his development and encourage him to get better every day. Who would think a kid like Hendrix from a small farmhouse in rural Vermont could not only scale beautiful summits, but could also reach the honorable peaks of professional football? Hendrix knows he has a long way to go, looking forward to yet another challenge to juke and hurdle relentlessly.
The journey of Hendrix -- from the edge of the vast Adirondack wilderness to the NSFL.
Rolling green mountains and valleys makeup the identity of NSFL Prospect Kendrick Hendrix. From a young age he has been interested in hiking, fishing, hunting, and trapping in the isolated wilderness of one of the most underrated states in the country. Hendrix wants to show off his roots and give scouts and fans a better idea of the green oasis that is Vermont.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]
View from the Burlington waterfront[/div]
Kendrick started by taking us on a tour of the northern area of Vermont, home to the largest city,
Hendrix's hometown Burlington -- population ~42k. The beautiful waterfront is home to a small marina and even an aquarium & science center. This small city has a strong tourism industry, drawing from the tri-state metropolitan area and offering peaceful tranquility, away from the chaos and traffic.
Those who visit Burlington are usually avid outdoor adventurers including hikers, skiier/snowboarders, cyclists, and even sailors.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]
Jay Peak -- Jay, VT[/div]
Hendrix grew up taking day trips around the state to visit different mountains and resorts with his mother. During the winter season, resort Jay Peak is the place to be, attracting Olympians and a wide range of professional freestyle skiiers and snowboarders from all over the globe. Hendrix shared a memory of meeting Shaun White during a snow-jam in Vermont, saying "His orange curls were brightly glowing, man. I was mesmerized...".
During the summer, various hiking trails are easily accessible, including sections of the Appalachian Trail which teeter through the Southern Vermont mountains.
Being from such a beautiful area, Hendrix learned to appreciate nature early and using the tools he was given to his advantage. Speaking of tools, Hendrix was a farmhand from a young age and worked at various tasks to earn money to call his father in prison. He began an apprenticeship where he was taught to operate and sometimes repair heavy machinery like tractors, eventually leading up to a large group of his friends being employed under him in high school. It's tough to make a buck sometimes in such a small state, so Hendrix recruited several of his eventual varsity football teammates to work in the summers.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]
Hendrix's childhood home[/div]
Hendrix reminisced and told a story of throwing/bailing hay every morning at 6am, attending double sessions (two-a-days) at 9am and 1pm, and finally splitting up with his buddies to find himself back on the farm, working until dusk... all while riding his bike ~6mi to and fro. Hendrix credits this lifestyle as developing him and giving him the willpower to find courage in pain or adversity.
When Hendrix reached the 10th grade, his father began giving him the encouragement to find his calling and passion. Hendrix loved the farm but he knew he wanted more from life. Someday he could have his own farm and maybe even a college degree on the way. His football career, he says, started in the weightroom of his high school. His high school had changed their programs and introduced 'Strength & Conditioning' as a possible alternative to just P.E. classes. Hendrix is a self-touted gym class hero, but he says he got tired of beating the same people in gym class and needed to push himself beyond his limits. He recalls his first day of S&C classes, he was definitely strong, but his techniques and flexibility were lacking. He watched some kids half his size squatting 315 lbs. like nothing, so he began working on his techniques more and by the end of the year, he was pound-for-pound the strongest kid in his high school. He gave us an idea of his improvement, stating "Dude, I could barely bench the bar at first. I was about a buck-fifty and I was cut but I had no idea what it was like to isolate a specific group of muscles as I was used to working everything simeultaneously. By the end of the year, I was being recruited to the varsity football team as a defensive back and working out with some of my meathead buddies who eventually became linemen and backers."
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]
Photo of Hendrix's high school weightroom[/div]
Hendrix showed up to his first practice in some old beat up Jordan 1s to his teammates' entertainment. He hadn't saved enough money up to buy cleats yet as he was spending practically all of his money talking to his dad in prison over the phone. He didn't complain or show dissatisfaction, though. He showed up in J's and was still juking kids out of their cleats. Coaches caught onto his aggressiveness early on and saw him making plays on defense. After a few days of practice and conditioning, Hendrix was moved from his early role as scout team DB and special teamer to starting two-way player and special teamer as DB/WR and KR/PR/Gunner. His head coach stated "He was raw for maybe the better part of a week, and suddenly you had a kid who was embarassing his teammates in practice consistently and didn't even have cleats on his feet, yet. It was like he had been preparing for this show he put on. He was sometimes at practice before any of us coaches were, and was the most disciplined son of a gun, I'll tell ya. He ain't afraid to bust your berries, either!".
