Draft Scout Snapshot:DS Rating on 01/15/11: Ranked #17 Senior RB/#177/750 Overall, Projected Rounds 5-6 2010: Appeared in 11 games with five starts…Suffered a sprained left foot against Tennessee and was limited the remainder of the season, missing the LSU and Vanderbilt games…Led the team with 551 rushing yards on a team-best 92 carries (team-high 50.1 yards per game)…Had a team-high 927 all-purpose yards, while catching a running back-high 18 receptions for 116 yards (6.4 average)…Returned eight kickoff s for 260 yards for a 32.5-yard average…Named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance against USF…Ran for a career-high 139 yards on 11 carries, and finished with a career-high 255 all-purpose yards in the win over USF, ran back a career-high 95 yards on a career-high tying two kickoff returns, named co-offensive player of the game. 2009: Played in all 14 games for the Gators, including 12 starts…Accumulated 745 yards rushing on 99 carries (7.5 avg.) and scored seven touchdowns…Had eight receptions for 52 yards (6.5 avg.)…Ranked fifth in the nation with 7.5 yards per carry avg. and finished second on the Gator squad, first among running backs, in 2009 with 745 rushing yards and seven touchdowns…Carried three times for seven yards before suffering a dislocated left elbow in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. 2008: Saw action in all 14 games as a freshman, starting in five…Average touchdown run in 2008 was 32.7 yards…Ranked fourth on the team in rushing (605 yards on 78 carries) and sixth in receiving (141 yards, 15 receptions).
Jeff Demps/Florida football Videos
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Draft Scout Jeff Demps News
08/23/12 - RB Jeff Demps made his practice debut Wednesday during workouts with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"It's just a blessing to come from the Olympics and come to a football field," Demps said Wednesday. "It's a blessing. Not many people do that, so it's just a blessing to do that."
Demps lined up at running back and also returned kickoffs in the Patriots' joint practice with the Buccaneers. The Buccaneers and Jets were considered finalists for Demps' services.
In Tuesday's portion of practice open to the media, Demps' first two chances -- a pass from Brian Hoyer and a short, bounding kickoff -- went through his hands. But running backs coach Ivan Fears called Demps "courageous" for sticking his nose into the fray in blocking drills, and Demps expects to get back to speed easily.
"I always had a football background," Demps said. "I'm a football player first, so I'm used to just jumping right into it coming off of track season. So it was basically the same transition except the guys are a lot bigger."
Demps signed a three-year contract. He said he lost weight to participate in the London Olympics, where he ran the qualifying leg of the 4x100 relay for the United States team.
He rushed for over 2,400 yards and 25 touchdowns with the Gators but rarely trained with the team in the offseason while focusing on track.
"That's probably going to be the toughest part, just getting back into that football shape and learning the plays," Demps said.
08/17/12 - RB Jeff Demps agreed to a deal with the New England Patriots.
The Patriots hosted Demps for a workout Thursday and view him as the ultimate specialist because of his speed, hands and experience playing multiple roles. Coach Bill Belichick has leaned heavily on good friend Urban Meyer, who recruited and coached Demps at Florida until last season.
Demps reportedly ran the 40-yard dash in 4.29 seconds as a junior at Florida, where he was a teammate of Tim Tebow's. He didn't run in the 4x100 final in London, but received a medal for participating in the qualifying round.
03/12/12 - Florida running back Jeff Demps affirmed his decision to focus on a track career by skipping the N.F.L. combine last month. Demps remained unmoved when his teammate Chris Rainey called to tease him, suggesting that he should have participated in the showcase simply to show off his 40-yard-dash time. Even that would have been a distraction for Demps. Forty yards is far too short a distance for Demps, and spending any moment thinking about the N.F.L. is nothing short of a waste of time for him. “I still love the game of football, that will never be taken from me,” said Demps, who ran 6.56 seconds Saturday to capture his third consecutive 60-meter title at the N.C.A.A. indoor track and field championships. “But I just enjoy running. I have to be out there on the track.” That drive is what motivates Demps, who walked away from a possible third- or fourth-round draft selection and the fame and money that would have accompanied it. It is also what could land Demps on the United States team that will compete this summer in the London Olympics. “Jeff works as hard as anyone I’ve ever coached,” said Florida Coach Mike Holloway, who is also an assistant for the United States, concentrating on sprinters. “But he’s still got things to work on to be where he needs to be.” Perhaps it is more where Demps wants to be, trading his Gators colors for Olympic attire and a future track career. “Growing up, I was always a football player, so I never dreamed of running in the Olympics,” said Demps, whose father starred in football and whose mother excelled in track. “But in high school when I started to run, something just turned on in me. I would love to be able to run for the Olympic team one day.” - Jason Chatraw, The New York Times
01/12/12 - Florida running back Jeff Demps is giving up his football career to focus on track and the 2012 Olympics. Demps wants to vie for a spot on the U.S. track and field team. So he won’t attend any college football all-star games or take part in any NFL draft workouts. “I can have the mindset of a full-time track guy now,” Demps said. The senior started training with Florida’s track team this week and hopes to return to competition at the Virginia Tech Elite Meet next month. He plans to lose about 15 pounds off his 190-pound playing weight. Demps finished his career with 2,470 yards rushing and 23 touchdowns. He had 569 yards rushing and six touchdowns this past season. He also was a dangerous kickoff returner, averaging 28.8 yards a return in his four-year career. On the track, Demps is a four-time national champion. Demps is the two-time defending NCAA Indoor 60-meter champion. He showed Olympic potential when he set a 100-meter junior world record (10.01 seconds) at the 2008 Olympic Trials, challenging Olympian Tyson Gay stride for stride in the heat. Training with Florida this season should help Demps’ Olympic chances, especially working with head coach Mike Holloway. Holloway is an assistant coach for the U.S. Olympic Team and mainly works with sprinters and hurdlers. - AP Sports
01/02/12 - Scouting the Florida special teams: Special teams has been one of the few bright spots for the Gators this season. PK Caleb Sturgis, a Groza Award finalist, has made 21 of 25 field goals this season, including 9 of 13 from 40 yards or more. Freshman Kyle Christy has taken over the starting job at P and is averaging 41.3 yards per carry. Florida also has been strong in the return game. RB Jeff Demps has returned a kickoff for a TD this season, while Chris Rainey has returned a punt for a TD. The Gators have blocked 5 kicks this season. - The Sports Xchange
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