This morning, as I met with the controversial former-Quarterback, Brock Landers, I found it hard to believe that this was the same man I’d reported on during his year at Tennessee and the time leading up to the DSFL Draft. Abrasive, careless, arrogant, selfish, inappropriate, and possibly-inebriated. That is how I would’ve described this young man just five short months ago when we last encountered each other immediately after the DSFL Draft. Now I see this young man, clearly changed by the remarkable events that have occurred in his life since that night in April.
In my last interview with Brock I mentioned that he’d brought the notorious University of Texas cheerleader as his date to the DSFL draft. Well now that cheerleader (also known as Caitlyn, Brock’s fiancé) is five months pregnant with Brock’s son, and the couple are living together in a new place in Norfolk. After the draft, Brock was broken. He’d realized he wasn’t going to be afforded the opportunity to play quarterback at the next level and was completely distraught. That’s when he received a text from Caitlyn to tell him the news. 19-year-old Brock was completely stunned. He’d just had his future dramatically altered in two big ways. His career and personal lives had suddenly been plunged into a level of uncertainty that he’d never experienced before.
At first, Brock struggled with this news. Although he responded to the initial text immediately, Brock told me that he struggled with accepting the news and remained distant for a few days as he considered his options or if the child was even his. At this point, playing wide receiver in the DSFL was a problem that was immediately put on the back burner, and he eventually was forced to deal with the matter at hand. After a long back and forth with his baby’s mama, he realized that he thought there was potential for a real relationship with her, and that the two of them seemed to have a lot in common. Romance bloomed and around the time he reported for training camp, he asked her if she wanted to move to Norfolk and try and take a real shot at being a family.
Personally, I think this is a big step forward for a guy like Brock who used to be defined by his flaws that kept him from earning the trust of the DSFL GM’s and falling into the 15th round of the draft (behind QBs with far less talent). His personal development comes with on-field development as well.
Brock was blessed to land with a great unit of very professional young men in his draft class. Led by former SEC rival QB Jay Longshaw, the Norfolk receivers have been working on their game near constantly since they arrived in their new city. Landers, along with fellow SEC-alum Charles Mudley and product of Swagger, Ahri Espeeyeeseetee, have been ironing out the rookie kinks as a unified receiving corps. They all hold each other accountable and push each other to improve every day. Early reports believe that Brock and Ahri are both early candidates to be in DSFL receiver of the year consideration. S13’s WRotY, Nate Swift, has been called up to play for the Yellowknife Wraiths of the NSFL, leaving the race wide open this season.
During training camp, Brock seemed to have earned the trust of his teammates and coaches alike. His GM has had nothing but positive things to say about his expectations for Brock this season. However, in a surprising move, the SeaWolves’ GM chose to rest nearly all of Norfolk’s projected starters during the preseason as to keep rival coaches from obtaining tape on the new players and to preserve their health. Make no mistake, you can expect to see Landers out there starting in week one against the Kansas City Coyotes. I expect the match to be an exciting affair, and the crux of the matchup will be seeing if Norfolk’s young defense can keep pace with the experienced and star-studded offense of the Coyotes.
I asked Brock where he’s drawn his inspiration from as he goes through the remarkable changes that we’re witnessing down here in Norfolk:
“Besides the kid on the way?” joked Landers. “Well as you can see, I’ve changed my number to 85 to denote the fact that I was the 85th pick in the draft. I don’t think there were ten players better than me in that draft, but I went 85th. My goal is to prove all these GM’s wrong. To prove to them that I can be the type of personality that improves a locker room, and not just a distraction. I want to demonstrate to the NSFL GM’s why they shouldn’t make the same mistake.”
It won’t be an easy task to demonstrate his value to NSFL GM’s, he faces stiff competition from several great receivers to be the first off the board in the NSFL draft next season. Palm Beach’s Nacho Varga, Tijuana’s Rod Tidwell and Luca Ramero, and of course his teammates Espeeyeeseetee and Mudley are all vying to be that guy. Landers expressed his preference to be drafted by his “hometown” team the Orange County Otters, a team he grew up watching. That being said, Brock told me that Norfolk is proof to him that it doesn’t matter where you end up, and that as a pro athlete it’s up to him to make the best of whatever city wants to put their faith in him.