After working his way to one of the team captain roles, he began to hone his skills on offense and by the middle of his first season of football, he had over 1,000 yards and 10 tds. On defense he was scoring, as well as special teams. You couldn't keep him away from the endzone. On one play, Hendrix recalls a moment where he deflected a pass, forced a fumble, recovered that fumble, and returned it for a touchdown all in the same play. His pass deflection landed in the hands of an opponent and Hendrix made them pay for it with a ruthless hit with the shoulder right to the sternum of the receiver. This play singlehandedly made a name for Hendrix, as it popped up on SportsCenter and several other media outlets. When Hendrix realized there were people watching, this is when things got serious.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]
Hendrix's big hit, which notoriously made SportsCenter's Top 10[/div]
Being watched is one of the biggest motivations to Hendrix to work harder. He wants his father to be able to see him play, but obviously a Vermont high school is a longshot for someone in a Texas prison, confined to local broadcasts only. Hendrix put up huge numbers in his first season and pushed his team into contention for its first sectional win in over a decade. They squeaked into the state quarterfinals after an overtime comeback led by Hendrix's quarterback. However, in the state quarterfinals, they reached their final destination. The team stunk it up and Hendrix put up less than 100 all-purpose yards in a game for the first time in his young football career. It was an all-around dominance by their opponent, but Hendrix wasted no time sulking. He got in the weight room again and again before showing up to practice his senior year looking like he ate the old Hendrix. He put on a solid 20lbs of muscle in that offseason and gained some height, bringing him up to 6ft. He was now blessed with a new assortment and dimension of skills, as he found himself working on jump balls and becoming a more aggressive receiver who could fight for the ball and take pressure off his new QB.
His senior year, he hit every goal he and his coaches set, and then some with 1,700 yards, 21 TDs on 85 receptions in only 8 regular season games. Averaging over 20 yards per catch on around 10 receptions per game, he found the endzone on around 25% of his receptions. On defense he had managed 6 Ints (3 pick-six), 2 FF, and 4 fumble recoveries, and 42 tackles to go with 4 special teams touchdowns. He did all this with a new sophomore QB, mind you. While he wasn't the best tackler, he still managed to stand out on defense. His team had little resistence as they marched into a state semi-final rematch with the same team that had beaten them the year before in the quarter-finals. Hendrix had prepared for this team, which had graduated only a few of their starters from the previous year, surprisingly. He knew how to dissect a defense on the field and in the film room by now. He shredded them with YAC that game and only allowed 1 catch on 13 targets as a defender. He put his team on his back as they powered into the school's first state championship appearance.
Being a state finalist would've been enough in Hendrix's high school. He had the girls, the attention of his peers, the power to choose between his pick of the best D1 colleges in the nation, you name it. Hendrix could've stopped there and settled, but he continued to fight on and in the state championship, when he found his team struggling to put up points in the first half, gave a memorable speech in the lockerroom. "It was next level, man. I've been reading books on coaching and motivation for half my lifetime and this kid came in like he was Ray Lewis or something. I was stunned. I think we all were.". Hendrix and his team came out of the tunnel and put up one of the most exciting and explosive quarters in high school football history with 4 TDs through the air and 3 interceptions. The only scoring in the entire game came in that single 3rd quarter, as Hendrix's coaches began giving the 2nd team reps. Hendrix, barely able to contain himself, was having a ball coaching and cheering his team on from his sideline. As the clock wound down, there was a rush of fans to the field and notable members of the team, including Hendrix, were being hoisted above a crowd of jubilous fans. That smile on his face never shone brighter until the moment Hendrix announced his intent to play for Baylor the following fall.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]
Hendrix signs his letter of intent to attend Baylor
[/div]
Playing for Baylor was more than just football. Hendrix turned down offers from football giants Ohio State, Michigan, and even LSU to attend Baylor. Hendrix made it known his decision was very much influenced by the location of the prison his father was incarcerated in. It was now possible for his games to be broadcast to his father, and a lifelong dream had been achieved.
