Dolphins' rookie corner Billingsley turning heads

[DolFan619]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/football/pro/dolphins/sfl-flspdolphins05sbmay05,0,2697716.story

Dolphins' rookie corner Billingsley turning heads

By Omar Kelly
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

May 5, 2008

DAVIE - Will Billingsley's recent rise from forklift driver to Dolphins signee is the kind of cheesy story line sports movies like Invincible are based on.

Much like Vince Papale, a 30-year-old bartender whose journey to make the 1976 Eagles inspired the movie, this former North Carolina A&T safety also must overcome long odds to make an NFL roster.

But if Billingsley continues to make steady progress, impressing Dolphins coaches and executives like he did in the eye-opening predraft workout that got him signed in early April, one day his fellow factory workers at ABB Incorporated might be able to brag they once worked beside him.

"Been here two days and you're a star?" Dolphins vice president Bill Parcells said with a good-natured needle when he spotted Billingsley doing an interview after Saturday's practice, which featured him turning on the afterburners to bat away a deep pass during 7-on-7 drills. "Keep it up."

Last year Billingsley had just completed a so-so senior season for a winless North Carolina A&T team. Few scouts attended his Pro Day. He never signed with an agent and ultimately didn't get a sniff from any NFL, CFL or Arena football teams.

At first he thought his football playing days were done. He started juggling two jobs and was working toward finishing his degree when a chance meeting with agent Eugene Parker landed Billingsley a two-week session with Tom Shaw, who is known as the guru of trainers for helping college prospects enhance their standing in the draft and keeping many NFL vets in top form.

Shaw has trained nearly 100 first-round draft picks for the Nike-sponsored SPARQ fitness organization he runs, which is based at the Disney Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista. And here was Billingsley, the unknown, outperforming some of the draftees Shaw was training.

Billingsley's showing, and upside, earned him an endorsement from Shaw, who once served as New England's strength and conditioning coach. That endorsement landed him a few tryout invitations before the draft.

The Dolphins took the first look, and after he ran a fast 40-yard dash time and showed off his athleticism during NFL Combine based drills, the organization's top brass wouldn't let him leave the facility without signing a contract.

"I ran a 4.33, on grass," said Billingsley, who is 5 feet 10 and weighs 195 pounds. "And by the way, it was on wet grass."

A week after the Dolphins signed him General Manager Jeff Ireland admitted he still didn't know much about Billingsley outside of the fact "he ran very fast for us."

The Dolphins signed him based on the fact Billingsley's raw speed can't be coached, and are hoping the initial investment will pay off once the coaches start altering his technique.

"The guy can really run," coach Tony Sparano said. "He is obviously a little bit raw and needs a lot of fundamental work, but we've seen speed, and in our league we have to have fast players."

The present plan is to see how well Billingsley, 24, performs as a cornerback, a position the Dolphins didn't address in the draft. Billingsley, whose father ran track at Michigan State until he blew out his knee, held his own against the receivers he faced over the weekend.

He also exhibited some potential as a punt returner.

"I'm here just to improve on everything I did in college. I'm all ears," Billingsley said. "I just want to learn as much as I can while I'm here and hopefully I leave a good impression on the coaching staff.

"An opportunity is all I could have asked for, and now it's up to me."

[YoFuggedaboutit]

With his speed, I'm surprised he's not being groomed to be a receiver.