I choose to believe that Landers has turned a corner in life, and urge that people remember that he’s a mere teenager attempting to find his way in life. I’m pleased that he’s found happiness in his new city and wish him and his young family the best in the future. Now it’s up to him to prove that he can be a success on the field and that he’s worthy of playing in the NSFL in the future. Norfolk will be the perfect opportunity for him to do just that.
In my last interview with Brock I mentioned that he’d brought the notorious University of Texas cheerleader as his date to the DSFL draft. Well now that cheerleader (also known as Caitlyn, Brock’s fiancé) is five months pregnant with Brock’s son, and the couple are living together in a new place in Norfolk. After the draft, Brock was broken. He’d realized he wasn’t going to be afforded the opportunity to play quarterback at the next level and was completely distraught. That’s when he received a text from Caitlyn to tell him the news. 19-year-old Brock was completely stunned. He’d just had his future dramatically altered in two big ways. His career and personal lives had suddenly been plunged into a level of uncertainty that he’d never experienced before.
At first, Brock struggled with this news. Although he responded to the initial text immediately, Brock told me that he struggled with accepting the news and remained distant for a few days as he considered his options or if the child was even his. At this point, playing wide receiver in the DSFL was a problem that was immediately put on the back burner, and he eventually was forced to deal with the matter at hand. After a long back and forth with his baby’s mama, he realized that he thought there was potential for a real relationship with her, and that the two of them seemed to have a lot in common. Romance bloomed and around the time he reported for training camp, he asked her if she wanted to move to Norfolk and try and take a real shot at being a family.
Personally, I think this is a big step forward for a guy like Brock who used to be defined by his flaws that kept him from earning the trust of the DSFL GM’s and falling into the 15th round of the draft (behind QBs with far less talent). His personal development comes with on-field development as well.
Brock was blessed to land with a great unit of very professional young men in his draft class. Led by former SEC rival QB Jay Longshaw, the Norfolk receivers have been working on their game near constantly since they arrived in their new city. Landers, along with fellow SEC-alum Charles Mudley and product of Swagger, Ahri Espeeyeeseetee, have been ironing out the rookie kinks as a unified receiving corps. They all hold each other accountable and push each other to improve every day. Early reports believe that Brock and Ahri are both early candidates to be in DSFL receiver of the year consideration. S13’s WRotY, Nate Swift, has been called up to play for the Yellowknife Wraiths of the NSFL, leaving the race wide open this season.
During training camp, Brock seemed to have earned the trust of his teammates and coaches alike. His GM has had nothing but positive things to say about his expectations for Brock this season. However, in a surprising move, the SeaWolves’ GM chose to rest nearly all of Norfolk’s projected starters during the preseason as to keep rival coaches from obtaining tape on the new players and to preserve their health. Make no mistake, you can expect to see Landers out there starting in week one against the Kansas City Coyotes. I expect the match to be an exciting affair, and the crux of the matchup will be seeing if Norfolk’s young defense can keep pace with the experienced and star-studded offense of the Coyotes.
I asked Brock where he’s drawn his inspiration from as he goes through the remarkable changes that we’re witnessing down here in Norfolk:
“Besides the kid on the way?” joked Landers. “Well as you can see, I’ve changed my number to 85 to denote the fact that I was the 85th pick in the draft. I don’t think there were ten players better than me in that draft, but I went 85th. My goal is to prove all these GM’s wrong. To prove to them that I can be the type of personality that improves a locker room, and not just a distraction. I want to demonstrate to the NSFL GM’s why they shouldn’t make the same mistake.”
It won’t be an easy task to demonstrate his value to NSFL GM’s, he faces stiff competition from several great receivers to be the first off the board in the NSFL draft next season. Palm Beach’s Nacho Varga, Tijuana’s Rod Tidwell and Luca Ramero, and of course his teammates Espeeyeeseetee and Mudley are all vying to be that guy. Landers expressed his preference to be drafted by his “hometown” team the Orange County Otters, a team he grew up watching. That being said, Brock told me that Norfolk is proof to him that it doesn’t matter where you end up, and that as a pro athlete it’s up to him to make the best of whatever city wants to put their faith in him.
I choose to believe that Landers has turned a corner in life, and urge that people remember that he’s a mere teenager attempting to find his way in life. I’m pleased that he’s found happiness in his new city and wish him and his young family the best in the future. Now it’s up to him to prove that he can be a success on the field and that he’s worthy of playing in the NSFL in the future. Norfolk will be the perfect opportunity for him to do just that.
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