Tonight, Hendrix is preparing for one of the most monumental nights of his life, as he will be attending the 2017 Inaugural NSFL Draft as a well-known but underrated prospect. He hopes to land on a team with the leadership and ability to guide his development and encourage him to get better every day. Who would think a kid like Hendrix from a small farmhouse in rural Vermont could not only scale beautiful summits, but could also reach the honorable peaks of professional football? Hendrix knows he has a long way to go, looking forward to yet another challenge to juke and hurdle relentlessly.
The journey of Hendrix -- from the edge of the vast Adirondack wilderness to the NSFL.
[div align=center]
[div align=center][span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%']Player[/span] || Draft Profile || Updates
[div align=center][SELECT style="background-color:black; color:brown; font-family:Arial; font-size: 16px; width: 400px; "][br][OPTION]Kendrick Hendrix || Colorado Yeti WR || 304 TPE
[OPTION]
[OPTION]-Drafted #46 Overall by Colorado
[OPTION]-Height: 6'1'' || Weight: 202 lbs
[OPTION]-Number: 83
[OPTION]-Type: Route-Runner
[OPTION]
[OPTION]-Skills:
[OPTION]-Speed: 87 || Agility: 80 || Hands: 77
[OPTION]-Endurance: 70
[OPTION]-Intelligence: 58
[OPTION]-Strength: 50
[OPTION]-Run-Block: 23 || Pass-Block: 16
[OPTION]
[OPTION]-S1 Stats: **Pro-Bowler**
[OPTION]-Record: 8-6 || Targets: 110
[OPTION]-Receptions: 69 || Drops: 28
[OPTION]-Rec. Yards: 868 || Rec. TDs: 4
[OPTION]-Yards Per: 12.6 || Long: 45
[OPTION]
[OPTION]-S1 Playoff Stats: **Ultimus Finalists**
[OPTION]-Record: 1-1 || Targets: 12
[OPTION]-Receptions: 7 || Drops: 2
[OPTION]-Rec. Yards: 87 || Rec. TDs: 0
[OPTION]-Yards Per: 12.4 || Long: 22
[OPTION]
[OPTION]-S2 Stats:
[OPTION]-Record: 3-1 || Targets: 38
[OPTION]-Receptions: 19 || Drops: 3
[OPTION]-Rec. Yards: 294 || Rec. TDs: 1
[OPTION]-Yards Per: 15.5 || Long: 42
[SELECT style="background-color:black; color:brown; font-family:Arial; font-size: 16px; width: 400px; "][br][OPTION]Chet Fische || Colorado Yeti || General Manager
[div align=center][span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%']Player[/span] || Draft Profile || Updates
[div align=center][SELECT style="background-color:black; color:brown; font-family:Arial; font-size: 16px; width: 400px; "][br][OPTION]Kendrick Hendrix || Colorado Yeti WR || 304 TPE
[OPTION]
[OPTION]-Drafted #46 Overall by Colorado
[OPTION]-Height: 6'1'' || Weight: 202 lbs
[OPTION]-Number: 83
[OPTION]-Type: Route-Runner
[OPTION]
[OPTION]-Skills:
[OPTION]-Speed: 87 || Agility: 80 || Hands: 77
[OPTION]-Endurance: 70
[OPTION]-Intelligence: 58
[OPTION]-Strength: 50
[OPTION]-Run-Block: 23 || Pass-Block: 16
[OPTION]
[OPTION]-S1 Stats: **Pro-Bowler**
[OPTION]-Record: 8-6 || Targets: 110
[OPTION]-Receptions: 69 || Drops: 28
[OPTION]-Rec. Yards: 868 || Rec. TDs: 4
[OPTION]-Yards Per: 12.6 || Long: 45
[OPTION]
[OPTION]-S1 Playoff Stats: **Ultimus Finalists**
[OPTION]-Record: 1-1 || Targets: 12
[OPTION]-Receptions: 7 || Drops: 2
[OPTION]-Rec. Yards: 87 || Rec. TDs: 0
[OPTION]-Yards Per: 12.4 || Long: 22
[OPTION]
[OPTION]-S2 Stats:
[OPTION]-Record: 3-1 || Targets: 38
[OPTION]-Receptions: 19 || Drops: 3
[OPTION]-Rec. Yards: 294 || Rec. TDs: 1
[OPTION]-Yards Per: 15.5 || Long: 42
[SELECT style="background-color:black; color:brown; font-family:Arial; font-size: 16px; width: 400px; "][br][OPTION]Chet Fische || Colorado Yeti || General Manager