Gilyard Thread (renamed)

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"It took me from a kid that felt like he was full - from a kid that felt like I was everything and anything to football in Cincinnati - to someone that didn't have anything at all," Gilyard told reporters. "I was homeless in the city. I lost my scholarship. I got evicted from my house. With that all in mind, I had to find faith and myself. I had to grow up. I was a real knucklehead kid. Arrogant, cocky, immature. I had to grow up, so that helped me out a lot. I wouldn't change it for nothing."

Those questions about 2006 have popped up frequently during team interviews this week, but it has been Gilyard's ability to answer them point blank that has drawn the biggest raves.

But to those who have followed Gilyard's career with the Bearcats, this is the person they have grown to follow and respect. He has drawn rave reviews for speaking and owning up to his problems without teams having to pluck and pry it out of him with a series of questions.

"I speak it truthfully and as gracefully as I can," Gilyard said. "I try not to sugarcoat anything. When you get caught up in sugarcoating you might slip in a lie here and there and that's not what I'm about."

Between his performance at the Senior Bowl, where he had five receptions for 103 yards and a TD, and the Combine, Gilyard has tried to work on his 40 time. The only thing he will not do at the combine is lift due to a sore shoulder.

Gilyard's goal for the 40, which he will run today, is be better than 4.55.

Gilyard has had informal talks with the Bengals, who have the 21st pick in the first round. Another team that might have an interest too is Baltimore, which has the 25th pick and is coached by former UC and Miami assistant John Harbaugh.

"I like the UC guys and we already have one in Haruki (Nakamura)," Harbaugh said.


http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2...ring+his+story

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Ed Thompson: Congratulations on winning the Under Armour Offensive Player of the Game Award, that had to be a big thrill.

Mardy Gilyard: I was extremely excited. I was out here with the best of the best, and Cincinnati is one of the smaller of the big schools, so with that in mind I felt like I got to let everybody know who Cincinnati was.

Thompson: Had you set any specific goals for yourself going into Senior Bowl week? Or did you approach it with the thought of just going out there and doing your best each day?

Gilyard: I told myself before I got to Mobile, "Mardy you're down here for a reason, the only reason is to prove everybody wrong." Guys like [Todd] McShay, saying I'm a small guy or a late-round guy, I don't feel that way. I've never felt that way about myself. I felt I was one of the more talented wide receivers coming into the draft because I'm more versatile. I wanted to show that even though I'm not a 6-foot-3, 220-guy, I can go out and be successful blocking guys, catching the ball, breaking tackles, and on special teams. I know I can't pay attention to the critics and I try not to, but by the same token, I wanted to shut everybody up when it came to me and my size and to show how I can be the best of the best.

Thompson: You made a terrific adjustment on a pass from Dan Lefevour for a 42-yard gain. Talk about how that play developed and why you made the adjustment you did.


Gilyard celebrates following a win over West Virginia.
Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Gilyard: I close the ground on corners fast. I strongly feel that if I can get any corner on their toes before they open their hips, it's over. Coach taught me how to slap that arm down and get over top of those guys, so when I got up on the corner from Kentucky (Trevard Lindley)--I was shocked that, one, he let me get that close to him, and two, I felt like he didn't respect me as a receiver. So when I got up on his toes, he just lollygagged his arm out there and I smacked it down. Then Dan put it in the perfect spot, which was that back-shoulder throw that I was expecting, because me and the guy were even. When that happened, I put the brakes on and focused on catching the ball. Regardless of what the corner was going to do, I really had to get tunnel-vision, s

http://cincinnati.scout.com/2/943875.html

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On Lance's radio show tonite..

Mardy Gilyard, 6:35pm.

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Gilyard wants to be a Bengal, per Lance's blog.

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Gilyard: 'It's just all a dream'
By Paul Dehner Jr., CNATI.com Posted April 24, 2010 4:22 PM ET

After two long days of waiting to hear his name, Mardy Gilyard didn't have to wait long on Saturday. Actually, he didn't have to wait at all.

