Published: April 22, 2007 10:12 pm            

Ready for the NFL

Palestine's Peterson set for NFL draft

By SCOTT TYLER

H-P Sports Editor



Only five players who graduated from City of Palestine high schools have had the honor of being on an NFL team.

In less than a week, one more — Adrian Peterson — will be added to that list.

Peterson, a 2003 Palestine High School graduate, will become a professional football player Saturday morning likely during the first round — most likely in the top 10 picks — of the NFL draft.

“It is an absolute wonder to see Adrian get this chance,” said Jeff Harrell, who was the head football coach at Palestine High School during Peterson’s junior and senior years. “We saw the talent when he was in high school and he had a great career at Oklahoma and I believe he made the right decision.

“I could not be happier for him.”

In January, Peterson made the decision to leave the University of Oklahoma for the draft, forgoing his senior year.

Peterson said the decision came down to having the opportunity to provide for his family.

“I felt like I could provide for my family which includes my little girl,” Peterson said. “It was a tough decision but it was the best decision because it makes my life a lot easier.”

Peterson added that he decided to come out a year early because of where he was projected to be selected, which should be in the first round.

“I looked at how some juniors in the past went back to school and they did not have the type of season as the year before,” Peterson said. “After having the collarbone injury and knowing I was going to be an early first round pick, I felt it was the right decision.”

Peterson got off to a strong start in his junior year, but in Oklahoma’s sixth game of the season against Iowa State, the running back broke his collarbone when he dove into the end zone for a touchdown. Peterson was sidelined for the remainder of the regular season and his last college game was in limited action in the Fiesta Bowl in a dramatic loss to Boise State.

“It was a tough, humbling experience,” Peterson said of the injury. “I was not able to be out their practicing with my teammates and not able to be on the field during games with them.

“I had a role to fill and I became a leader and a cheerleader on the sidelines.”

Peterson finished his junior season with 1,012 yards and 12 touchdowns. In his three-year career at Oklahoma, the Palestine graduate rushed for 4,045 yards, averaged 5.4 yards a carry, and scored 41 touchdowns.

“I believe I performed to the best of my abilities at Oklahoma,” Peterson said. “I felt like I had a pretty good career.”

Peterson’s college career was shortened due to injuries. Along with the collarbone injury, the running back missed time as a sophomore with an ankle injury. The injuries that Peterson has suffered has led to some “draft experts” questioning his durability.

“I think they are making too big of a deal out of it,” Peterson said of his injuries. “I proved I could play through my ankle injury and the collarbone injury was a fluke accident. I have been hit and I have tackled harder than I was when I got hurt with the collarbone.”

With the critics starting to question Peterson, he prepared to prove what he could do during the months leading up to the draft.



A whirlwind adventure



After announcing his intentions to enter the NFL draft it was time to get busy for Peterson and his family.

From selecting and hiring agents to preparing for the NFL combine and making visits to teams, Peterson has been back and forth the United States in the last two months.

“It has been very hectic,” Peterson’s father, Nelson Peterson said. “We had to go through the process of choosing an agent, a financial advisor and marketing guys and that meant several meetings for us.”

But while the experience has been as Peterson calls it “like a whirlwind” his father said he has handled it well.

“Adrian is a very humble, laid back person and he is not seeking any more attention,” Nelson Peterson said. “Everything has gone quite well.”

Nelson Peterson’s words were echoed by Harrell when he remembered back to when Peterson was first going through the national spotlight when he was being recruited by college programs as a senior at Palestine.

“Adrian was always a good kid on top of having great talent,” Harrell said. “He was well grounded and I knew he was going to go to college and have a great career and he has proven me right.”

The attention Peterson, who reportedly already has signed endorsement deals with Nike and Sprint, got in high school may have helped prepare him for the spotlight leading up to the draft.

“It has helped me know how to handle the pressure of being in those situations,” Peterson said.

However, what Peterson is dealing with now is on a much bigger scale than back in high school.

“In high school I had guys calling me on the phone and coaches coming to the school,” Peterson said. “Now, I have been on a couple of magazine covers and I have been on TV shows and it is a lot different.”

Peterson said he realized how different it was when he was in New York City and saw himself on a billboard.

