Post by nmsooner80 on Apr 15, 2013 9:14:46 GMT -7
(I loved it that he and his dad slammed Locksley in the process, too)
By Kevin Hendricks / Journal Staff Writer on Apr. 14, 2013
Manzano grad hopes he’ll get a chance to go to an NFL camp
When the Oklahoma Sooners held their annual Pro Day last month, there was a player from New Mexico who stole the show.
And it wasn’t Artesia’s Landry Jones.
On March 13 in Norman, Okla., it was former UNM and OU walk-on Jesse Paulsen — a 2008 Manzano High graduate —who outperformed several sure-fire future NFL draft picks in front of scouts from all 32 NFL teams.
Paulsen, a 6-foot, 201-pound safety, ran a 4.45 40-yard dash, posted a broad jump of 11 feet, 2 inches and a vertical jump of 39 1/2 inches.
“I worked hard and I’m glad I was able to put it all together at one time,” Paulsen said. “I was happy with my performance.”
That performance should come as no surprise considering his genes.
Paulsen’s mother, Christine, played semi-pro and college tennis at Long Beach State University. His father, Mark, captained the track team and played tight end at the University of Kansas and was UNM’s strength and conditioning coach for a quarter of a century.
Mark was hired in 1987 by UNM football coach Mike Sheppard and worked with the football program until Mike Locksley took over in 2009.
Mark wasn’t the only Paulsen who left the football program as Jesse also decided UNM wasn’t the best fit for him after the 2009 season.
“There was just a change in philosophy that I didn’t agree with and (Jesse) didn’t agree with,” Mark said. “Such is life.”
While Mark moved on to work with Steve Alford and the basketball program until his retirement in 2012, Jesse jumped to one the top college football programs in the country.
“I left after Locksley,” Jesse said. “I wasn’t really a fan of his and I didn’t like the way things were going so I transferred over to Oklahoma.”
While Jesse’s production didn’t match his athleticism, the Lobos lost a player who had tons of untapped potential.
“In the 25 years I coached there, if you were to ask me where I would rank him, I would put him in the top four kids I ever coached, athletically not football-wise,” Mark said. “In terms of athletic ability, there would be Quincy Black, Glover Quin, there would be Brian Urlacher and there would be Jesse.”
Jesse, who sat out as a redshirt in 2008 and totaled eight tackles and one forced fumble in 2009 with the Lobos, ended up with the Sooners in part because of their dance program.
“His sister is there on a ballet scholarship so he took a trip over there and was obviously impressed,” Mark said. “It was a pretty easy decision for him and to his credit he made the travel squad as a sophomore and then they put him on scholarship after that. He trained very hard and did a great job.”
Paulsen, playing mainly on special teams with Oklahoma, did not record a tackle in 10 games as a sophomore in 2010. His junior season was cut short after three games because of a foot injury. But Paulsen managed to impress the Sooners enough to earn a scholarship in 2012.
“From walking on at UNM to walking on at Oklahoma and then earning a scholarship is pretty cool,” Jesse said. “I’ve definitely been blessed.”
Jesse played in just one game on defense as a senior last season but totaled 15 tackles in 12 games as a special teamer.
“He was a late bloomer,” Mark said. “When you look at athletics today, kids are being recruited in ninth grade and if you’re a late bloomer, you get overlooked. That’s just the way it is and it doesn’t make you bad. But it’s unfortunate because a lot of times kids get a lot better.”
Although his career stats in college — 25 total tackles in 37 games — won’t have NFL scouts drooling, Paulsen’s performance at the Pro Day definitely made them take notice.
“I don’t think that was out of the ordinary for him,” Mark said. “I knew that’s where he would shine because of his numbers. Obviously, numbers don’t reflect a great football player but it can get your foot in the door and make you stand out. He just took care of business and had a really good day.”
While he’s far from a lock to be drafted, Paulsen at least gave himself a chance to make April 27 — the last day of the NFL Draft — an even better day.
“I’m not sure if I have a shot to get to drafted but I feel I have a chance to get into a camp and show what I can do,” Jesse said. “I’m not really holding my breath for getting drafted right now but anything is possible, so we’ll see.”
Whether Jesse is drafted or signs as a free agent after the draft, Mark says his son will be able to take advantage of any opportunity given to him by an NFL team.
“He’s the kind of kid who is talented enough to be a great special teams guy and could be a starter with his athletic ability if he developed and understood the defense as opposed to a kid who is just a great special teams banshee but really never does have the athletic ability to be a starter,” Mark said. “So he’s in a pretty good position.
“Athletically, he’s got the ability to play at the next level now he just has to get a chance. If he makes it, fine. If not, it’s time to move on in life.”
