(2521 words)
Although he's now making waves as a name to watch in the future of football, Seattle's L'Carpetron Dookmarriot was only a recent entry to the sport. The young wide receiver has spent the last few years developing his elite skills, but unlike many top prospects in the game, his history with the sport does not reach beyond these late teenage years. Dookmarriot first began playing football as a high school junior, mostly as part of his school's practice roster. The following year, he took hold of a starring role in the lineup and set multiple state records, before accepting a scholarship with the University of Oregon. He's been described as having magic feet and vacuum hands, and a flair for the dramatic, but how did he get to this point?
Dookmarriot grew up in Seattle, Washington in a family of six children. The oldest child of the bunch, he was often responsible for the caretaking of his younger siblings. "I never minded helping out," he said. "My parents worked really hard for us and they needed the help, so I just did it. I was able to do things for myself, but they were often at unusual times or on my own so I could fit them into my parents' schedules." Dookmarriot carried a number of interests, none of which seemed to be football. However, the skills he picked up along the way led him to the gridiron all the same.
Since he was a boy, Dookmarriot was always been known for being different. "He always marched to the beat of his own drum," smirked his mother Marma when reached for comment. "He was always doing something none of his peers were." From a young age, he was the only boy enrolled in his school's ballet classes. On his 8th birthday, his grandfather gifted him an antique chess set, which sparked another passion - one that saw him hone his strategic thinking over the course of years and attain a respectable 16th of 20 in his school's Grade 8 chess competition several years later. Then, feeling the need to truly delight and amaze those around him, he turned to a career in magic, becoming an accredited member of the Magician's Guild of America by the age of 16 and appearing on the set of Penn and Teller's famous Vegas magic show a year later (as a streaker, for which he was subsequently arrested). During his brief stint in juvenile detention, he was left to wonder what his next play would be. Where could he use a unique skillset of nimble feet, strategical brilliance, and magic hands? It was there that a fellow teen gave him the perfect idea - football.
"I owe the idea to my good pal Tyroil Smoochie-Wallace," admitted Dookmarriot. "He was the one that heard all of these things I could do and realize there was a way for me to put them all together. At first I wasn't super into the idea because sports were never my jam, but over time I realized that the football field is one of the greatest stages on earth and all I've ever wanted is to perform."
And perform he did. In his senior season, Dookmarriot was named an All-American after catching 36 passes for 864 yards, alongside 12 touchdowns. Accompanying this was a crushing loss in the state championship game, where Dookmarriot was named the MVP after a 2-touchdown performance in a 17-14 game.
From there, he secured a scholarship to the University of Oregon, where for the past two years he's put up increasingly spectacular numbers, averaging 102 yards per game as a freshman before exploding with an average of 120 yards per game along with 14 touchdowns this season as a sophomore. While his Oregon Ducks did not advance to play any meaningful games in either year, it's clear that Dookmarriot has adjusted to a heavily increased pace of play and succeeded even against some of the best defenses college football has to offer.
Dookmarriot admits that, at first, the adjustment was far from easy. "Everything happens so fast in college football," he said. "In high school I was able to rely on athleticism more than anything. Now my athleticism allows me just enough time to run the right route and have a chance at catching the ball without getting killed by someone twice my size."
He admits that going from high school, where the talent level varied heavily, to the NCAA was a huge shock to his system. Everyone here is huge and fast and ready to break you in half. I was honestly scared at first, but once the adrenaline of the first few games wore off I realized that by using my smarts I could put myself in good positions to avoid getting hit as much."
One of the things that has helped him stay on his feet is just that - his feet. With a lengthy dance background and incredible natural agility and speed, Dookmarriot has repeatedly shown an ability to narrowly avoid tackles at the last second and blow by defenders if he's able to gain even a half-step on them. His coach, Ibrahim Moizoos, considers him to be the most agile receiver in the NCAA.
"He's able to make plays in the air, on one foot, anything he needs to do," explained Moizoos shortly after the conclusion of Oregon's season. "No matter what, he lands on his feet like a fat and he's ready to hit the gas pedal immediately. His balance and core strength is phenomenal and that allows him to have the explosiveness to beat a tackle even when starting from an awkward position, as receivers often are after a catch."
