Former Michigan wide receiver Amara Darboh is now a Seattle Seahawk, the fourth former Wolverine now on head coach Pete Carroll’s team. Darboh’s stock rose after an NFL Combine in which he showed great route running and hands … and yes, speed.
Darboh ran a 4.45 40 that opened scouts’ eyes.
"I think my speed is something that people question at first," Darboh told reporters in a conference call. "I think this season and at the combine I think I proved that I have speed. My routes, also, coming from a pro-style, I think I'm a great route runner. I know I have things to work on, and I know that I'm going to continue to work on them. Coming from a pro-style [offense], I'm forced to run a lot of NFL routes and breaking routes."
Playing for a former NFL head coach in Jim Harbaugh had its perks, he noted.
"It helped a lot," Darboh said. "Not only with the coaches he had around me and the way he ran his meetings, but when he came in he had that NFL system mindset. Just the way he treated us … he treated us like pros, and that's going to bring me to the next level.
"I loved Coach Harbaugh. He was great. He's a guy that is the same all the time. He's very honest, and I think, for a player, that's key to have a coach that is honest with you with telling you things that you need to work on and helps you compete. He told all of us to compete on offense, defense and special teams. I took that to heart and tried to apply it to all phases of the game."
Seattle general manager John Schneider told reporters Darboh already looks the part.
"He’s young in football and looks like a professional wide receiver,” he said. “That’s probably the most amazing thing about his story. He’s seen as a grit kid who’s been through a ton in his life. I’ve never met anyone from Iowa I didn’t like. He was living in Des Moines, Iowa, right? He’s really a good route runner, he’s got good ball skills, he’ll block … he’ll play on (special) teams. He’s one of those kids that checks off all the boxes.
“There’s still a lot out there in front of him.”
Originally from war torn Sierra Leone, the All-Big Ten second teamer was a Seahawks target all along, but the franchise was "laying in the weeds," Schneider added, not investigating his background too much for fear of piquing other teams’ interest. Darboh became a U.S. citizen last year, but he still has memories of escaping a scary situation.
"Fortunately for me, I remember the good parts before we left," Darboh said. "I remember playing soccer with my older brothers. I remember the food and I just remember family members, and I remember going to the market with my sister and my brothers."
"He has a great story. He went through a lot," Carroll noted. "He's just come through as such an amazing kid. That tells you a lot about the guy. And like John said, we like those stories, those backgrounds, those stories that make these kids who they are.
"They brought their story with them."
NFL.com was one that predicted Darboh could exceed expecations in the draft.
“Darboh caught the attention of scouts from very early on in his final season at Michigan. Darboh’s outstanding size will have some teams excited, but he needs to run well at the combine in order to be targeted as a “size/speed” prospect. He lacks the quickness and hands to make a living underneath, but has the physical traits and willingness to help as a blocker that could get teams to bite on the second day of the draft (Rounds 2-3). Scheme fit could determine whether he becomes a WR2 or just a guy fighting for snaps off the bench.”
STORY: AMARA DARBOH JOINS THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
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