Covitz: Wimbley

[Wile_E_Coyote]

‘Special cat’ hails from Kansas

Wichita star is a Seminole, but he remembers his roots

By RANDY COVITZ

The Kansas City Star

It was designed as an ordinary quarterback sneak. But when Kamerion Wimbley played at Wichita Northwest, there was nothing ordinary about him.

He was the Grizzlies’ star quarterback/defensive end/linebacker and all-state punter. And he could turn a mundane quarterback sneak into a magnificent sprint.

Former Northwest coach Jim Moore remembers. Wimbley might have needed a yard on that Friday night against Wichita Southeast, but he took that quarterback sneak for a 73-yard touchdown ride.

“That one was the most amazing play,” Moore recalled. “You don’t see many of those.”

Just as you don’t see many football players like Wimbley emerge from the state of Kansas. Wimbley graduated high school a semester early in December 2001 and blossomed into one of the nation’s top defensive end/outside linebackers.

Wimbley, 6 feet 3 7/8 inches and 248 pounds, is expected to be a mid to late first-round selection in Saturday’s NFL draft, which would make him the highest-picked player from the state of Kansas since Dallas chose cornerback Terence Newman of Salina and Kansas State with the fifth overall pick in 2003.

Despite missing nearly four games because of a knee sprain, Wimbley still led the Seminoles with 7½ sacks, deflected four passes and had 17 quarterback pressures.

“I’m in love with Kamerion Wimbley,” said Chiefs director of college scouting Chuck Cook, whose club, with the 20th overall pick, has a definite need for a pass rusher. “Kamerion Wimbley is the epitome of class. He’s a special cat. We sent (defensive-line coach) Tim Krumrie specifically to work him out. He’s one of the best edge rushers in this draft.

“The Chiefs have him postured on the board as a solid pick. He’s going to be a heck of a pro. His work ethic is unapproachable. He was never ever a problem at Florida State. He did community work. He jumped through all the hoops. He worked out at the combine in Indianapolis. He never was a big-timer, he never was a big shot. All he has done is achieve.”

So how did Wimbley, a Parade All-American, escape Big 12 country and become the first player from the state of Kansas to be offered a scholarship by Florida State’s Bobby Bowden?

“A lot of people wanted him bad,” Moore said. “Bob Stoops wanted him bad at Oklahoma. Notre Dame offered him. Kansas State didn’t recruit him very hard for whatever reason. He’s always been a Florida State fan. He wanted to go somewhere warm.

“We sent Florida State film, and they liked him, but it was hard for them to tell about the level of competition. They wanted to see him in person. We took him down to their summer camp, and they offered him after two days.”

Some schools recruited Wimbley as a quarterback, but as he said at the NFL scouting combine, “I like to tackle.”

Wimbley reported to Tallahassee as a rangy 200-pounder, but through work in the weight room and a disciplined diet, he’s added more than 40 pounds without sacrificing much speed.

“He came in here a runner and a gazelle-looking athlete,” said Florida State defensive-ends coach Jody Allen. “He’s just been steady in gaining weight and muscle. He’s powerful, explosive and still has not lost a step of quickness.

“When he hits, he’s got some pop. You can see where the guys are jolted.”

Now teams have to decide whether to play Wimbley as a true defensive end with his hand on the ground or as a stand-up outside linebacker. Although Wimbley played in a 4-3 front at Florida State, he believes he can make the transition to outside linebacker in a 3-4.

“A lot of teams have talked to me about standing up,” Wimbley said. “I’m open to it. It would give me a chance to display some of my athleticism that you don’t necessarily get to show at defensive end. It gives me opportunities to roam around and make a lot of tackles and a lot of plays.

“I have the ability to make plays in the open field, my leaping ability, just the quickness, change of direction, stuff like that.”

Teams are impressed with Wimbley as a citizen as much as they are as an athlete. He doesn’t showboat after sacking the quarterback. And he takes his responsibility as a role model seriously.

“When it comes to athletes, some are in a high-
profile situation, and when something bad happens, it gets magnified,” Wimbley said. “There are a lot of kids who look up to people in sports, and there are a lot of good things that get overlooked. Football gives you a platform to be able to reach out and help strengthen people and communities.

“This is my opportunity to give back to all of those people who put a lot of time and effort into helping me get where I am. I should at least take some time out to help other families and kids aspire to be great.”
Wimbley majored in social work at Florida State and wants to work with at-risk juveniles.

“A lot of the kids don’t have fathers in the household to look up to, so they get in trouble following people they see on TV as role models,” Wimbley said. “My parents were divorced at an early age, but I still had a good relationship with my father. I had a lot of coaches, and I looked up to guys in the league like Emmitt Smith, great people in the community like him.”

Although Wimbley has spent the last four years in Florida, he has not forgotten his roots, and he planned to watch the draft from home in Wichita.


“It’s a nice feeling to make people back in my hometown proud,” he said. “We had Barry Sanders, but not too many people after him. That was always my goal, to be the next big thing to come out of Kansas.”

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[Sully]

I WILL NOT be talked into rooting for this guy to become a Chief.

[Brock]

“I’m in love with Kamerion Wimbley,” said Chiefs director of college scouting Chuck Cook

Scratch Wimbley off the list of players the Chiefs are interested in.

[JBucc]

No thanks

[ct]

Originally Posted by Brock

Scratch Wimbley off the list of players the Chiefs are interested in.

My thought as well.

[Kclee]

Originally Posted by Sully

I WILL NOT be talked into rooting for this guy to become a Chief.

What about in the 2nd round?

[jiveturkey]

Originally Posted by Kclee

What about in the 2nd round?

Some mocks have him going to Baltimore in the first round.

If he's there for us in the 2nd then it would be the steal of the century.

[Kclee]

Originally Posted by jiveturkey

Some mocks have him going to Baltimore in the first round.

If he's there for us in the 2nd then it would be the steal of the century.

I know. I was just trying to talk him into rooting for him to be a Chief.

[jiveturkey]

Originally Posted by Kclee

I know. I was just trying to talk him into rooting for him to be a Chief.

Gottcha.

I'll root for that one.

[BigChiefFan]

I'm leary of Wimbley for some reason.

[Tribal Warfare]

Hopefully either the Browns or the Cowboys picks the guy. He has a bigtime bust factor

[Mr. Laz]

good read ... but i don't think wimbley becomse a chief unless they are prepared to run a true 3-4 defense.

[ct]

Originally Posted by Tribal Warfare

Hopefully either the Browns or the Cowboys picks the guy. He has a bigtime bust factor

If one of those teams does take Wimbley, and the other team goes anywhere other than DE or OLB(as a convert), then Manny Lawson could be staring us in the face @20.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by BigChiefFan

I'm leary of Wimbley for some reason.

Probably because his name isn't Manny Lawson...

[htismaqe]

I think it's entirely possible that the Cowboys take Wimbley, especially now that they've got Coleman to play FS.