It certainly doesn't hurt to have "Hoover hands," as Moizoos puts it. "It seems like anything thrown in his direction just gets sucked right into his hands, it's uncanny. I've never seen a guy make so many catches on botched or mistimed throws. It's like he's got magnets in his gloves or something, it's really something."
However, both Dookmarriot and Moizoos agree that there is still work to do for the young wide receiver should he hope to make it all the way to NSFL stardom. "I think my weakness is still managing the playbook and knowing where I need to be at all times. I've gotten a lot better at it over time but I'm so new to the sport that I'm still learning and trying my best not to screw up too badly in the meantime."
Moizoos concurred with his player's assessment, noting that so many players have played football from a fairly young age, so Dookmarriot certainly has some catching up to do. "He's got so much natural talent and athleticism that it can cover up some of the holes in his game," surmised the veteran coach of 22 years. "I think he'll get better at reading the defense and making evasive plays before the ball is thrown. It's all well and good that he's able to salvage plays in coverage, but a lot of times a quarterback won't throw to the guy who's got people lining him up. If he's able to burn by his coverage a bit earlier with a good read and a nice juke, he'll probably get the ball in his hands even more which is exactly what you want."
To go from a magician off the field to a magician on it took quite a shift for Dookmarriot. What possessed him to drop everything to pursue a career in professional football? Not even he is sure of the answer to that question. "I think to some degree the opportunity to get an education played a part in my decision," he pondered. "But that wasn't the only aspect. I've always been a thrillseeker and performer at heart. I think that was part of what called to me, knowing that I could go out on the field and feel the energy of a huge crowd, and make everyone jump and go crazy. That was probably the biggest part. Overall, the more and more I thought about my decision the more I realized that it felt like a calling, like it was something that I was meant to do. I had these talents and in high school I showed I had potential, so I just decided to go for it. The NSFL is the biggest stage in the game, and that's where I want to perform."
Dookmarriot also maintains that his family is probably his greatest source of inspiration in anything and everything he does. "They've been so supportive of me no matter what I've chosen to do," he said, choking up and shaking his head. "My parents never had much money or opportunity in their lives yet they busted their asses for all of us and especially me to have a fighting chance at doing something like this. I would be lying if I said my biggest motivator to make it big was to make sure my parents and siblings have everything they ever need. I wouldn't be here without them and any success I have in the future I owe to them and their support"
He also heaps praise on his high school coach, J'Dinkalage Morgoone, as well as Moizoos for helping him adapt to the sport as quickly as he has. "They literally taught me everything I know about football," he laughed. "Coach Morgoone helped get me interested in joining the high school football team and working with me before and after every practice to catch up on little details that were second nature to everyone else. His passion for football rubbed off on me and kept me going even when I got frustrated, and he helped me combine all my physical talents with my mind and learn to see the game happening in front of me so I could make plays."
"Coach Moizoos definitely took things to another level," Dookmarriot admitted. "In high school I got a lot of extra help developing game knowledge and skills, but once I got to college a lot was demanded of me. That's just how Coach Mo is, he's respectful but demanding. He made me work harder than I've ever worked to make sure that I knew his system and could run his routes. Every single practice felt like I was fighting for a spot on the team because he asked more and more of me as I improved. I grew so much in my time here in Oregon and I owe a lot to him for that."
"He said that did he?" laughed Moizoos. "Good. I pushed him because he needed the push to catch up to the rest of the field, and I knew he was capable of hitting another level. He responded and rewarded us with one of the best seasons by a receiver in college football this year. We're going to have to fill a huge hole with him leaving but the entire goal of our program is to develop these young men into professionals. I'm confident that we've done that with L'Carpetron."
So what comes next for the young wide receiver as he looks forward to a career in pro football? He's declared for the DSFL draft this offseason, and hopes to prove himself worthy of a top pick. From there, he will surely look to cement his place in the following year's NSFL draft - the true prize that's on his mind. But first, he'll have the opportunity to join a DSFL team via waivers for the remainder of the season.
"That will be exciting," he beamed when the waiver process was brought up. "I have absolutely no idea where I'll end up. None. And the fun part is I could join a team for this season then be drafted to an entirely different team this offseason. It's going to be hectic and I won't have much time to catch a breath but it's exciting. Every moment from here on out is a learning experience, and I have to use this experience to become a better player and person as I work toward making it in the NSFL. Every step just gets me closer to my ultimate goal."
