Cummings leaps from Division II to NFL

Cummings leaps from Division II to NFL

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr., AP Sports Writer
Sep 6, 4:00 am EDT


http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_y...p-jets-cummingsleap&prov=ap&type=lgns&print=1


FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP)—Kenwin Cummings was holed up in the team hotel a week ago, anxiously waiting to hear whether he survived the New York Jets’ final roster cuts.

His worrisome thoughts were interrupted by the ring of his cell phone. It was his agent, and he had some news.

“He said, ‘Hey, congratulations. You made the 53,”’ the rookie linebacker recalled Friday with a big smile.

Cummings, from Maxton, N.C., has completed the difficult jump from being a Division II standout at Wingate to making an NFL roster. He survived the cutdown last Saturday and was one of the 53 players the Jets took with them to Miami for the season opener Sunday.

“It’s been a dream come true,” he said in a thick Southern drawl. “As a kid, I grew up always watching the NFL and admiring a lot of the players and here I am now, playing in the NFL. I’m just glad to be here.”


He earned his spot by being one of the Jets’ most impressive players in the preseason. An undrafted rookie free agent, Cummings tied fourth-round pick Dwight Lowery for the team lead with 17 tackles and a sack. The summer standout made the cut over a number of other linebackers, including veteran Matt Chatham.

“I saw a lot of positive things,” coach Eric Mangini said. “Not that you didn’t necessarily see positive things about some of the guys you let go, it’s just that you’re limited, so you’ve got to make some choices.”

Cummings did all he could to make sure Mangini had an easy decision regarding his fate. He was the only undrafted rookie free agent to make the team.

“It was great,” Cummings said. “There were a lot of times where I might have been wrong, but I made up for it by just running and making plays out there.”

Cummings was an All-American defensive end at Wingate, leading the South Atlantic Conference with 7 1/2 sacks and 18 tackles for a loss as a senior while adding 71 tackles. After signing with the Jets in May, Mangini and defensive coordinator Bob Sutton moved him to inside linebacker.

“That was a huge step and I had a lot to learn,” Cummings said. “I would say I was a step behind everybody a little, but I guess I’ve picked up on it pretty quick. It’s a completely new position for me, so there was a lot I didn’t know at the time. It was a lot of studying and a lot of work.”

He made it through rookie camp, OTAs, minicamp and then was impressive enough in training camp that Mangini wanted him to stick around for the regular season.

“He’s from a smaller school, made progress and has shown some good things,” Mangini said. “Like all the rookies, he’s got a lot of work to do. … There are some really positive traits there, but it’s a work in progress.”

Cummings said he’s still learning the nuances of the position, and is focused on perfecting his technique.

“You have to make a lot of calls and checks and stuff like that, so you have to recognize offenses,” he said. “Just the recognition of the offense and the plays, how they work together. That would probably be the toughest part.”

Cummings grew up rooting for the Carolina Panthers and his favorite player was defensive end Julius Peppers. Now, he’s locker mates with nose tackle Kris Jenkins, a former Pro Bowler with the Panthers.

“Yeah, there was a little bit of being star struck, but you get here and start playing and they’re just a teammate now,” Cummings said. “I kind of don’t look at it as being star struck anymore. It’s just another teammate.”

And now he’s just another one of the guys. Whether he’s on the 45-man active roster for the game against the Dolphins or not, Cummings knows he’s made it.

“Here we go,” he said, again smiling. “Preseason was cool and all, but this feels like I’m actually filling a spot and being on the Jets, so it’s going to be an awesome experience.”