Riley Stapleton's road to "today" was hardly scripted this way, but he's here … and the reality is, by the end of this weekend the James Madison product will know what NFL team he'll be getting an opportunity from. It's only a matter of how that selection is made, and where he's heading. Everything else is behind him now. He is listed by DraftScout as a potential seventh-round pick or a high priority free agent — which basically means that if he isn't drafted, he'll have several options to choose from just minutes following the conclusion of the seventh round. His FCS career at JMU hasn't been perfect, but he has worked his tail off, paid his dues when dues were needed … and he, and his brother Dylan, both will get a shot at the pros.
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Yes, it's been a winding road, and Stapleton will be the first one to step up and admit it. He admits that his draft stock dipped last year when he pled no contest to a false imprisonment charge stemming from a party he attended. He was suspended the first three games of his senior season — including a big one in the eyes of NFL scouts at West Virginia — and was placed on probation for one year. He followed through with all the stipulations and returned to the field and had his best season yet, even while missing three games and sharing the receiving load with talented teammates like Brandon Polk. And he was a monster in the national semifinal against Weber State and in the championship game against North Dakota State, playing his best two games of the season and solidifying his reputation as "Mr. Clutch" in the biggest games — catching 19 passes for 262 yards and 4 TDs combined.
"I've had a few conversations but not enough that I think I'm going to get drafted," Stapleton told HERO Sports. "There's a little bit of speculation. This time last year, I was going through the offseason and I was written about as an FCS guy with some off-the-field issues and I think they took their eye off me. It was a huge effort to get the eyeballs back on me. It took awhile for myself to get going."
But he most certainly did get going. He finished a JMU career in which he saw time in 51 games, catching 169 passes for 2,113 yards and 22 TDs. Unfortunately for Stapleton, his brother Dylan and his brothers-of-different-mothers — his JMU teammates — he didn't get a shot to take his worth up another notch because on-campus Pro Days were canceled due to the pandemic. But, he has developed a reputation for being able to catch contested balls and run crisp routes. He has also caught the eye of scouts because some think he could build himself into a talented pass-catching tight end, or be a first-down hogging possession wide receiver in the clutch. Versatility — as FCS prospects say all the time — is big.
"What I've heard is that typically 230 pounds (his current weight) is right in between what they want to see with a tight end and receiver, so there's a possibility of a position change," Stapleton said. "I'm willing to do that. Dylan did that. (Former JMU player) Daniel Brown did that and he's still in the league now. Whatever it is they want me to do, I'll do that."
It's all been a blessing, yes, but stressful.
"It's not been easy, to say the least," Stapleton said. "I can't imagine this has been an easy process for anybody who is trying to pursue a career in the NFL. I'm sure that everybody is just trying to keep a level head and just let the process take care of itself. The NFL will go about their business and they know what they're doing. I'm going to put my trust in them and their process and that things are going to work out … My coaches from JMU have told me that (losing Pro Day) is not ideal, but I played my best football against the best competition on our schedule. And that this will help me."
Stapleton and his brother Dylan will be home in Indiana, Pa. with family for the NFL Draft, keeping things simple.
By Saturday night, he, like dozens and dozens of FCS prospects, will know where they stand with the NFL.
Giants have been in contact with James Madison WR Riley Stapleton #nyg #giants #NFLDraft https://t.co/Yqj7eeazI9
— TheGiantsWire (@TheGiantsWire) April 21, 2020
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