When asked if he had any preference for destinations in either the DSFL or NSFL drafts, Dookmarriot shook his head. "Absolutely not." He went on to explain that whichever team brought him aboard would get his best, day in and day out. "It doesn't matter where I play, the only thing that matters to me is that I'm delivering a standout performance and pulling my weight on the roster. I'm willing to put in the work for anyone who wants me, I have no preference."
Dookmarriot's training regimen has increased after the end of his NCAA season, as he prepares to hit the ground running in the DSFL. He happens to live near the offseason home of the University of Oregon's strength and conditioning coach, Dale O'Halloran, and they've been putting in workouts while awaiting to hear his destination. "Dale's been awesome working with me for a couple years now and it's been really good progress. I've always been agile but we've worked a lot on developing explosiveness in my lower body so I'm faster and accelerate more quickly. Quick trigger movements will help me shake off defenders, plus some upper body strength as that's never been an area I've developed much." Their sessions in the local community gym have been streamed on various platforms to give fans - as well as scouts - the opportunity to see what the top prospect has been up to in the absence of game action.
It would be easy for a player under so much pressure and uncertainty to feel burnt out, but Dookmarriot has yet to show a crack. He suggests that he actually likes the stress because it gives him purpose. "I also relax with some video games when things start to feel really heavy," he chuckled. "Getting to visit with friends and family the past couple of weeks has been awesome for my mental health, but overall I wouldn't say I'm overwhelmed at all. I think it's more excitement than anything rather than anxiety, I actually can't wait to see what happens next and get back to playing football.
As for now, Dookmarriot can only wait anxiously as he awaits the first steps of his professional football career. He's home in Seattle, spending time with his family and training before embarking on his next adventure. With so much uncertainty in the coming days, he's keeping his head high and maintains that all he can do is be excited and grateful for the opportunities to come. "All i can do now is focus on what I can control," he said resolutely. "It doesn't help me to worry about what's coming next, I just need to be sure I'm ready for it when it comes."
We'll certainly be hearing more about L'Carpetron Dookmarriot in the coming days, weeks, and even years. But for now, the curtain is being pulled back on the beginning of his greatest performance yet.
Although he's now making waves as a name to watch in the future of football, Seattle's L'Carpetron Dookmarriot was only a recent entry to the sport. The young wide receiver has spent the last few years developing his elite skills, but unlike many top prospects in the game, his history with the sport does not reach beyond these late teenage years. Dookmarriot first began playing football as a high school junior, mostly as part of his school's practice roster. The following year, he took hold of a starring role in the lineup and set multiple state records, before accepting a scholarship with the University of Oregon. He's been described as having magic feet and vacuum hands, and a flair for the dramatic, but how did he get to this point?
Dookmarriot grew up in Seattle, Washington in a family of six children. The oldest child of the bunch, he was often responsible for the caretaking of his younger siblings. "I never minded helping out," he said. "My parents worked really hard for us and they needed the help, so I just did it. I was able to do things for myself, but they were often at unusual times or on my own so I could fit them into my parents' schedules." Dookmarriot carried a number of interests, none of which seemed to be football. However, the skills he picked up along the way led him to the gridiron all the same.
Since he was a boy, Dookmarriot was always been known for being different. "He always marched to the beat of his own drum," smirked his mother Marma when reached for comment. "He was always doing something none of his peers were." From a young age, he was the only boy enrolled in his school's ballet classes. On his 8th birthday, his grandfather gifted him an antique chess set, which sparked another passion - one that saw him hone his strategic thinking over the course of years and attain a respectable 16th of 20 in his school's Grade 8 chess competition several years later. Then, feeling the need to truly delight and amaze those around him, he turned to a career in magic, becoming an accredited member of the Magician's Guild of America by the age of 16 and appearing on the set of Penn and Teller's famous Vegas magic show a year later (as a streaker, for which he was subsequently arrested). During his brief stint in juvenile detention, he was left to wonder what his next play would be. Where could he use a unique skillset of nimble feet, strategical brilliance, and magic hands? It was there that a fellow teen gave him the perfect idea - football.
"I owe the idea to my good pal Tyroil Smoochie-Wallace," admitted Dookmarriot. "He was the one that heard all of these things I could do and realize there was a way for me to put them all together. At first I wasn't super into the idea because sports were never my jam, but over time I realized that the football field is one of the greatest stages on earth and all I've ever wanted is to perform."
