University of Calgary star Doctor Cassama impresses NFL scouts with workout

The long, painful Calgary winter hasn’t morphed into any semblance of spring just yet.

And in a weird way, it may have benefitted Doc Cassama.

As the University of Calgary Dinos linebacker strode out onto the Rundle College turf Friday morning, ready to prove his pro-day mettle in front of Green Bay Packers scout Tim Terry, amid a light snowfall.

It didn’t help the measurables or his ability to secure the football in positional drills, but what better way to impress a team that plays its games on a Frozen Tundra than show you can deal with the elements?

Paid to evaluate the minute details that separate an NFLer from an also-ran, that fact didn’t escape Terry, the Packers assistant director of pro personnel.

“It was a tough circumstance with the weather — it was a little slick out there — cold and windy …” said Terry, who won a Grey Cup ring in his only CFL season with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1999, a 32-12 victory over the Calgary Stampeders at BC Place. “But he came out there and didn’t complain — just battled through everything. And I thought he did a nice job.”

Wearing an ear-to-ear grin that’s hard to wipe off the 22-year-old’s face on the worst of days, Cassama embraced the rain/snow mix.

“It’s beautiful out here — Calgary weather,” Cassama said. “It’s snowing a little bit, and I’m walking off the field proud of myself for leaving everything on the field.”

The aforementioned grin could have also had something to do with the fact he was clocked at 4.55 seconds in the 40-yard dash, a time that would have unofficially tied him for seventh among NFL safety prospects at the 2014 NFL Combine.

Terry, who enters his 10th season in the Packers front office, was impressed.

“If you watch his tape, he flashes a lot of explosion — a lot of snap up the hashes — and he’s a physical player,” Terry said. “He’s not a big, physical-looking guy, but he plays bigger than his size. That translates on the field, and he has a presence about him on the football field, and it made us take notice.

“For us, I could see him playing as a safety. I think he could be a free safety, but he has the play style that is more of a strong safety, if that makes any sense. He’s a football player, at the end of the day. He loves to play the game, and he has a swagger about him. I think he has a chance.”

Cassama checked in at 6-foot-1 and 194 lb., posting 17 reps on the bench-press, as well as a solid time of 7.10 in the three-cone drill.

“I believe every person has a talent in something, and whenever that opportunity comes to you, you want to take it and make the most of it, and that’s what I feel what I did,” said Cassama, who will now polish off his last two U of C exams ahead of the draft.

“Yeah, it was slippery, but I still ran a good time with the snow and everything — ran a 4.5 — and I’m happy with that. I can’t complain. I’m happy with myself.”

While the Packers were the only NFL team in Calgary on Friday, the pro-day tape is expected to be sent to other franchises with varying levels of interest, which includes the Oakland Raiders, the St. Louis Rams, the Miami Dolphins and the Chicago Bears.

“Wherever you are, if you can play, teams are going to try to find you,” Terry added. “I know people get discouraged and say, ‘Scouts aren’t coming here,’ or whatever.

“But at the end of the day, if you can play, teams will find you.”​


University of Calgary star Doctor Cassama impresses NFL scouts with workout | Football | Sports | Calgary Sun

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Of course I am a Homer for a Swedish guy but I think the Doc is intriguing. Anyone who can run 4,55 on the forty yard dash is pretty darn fast. If he doesn't get picked in the later rounds I would like to see us try to snag him as a UDFA.