What Ever Happened to:

Noel Devine WVUs human highlight Reel:

Noel passed up the pros and stayed for his senior year.  Due to a toe injury, he only ran for 844 yards his senior year and missed many games.  Overworked by WVU, his toe injury prevented him from running at the combine.  At his pro day, he ran a 4.43 40 and was given a free agent contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.  After a 4 day NFL career, he signed a two year contract with Montreal of the Canadian Football League.

He played in 5 games last year had 12 yards rushing and 129 receiving. 

Out of high school, Noel was rated as the second best back in the country with 5 stars and an awesome You Tube highlight video.  It is hard to believe that he did not make the NFL.  I would have never expected him to be a backup in Canada. 

If you look at the historicals, the biggest hyped high school players rarely become stars in college, and the biggest hyped college stars rarely become stars in the NFL.  Lots of factors contribute to that.  The games are very different at the various levels, faster, stronger, smarter as you reach a higher level.  Add in the injury factor, and you see why making it (at least as a top player) in the NFL is very much a crapshoot.  Genetics, coaching, work ethic, finding a suitable position, and of course injuries, all play a role in making the bigtime.  The two best players in WVU history (my opinion) Pat White and Major Harris never did anything in the NFL.  Mike Compton, a good but not great offensive lineman at WVU, had a fabulous career in the NFL.

Darryl Talley was not highly recruited out of high school, yet went on the become an All-American and a great NFL player.

Its a mixed bag for sure, and like you said, all sorts of factors play in.


Mannings were hyped all along- but not for body type or athleticism- became an MVP and a mulit super bowl winner.


Randy Moss was a huge recruit, stumbled in college due to off field problems, became one of the most productive WR's of all time and probably the most physically talented.


JJ Watt was a 2 star prosepect out of high school and look what he has become- granted it would be difficult to predict what his body would develop into- a 6'5 235lb TE became a 295lb terror off the edge.  



There is always something to be said for how hungry a player is to prove himself, how his body type fits the various levels of the game, and how/ if they respond to adversity.


Flacco transferred out of Pitt cus he couldnt get past Palko on the depth chart- whos got the last laugh in that one? 

Coming out of college, I thought Sammie Smith (FSU) would be a better NFL running back than Emmitt Smith (Florida).  You never know.

Look at the Rivals 100 for that year.  Lots of names on that list that I don't recognize as NFL players.

NFL or not the guys story is amazing, one of the lucky ones to get out of a very challenging situation growing up. I'm proud that WVU was a part of his legacy and that he made the most out of his chances.

There was a link to a nice highlight video of Noel's year for Montreal on Twitter last week.  It was fun watching him make some of the same great plays for them that he made as a Mountaineer.  Brought back some good memories for me.

Didn't see air tripping him in any of the highlights shown either....

Look at the Rivals 100 for that year.  Lots of names on that list that I don't recognize as NFL players.

Couple a reasons for that that some often don't consider...


1. You don't recognize every player on every team's 56 man roster (I'm assuming this point). A guy who is a team's 6th OL for 8-10 years is clearly a pretty successful NFL player.


2. Recruiting is projecting players for college success. Undersized LB's and mobile QB's can be very productive college players without projecting well in the pros (granted the QB point seems to be changing).