— This article appeared on page D4 of the Albuquerque Journal
By Kevin Hendricks / Journal Staff Writer on Apr. 14, 2013
Manzano grad hopes he’ll get a chance to go to an NFL camp
When the Oklahoma Sooners held their annual Pro Day last month, there was a player from New Mexico who stole the show.
And it wasn’t Artesia’s Landry Jones.
On March 13 in Norman, Okla., it was former UNM and OU walk-on Jesse Paulsen — a 2008 Manzano High graduate —who outperformed several sure-fire future NFL draft picks in front of scouts from all 32 NFL teams.
Paulsen, a 6-foot, 201-pound safety, ran a 4.45 40-yard dash, posted a broad jump of 11 feet, 2 inches and a vertical jump of 39 1/2 inches.
“I worked hard and I’m glad I was able to put it all together at one time,” Paulsen said. “I was happy with my performance.”
That performance should come as no surprise considering his genes.
Paulsen’s mother, Christine, played semi-pro and college tennis at Long Beach State University. His father, Mark, captained the track team and played tight end at the University of Kansas and was UNM’s strength and conditioning coach for a quarter of a century.
Mark was hired in 1987 by UNM football coach Mike Sheppard and worked with the football program until Mike Locksley took over in 2009.
Mark wasn’t the only Paulsen who left the football program as Jesse also decided UNM wasn’t the best fit for him after the 2009 season.
“There was just a change in philosophy that I didn’t agree with and (Jesse) didn’t agree with,” Mark said. “Such is life.”
While Mark moved on to work with Steve Alford and the basketball program until his retirement in 2012, Jesse jumped to one the top college football programs in the country.
“I left after Locksley,” Jesse said. “I wasn’t really a fan of his and I didn’t like the way things were going so I transferred over to Oklahoma.”
While Jesse’s production didn’t match his athleticism, the Lobos lost a player who had tons of untapped potential.
“In the 25 years I coached there, if you were to ask me where I would rank him, I would put him in the top four kids I ever coached, athletically not football-wise,” Mark said. “In terms of athletic ability, there would be Quincy Black, Glover Quin, there would be Brian Urlacher and there would be Jesse.”
Jesse, who sat out as a redshirt in 2008 and totaled eight tackles and one forced fumble in 2009 with the Lobos, ended up with the Sooners in part because of their dance program.
“His sister is there on a ballet scholarship so he took a trip over there and was obviously impressed,” Mark said. “It was a pretty easy decision for him and to his credit he made the travel squad as a sophomore and then they put him on scholarship after that. He trained very hard and did a great job.”
Paulsen, playing mainly on special teams with Oklahoma, did not record a tackle in 10 games as a sophomore in 2010. His junior season was cut short after three games because of a foot injury. But Paulsen managed to impress the Sooners enough to earn a scholarship in 2012.
“From walking on at UNM to walking on at Oklahoma and then earning a scholarship is pretty cool,” Jesse said. “I’ve definitely been blessed.”
Jesse played in just one game on defense as a senior last season but totaled 15 tackles in 12 games as a special teamer.
“He was a late bloomer,” Mark said. “When you look at athletics today, kids are being recruited in ninth grade and if you’re a late bloomer, you get overlooked. That’s just the way it is and it doesn’t make you bad. But it’s unfortunate because a lot of times kids get a lot better.”
Although his career stats in college — 25 total tackles in 37 games — won’t have NFL scouts drooling, Paulsen’s performance at the Pro Day definitely made them take notice.
“I don’t think that was out of the ordinary for him,” Mark said. “I knew that’s where he would shine because of his numbers. Obviously, numbers don’t reflect a great football player but it can get your foot in the door and make you stand out. He just took care of business and had a really good day.”
While he’s far from a lock to be drafted, Paulsen at least gave himself a chance to make April 27 — the last day of the NFL Draft — an even better day.
“I’m not sure if I have a shot to get to drafted but I feel I have a chance to get into a camp and show what I can do,” Jesse said. “I’m not really holding my breath for getting drafted right now but anything is possible, so we’ll see.”
Whether Jesse is drafted or signs as a free agent after the draft, Mark says his son will be able to take advantage of any opportunity given to him by an NFL team.
“He’s the kind of kid who is talented enough to be a great special teams guy and could be a starter with his athletic ability if he developed and understood the defense as opposed to a kid who is just a great special teams banshee but really never does have the athletic ability to be a starter,” Mark said. “So he’s in a pretty good position.
“Athletically, he’s got the ability to play at the next level now he just has to get a chance. If he makes it, fine. If not, it’s time to move on in life.”
— This article appeared on page D4 of the Albuquerque Journal