After declaring for the NFL draft, Peterson prepared for the NFL combine in Indianapolis, where players worked out for NFL head coaches and scouts.

Peterson said he went into the NFL combine wanting to prove his speed.

“I felt like there were some people who did not think I had great speed,” said Peterson, who was second in the UIL state 100- and 200-meter dashes as a junior. “I felt like I wanted to run well and show my speed.”

Peterson did more than just show his speed as he came out of the combine with one of the most impressive performances.

After the combine came the personal trips to teams including Cleveland, Tampa Bay, Atlanta and Detroit.

“It was crazy because I was going around to teams, meeting with coaches and general managers,” Peterson said. “It was tiring and draining but it was something I had to go through.”

When he made his visits, one of the first things Peterson had to endure was a medical examine from team doctors.

“My visits were different than others because the first thing I had to do was get checked up,” Peterson said. “They would pull on my shoulder and make sure I was fine.”

The visits also included questions with the coaches and general managers and Peterson said he understood why all this went on.

“The coaches want to get a better feel for you and what kind of player you are,” Peterson said. “It was fun on one side but it kind of got old also.”

But the visits also included meeting players which took Peterson back to his younger days.

“I got to meet several players including Joey Galloway (of Tampa Bay) and Michael Vick (of Atlanta),” Peterson said. “It was fun because I met guys I looked up to and I felt like a little kid.”

With the draft less than a week away, there has been a lot of discussion of where Peterson will be drafted.

Peterson is predicted to go early in the first round by mock drafts by “experts” have him picked anywhere between the No. 3 and No. 12 pick. However, Peterson does not listen to any of these predictions.

“I catch those drafts from time to time on TV but everyone has their opinion and it does not mean anything,” Peterson said. “They say this and that, but how do these guys really know.”

However, Peterson does have a couple of teams he would like to go play for.

He said he is interested in Atlanta, who has the No. 8 pick, and Houston, who has the No. 10 pick.

Peterson liked Atlanta after his visit with the Falcons.

“I really like Atlanta because of their facilities and after my visit with the coaches I felt like it would be a great fit,” Peterson said. “They were the top team I visited.”

With Houston, Peterson said he likes the idea of being able to come back to Texas to play in the NFL.

“Houston is like a second home to me,” Peterson said. “I bet guys like Vince Young would have loved to play in Houston.”

Where ever Peterson goes, he is ready to be an impact for his new team.

“I want to be able to help in whatever way I can,” Peterson said. “I have set some goals for myself including goals for rushing yards and getting the Rookie of the Year.”

Peterson’s motivation heading into the NFL is the same when he was on the field at Wildcat Stadium, wearing a maroon and white jersey.



Remember Palestine



When thinking about the town he grew up in, Peterson has fond memories of Palestine.

“It means a lot coming from Palestine,” Peterson said. “I had my share of doubters when I was growing up but that made me stay focused and continue to work hard.”

Peterson credits several Palestine High School coaches, including Harrell, Tommy Allison, Joe Estes and Booker Bowie, in not only his development but other athletes at Palestine as well.

“The coaches really helped us become better people,” Peterson said. “They pushed us to go out and be the best we can be.”

Peterson has a special relationship with his one time head coach — Harrell. The two talk on the phone a couple of times a year, including the day when Peterson declared he was going into the NFL.

“Coach Harrell meant a lot to me,” Peterson said. “He made our guys believe that you can make it out of Palestine and you can accomplish what you dream.

“He installed that not only in me but in a lot of players.”

Harrell, who currently is a coach at Texarkana High School, said coaching Peterson was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

“You can coach your whole life and not get a chance to coach someone like Adrian,” Harrell said. “It was a real enjoyment to coach him and I feel like he is going to have a big career in the NFL.”

Peterson hopes what he has been able to accomplish and what he could accomplish will help the younger players in Palestine.

“I hope I can show the light to other guys in Palestine that they can accomplish what I did if they work hard,” Peterson said. “No matter what you are doing, if it is football or academics or whatever, I have learned that you need to reach not only for the skies, but reach even higher. Reach for the moon and for the stars. That should be the goal you should set for yourself.”

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Scott Tyler may be contacted via e-mail at styler@palestineherald.com

        

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