And perform he did. In his senior season, Dookmarriot was named an All-American after catching 36 passes for 864 yards, alongside 12 touchdowns. Accompanying this was a crushing loss in the state championship game, where Dookmarriot was named the MVP after a 2-touchdown performance in a 17-14 game.
From there, he secured a scholarship to the University of Oregon, where for the past two years he's put up increasingly spectacular numbers, averaging 102 yards per game as a freshman before exploding with an average of 120 yards per game along with 14 touchdowns this season as a sophomore. While his Oregon Ducks did not advance to play any meaningful games in either year, it's clear that Dookmarriot has adjusted to a heavily increased pace of play and succeeded even against some of the best defenses college football has to offer.
Dookmarriot admits that, at first, the adjustment was far from easy. "Everything happens so fast in college football," he said. "In high school I was able to rely on athleticism more than anything. Now my athleticism allows me just enough time to run the right route and have a chance at catching the ball without getting killed by someone twice my size."
He admits that going from high school, where the talent level varied heavily, to the NCAA was a huge shock to his system. Everyone here is huge and fast and ready to break you in half. I was honestly scared at first, but once the adrenaline of the first few games wore off I realized that by using my smarts I could put myself in good positions to avoid getting hit as much."
One of the things that has helped him stay on his feet is just that - his feet. With a lengthy dance background and incredible natural agility and speed, Dookmarriot has repeatedly shown an ability to narrowly avoid tackles at the last second and blow by defenders if he's able to gain even a half-step on them. His coach, Ibrahim Moizoos, considers him to be the most agile receiver in the NCAA.
"He's able to make plays in the air, on one foot, anything he needs to do," explained Moizoos shortly after the conclusion of Oregon's season. "No matter what, he lands on his feet like a fat and he's ready to hit the gas pedal immediately. His balance and core strength is phenomenal and that allows him to have the explosiveness to beat a tackle even when starting from an awkward position, as receivers often are after a catch."
It certainly doesn't hurt to have "Hoover hands," as Moizoos puts it. "It seems like anything thrown in his direction just gets sucked right into his hands, it's uncanny. I've never seen a guy make so many catches on botched or mistimed throws. It's like he's got magnets in his gloves or something, it's really something."
However, both Dookmarriot and Moizoos agree that there is still work to do for the young wide receiver should he hope to make it all the way to NSFL stardom. "I think my weakness is still managing the playbook and knowing where I need to be at all times. I've gotten a lot better at it over time but I'm so new to the sport that I'm still learning and trying my best not to screw up too badly in the meantime."
Moizoos concurred with his player's assessment, noting that so many players have played football from a fairly young age, so Dookmarriot certainly has some catching up to do. "He's got so much natural talent and athleticism that it can cover up some of the holes in his game," surmised the veteran coach of 22 years. "I think he'll get better at reading the defense and making evasive plays before the ball is thrown. It's all well and good that he's able to salvage plays in coverage, but a lot of times a quarterback won't throw to the guy who's got people lining him up. If he's able to burn by his coverage a bit earlier with a good read and a nice juke, he'll probably get the ball in his hands even more which is exactly what you want."
To go from a magician off the field to a magician on it took quite a shift for Dookmarriot. What possessed him to drop everything to pursue a career in professional football? Not even he is sure of the answer to that question. "I think to some degree the opportunity to get an education played a part in my decision," he pondered. "But that wasn't the only aspect. I've always been a thrillseeker and performer at heart. I think that was part of what called to me, knowing that I could go out on the field and feel the energy of a huge crowd, and make everyone jump and go crazy. That was probably the biggest part. Overall, the more and more I thought about my decision the more I realized that it felt like a calling, like it was something that I was meant to do. I had these talents and in high school I showed I had potential, so I just decided to go for it. The NSFL is the biggest stage in the game, and that's where I want to perform."
