Tag Archives: leaf rookies 2012

Judie, Coryell

Card: Leaf Rookies 2012
Acquired: 2012, Box Breaker

Quietly Coryell Judie appeared on the scene at Texas A&M after playing JUCO at Fort Scott CC. A dangerous returner and cornerback, Judie finished his JUCO time with 7 picks, and 82 tackles. As FS’ primary return man he averaged 26.8 yards per kick return, and 15.1 on punt returns, earning JUCO All American Honors. He’d get a medical redshirt from A&M in 2009, and then show his colors in 2010 by intercepting 4 passes and recording 57 tackles. Judie also was 5th nationally in kick returns with 605 yards on 20 attempts and two touchdowns. This was good enough to help him notch second-team All-Big 12 honors at CB, honorable mention at KR, and Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. He’d have off-season shoulder surgery. A hamstring injury in 2011 hampered his senior season, limiting him to just 22 tackles. Still he impressed scouts enough at his pro day, with a 4.38 40 and his performance in many other drills. The Broncos signed him as a free agent after the 2012 draft, but he’d be cut in July with the designation of a non-football injury. He’d briefly be on the roster of the Edmonton Eskimos in  2013, before joining the AFL Portland Thunder in 2014.

Powell, Tydreke

leaf12 powellCard: Leaf Rookies 2012
Acquired: 2012, Box Breaker

6-2, 311 Tydreke Powell played collegiately for North Carolina, where he was team captain of the defense from his defensive tackle position. In his senior season he finished with 47 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 1 pass defensed, and a forced fumble. Considered raw and unpolished, many scouts believed that he has aggressive natural talent and athleticism that will allow him to develop with the right team at the NFL level with the right conditioning and training. If there was a better place to land- I am not sure of many, as Powell was signed as an undrafted free agent by the defensive line stacked Minnesota Vikings. Tydreke did not see any playing time his rookie year, but Jared Allen thinks he has an amazing singing voice.

Robinson, Keenan

Card: Leaf Rookies 2012, Leaf Young Stars 2012
Acquired: 2012, Box Breaker.  2/16/2013, Longhorn Neighborhood Foundation Bowling Tournament

Keenan Robinson was a solid outside linebacker for the Texas Longhorns as a 3 year starter. In the 2011 campaign he notched 106 tackles, 10 TFL, 1 sack, and 2 FF. Keenan also earned Holiday Bowl MVP Honors after the season. Keenan in college wore (from what I can tell) undersized pads. Either that or the technology has come so far that they look small. Initially the name did not click when I got the Leaf Draft box breaker and I thought he was a wide receiver. His combine numbers were purely average, but this was good enough to rank him 4th among inside linebacker talent. A solid athlete, with a nose for the ball and decent pass coverage skills, Keenan was drafted in the 4th round of the 2012 draft by the Washington Redskins.  Jim Haslett and his defensive staff immediately shifted him to inside linebacker in the hope that he can become one of the heirs to aging superstar London Fletcher, but in the meantime expected Robinson to get a lot of repetition on leafys12 robinsonspecial teams and sparse time full-time in the lineup. He was able to scoop up 12 tackles, but blew out his pectoral muscle in Week 12 and missed the remainder of the season.

I got into the Longhorn Bowling event sheerly through my connections, and while I was there I happened to bump into James Kirkendoll who had shaved his dreds off. Along with him were Aaron Williams and Keenan Robinson. – I embarrassingly did not recognize them. They sat down and had lunch with me and were talking a whole gambit of topics from football to the women of Montreal. Later once the bowling teams were announced I finally attached the names to the faces that were sitting in front of me a short time earlier. Keenan took it all in stride and signed the Leaf Young Stars 2012 card for me. It turned out to be a great event and I hope that they consider expanding it in the future on a limited basis to the general public.