With the first pick of the day and 99th overall, the St. Louis Rams selected the University of Cincinnati wide receiver at the top of the fourth round.

"It was shocking to hear my name," Gilyard said on a conference call. "They called me before 10:00 (ET) and said, 'Hey we're going to take you. We're not going to fool around or beat around the bush.' I was just like, stoked, because now I can finally get ready to go to work. I've been waiting to go to work for forever it seems like."

Gilyard spent the last two days passing time in his hometown of Bunnell, Fla., playing with his dog, fishing, hanging out with family members and on Saturday he was about to go crabbing.

"We're actually throwing a big party for me here in a couple hours, so I've got to be the man to bring back some crabs," Gilyard said. "Everybody loves seafood."

The seafood will taste even better on a relaxed stomach. Many pundits saw Gilyard being selected in the second or third round and he openly stated his deep desire to stay in Cincinnati and play for the Bengals. But in the third round when Gilyard was still on the board and the Bengals were drafting receiver, it was the name of Jordan Shipley that was announced and not Gilyard. So he went to sleep on Friday night still without a team.

"It's just been really stressful," Gilyard said. "I thought I was going to be one of the top guys taken as far as wide receivers, but God has a plan for everybody, so I just tried to stay focused and deal with it."

Gilyard finished last season with 87 receptions for 1,191 yards and 11 touchdowns. In the past two seasons he also returned five kicks for touchdowns.

The Rams already selected quarterback Sam Bradford to invigorate their offense and now Gilyard will hope to do the same.

There are currently 10 receivers listed on the Rams roster and none have more than four years experience. The Rams passing offense sputtered last year as no wideout caught more than 47 passes. That was Donnie Avery, who had 47 for 589 yards. Danny Amendola caught 43 passes at the second receiver spot.

But the Rams were a team without a game-breaking wideout who can make plays after the catch. Thus, Gilyard's drop may have been to the perfect space.

Though, he wouldn't go so far as to say he sees himself contributing immediately.

"I'm just going to try and come in and compete my hardest and let the rest of it just sort itself out," Gilyard said, but did say he thinks he can make an immediate impact in the return game.

He doesn't plan on wasting time in developing chemistry with Bradford.

"Yeah I'm ready," Gilyard said. "I can't wait. Oh God, I can't wait."

He's endured enough waiting for one weekend.

"It's just all a dream," Gilyard said. "Now it's come true. As a kid you're always doing the little countdown, '3-2-1, I've scored the winning touchdown! I'm going pro!' It's like slim to none that kids get a chance to actually go pro. Now that I've actually heard my name called and knowing that I'm going to be a Ram, that's a blessing."

http://cnati.com/featured-stories/gi...-dream-001842/

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Gilyard robbed at gunpoint.

Mardy Gilyard, a former star University of Cincinnati football player, was robbed on the street at gunpoint in the 2600 block of Jefferson Avenue on Monday night, according to Cincinnati police.




More than one man armed with a gun approached Gilyard and his friend, Terry Hobbs, and robbed them of $300 in cash and $1,000 in jewelry about 9:30 p.m., a police report shows. No injuries were reported.

At least one of the suspects was described as a black man who wore all black clothing. He was 5-foot-7 and 185 pounds.

Gilyard, 23, a standout wide receiver, was picked in the fourth round of the NFL draft last month by the St. Louis Rams.


http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2...ed+at+gunpoint

[JasonS]

Just glad he is ok and didn't try to be a hero. Live for another day. Still sucks though.

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People suck sometimes.

[david aka the TYZ]

Wow, this isn't good news. Glad he is OK. Could you imagine him never getting to realize his dream because some punk thug needed a few extra dollars? I wonder if they knew who they were robbing. We live in a horrible society that this is an every day occurance. News like this won't help in recruiting either. Keep your head up, Mardy.

[JasonS]

I am sure they did. Mardy is pretty recognizable. As far as recruiting goes, this unfortunately happens everywhere. No matter what University you go to there will always be areas around it that are questionable at best.