Dookmarriot also maintains that his family is probably his greatest source of inspiration in anything and everything he does. "They've been so supportive of me no matter what I've chosen to do," he said, choking up and shaking his head. "My parents never had much money or opportunity in their lives yet they busted their asses for all of us and especially me to have a fighting chance at doing something like this. I would be lying if I said my biggest motivator to make it big was to make sure my parents and siblings have everything they ever need. I wouldn't be here without them and any success I have in the future I owe to them and their support"
He also heaps praise on his high school coach, J'Dinkalage Morgoone, as well as Moizoos for helping him adapt to the sport as quickly as he has. "They literally taught me everything I know about football," he laughed. "Coach Morgoone helped get me interested in joining the high school football team and working with me before and after every practice to catch up on little details that were second nature to everyone else. His passion for football rubbed off on me and kept me going even when I got frustrated, and he helped me combine all my physical talents with my mind and learn to see the game happening in front of me so I could make plays."
"Coach Moizoos definitely took things to another level," Dookmarriot admitted. "In high school I got a lot of extra help developing game knowledge and skills, but once I got to college a lot was demanded of me. That's just how Coach Mo is, he's respectful but demanding. He made me work harder than I've ever worked to make sure that I knew his system and could run his routes. Every single practice felt like I was fighting for a spot on the team because he asked more and more of me as I improved. I grew so much in my time here in Oregon and I owe a lot to him for that."
"He said that did he?" laughed Moizoos. "Good. I pushed him because he needed the push to catch up to the rest of the field, and I knew he was capable of hitting another level. He responded and rewarded us with one of the best seasons by a receiver in college football this year. We're going to have to fill a huge hole with him leaving but the entire goal of our program is to develop these young men into professionals. I'm confident that we've done that with L'Carpetron."
So what comes next for the young wide receiver as he looks forward to a career in pro football? He's declared for the DSFL draft this offseason, and hopes to prove himself worthy of a top pick. From there, he will surely look to cement his place in the following year's NSFL draft - the true prize that's on his mind. But first, he'll have the opportunity to join a DSFL team via waivers for the remainder of the season.
"That will be exciting," he beamed when the waiver process was brought up. "I have absolutely no idea where I'll end up. None. And the fun part is I could join a team for this season then be drafted to an entirely different team this offseason. It's going to be hectic and I won't have much time to catch a breath but it's exciting. Every moment from here on out is a learning experience, and I have to use this experience to become a better player and person as I work toward making it in the NSFL. Every step just gets me closer to my ultimate goal."
When asked if he had any preference for destinations in either the DSFL or NSFL drafts, Dookmarriot shook his head. "Absolutely not." He went on to explain that whichever team brought him aboard would get his best, day in and day out. "It doesn't matter where I play, the only thing that matters to me is that I'm delivering a standout performance and pulling my weight on the roster. I'm willing to put in the work for anyone who wants me, I have no preference."
Dookmarriot's training regimen has increased after the end of his NCAA season, as he prepares to hit the ground running in the DSFL. He happens to live near the offseason home of the University of Oregon's strength and conditioning coach, Dale O'Halloran, and they've been putting in workouts while awaiting to hear his destination. "Dale's been awesome working with me for a couple years now and it's been really good progress. I've always been agile but we've worked a lot on developing explosiveness in my lower body so I'm faster and accelerate more quickly. Quick trigger movements will help me shake off defenders, plus some upper body strength as that's never been an area I've developed much." Their sessions in the local community gym have been streamed on various platforms to give fans - as well as scouts - the opportunity to see what the top prospect has been up to in the absence of game action.
It would be easy for a player under so much pressure and uncertainty to feel burnt out, but Dookmarriot has yet to show a crack. He suggests that he actually likes the stress because it gives him purpose. "I also relax with some video games when things start to feel really heavy," he chuckled. "Getting to visit with friends and family the past couple of weeks has been awesome for my mental health, but overall I wouldn't say I'm overwhelmed at all. I think it's more excitement than anything rather than anxiety, I actually can't wait to see what happens next and get back to playing football.
As for now, Dookmarriot can only wait anxiously as he awaits the first steps of his professional football career. He's home in Seattle, spending time with his family and training before embarking on his next adventure. With so much uncertainty in the coming days, he's keeping his head high and maintains that all he can do is be excited and grateful for the opportunities to come. "All i can do now is focus on what I can control," he said resolutely. "It doesn't help me to worry about what's coming next, I just need to be sure I'm ready for it when it comes."
We'll certainly be hearing more about L'Carpetron Dookmarriot in the coming days, weeks, and even years. But for now, the curtain is being pulled back on the beginning of his greatest performance yet.