EDITOR'S NOTE: Richie James was a two-time All-Conference USA selection who had 244 receptions for 3,261 yards in three seasons at Middle Tennessee. The Sarasota, Fla., native is now preparing for the 2018 NFL Draft, where he is expected to be a second- or third-day pick. This is Part 1 of an NFL Draft Diary that chronicles James' time between his final college game in December and draft in April, as told by HERO Sports feature writer Andrew Doughty with extensive quotes from James. James is one of several players who will periodically break down what it is like to be an NFL Draft prospect.
Richie James set the Middle Tennessee and Conference USA freshman records for most receptions (108) and receiving yards (1,346) in 2015. He set the school record for receiving yards a year later — 1,625 yards and 12 scores on 105 receptions — and had more receptions and yards over those two seasons than any other FBS player.
James knew that declaring for the 2018 NFL Draft was "common sense" if he had another highly productive season.
"I’ve been top three in NCAA and improved myself the last two years,” he said of his mindset after 2016. “It was like any other top player. You've got a chance to leave early and chase your dreams. We just knew that it was time for me to go at this moment. If I had a really good year, a really solid year, and enjoyed it, I should leave. Obviously it didn't go the way I planned it."
The 5-foot-9, 176-pounder did announce his declaration for the 2018 draft on Dec. 17, one day after MTSU’s season concluded with a win over Arkansas State in the Camellia Bowl. That went as planned. James, however, did not play in that game or seven other games due to injuries.
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"I got hurt and it was like, ‘What’s next?' " he says of breaking his collarbone in their Oct. 20 loss to Marshall, which ended his season. "Should you come out for another year and maybe risk it or should you leave and risk it? Regardless, both of them is a risk. I had a take a chance of stay back or leave. I decided to leave."
James, who also missed three games earlier in the season with an ankle injury, left as the school’s all-time leader in touchdown receptions and receiving yards and owner of several other program records. He was a two-time First-Team All-Conference USA selection and the sixth player in FBS history to have 200 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in the same game.
An early declaration was "common sense" if had a productive junior season. The injuries changed everything.
"It's a lot that goes into the thought process of what should be next. In the big picture, both them — staying in school and leaving early — [are] risks. For any athlete who wants to pursue their dreams, it’s injuries. You just can’t control them. It doesn't matter how good you are, you can’t control it. It’s 'snap' and there it goes."
"I talked to [offensive coordinator Tony Franklin] a few times. I talked to my uncle and coach back at home. They were all on the same page and they all agreed with me and my reasoning. We sat down and thought about both sides of the equation.”
The Sarasota, Fla., native who played quarterback as a senior at Riverview High School says it wasn't "life and death" but it was still a painfully difficult decision, especially as a redshirt junior nearing graduation.
"I could’ve graduated in two more semesters, so other things came into play. Obviously those things are still there and I still want go get those things. I had really good teammates. We had a good team last year and would’ve come back with pretty much the same team and won conference championships."
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Middle Tennessee won 22 games in his final three seasons and appeared in three straight bowl games for the first ever. And he’s right; the Blue Raiders are projected to return 86 percent of their offensive production in 2018, the highest clip in Conference USA and 10th-highest in the nation, according to SB Nation.
James didn't announce his early declaration until Dec. 17 but he spent much of the previous year preparing for the 2018 NFL Draft in the event he left, a process he says he enjoyed.
"A lot of agents contacted me at the end of my sophomore year going into my junior year. I had a lot of meetings with different people and agents. I used to sit down maybe three times per week with three different agents. I had to figure out who I’d go with if I left.
"I had like five agents I thought I could go with, and [Deryk Gilmore from Atlanta-based Day 1 Sports and Entertainment Management] wasn't one of those five agents at the time. Then I’Tavius Mathers, a running back last year for us, said, 'My agent wants to contact you. I was like, 'Nah man I don’t want to. I already got my five agents.’ ‘He’s going to contact you to says what’s up,’ so I said, ‘Alright whatever.'
"He was interesting, what he brought to the table, his knowledge of the game and experience with receivers. We became connected and close. That’s my guy."
James’ other guy is David Robinson, or "D-Rob," a well-known receivers coach in Dallas-Fort Worth, where James is training at APEC Fort Worth. Bobby Belt, owner of The Draft Database, introduced the two.
"I never knew [Robinson]. I had seen him on social media making videos with Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown. He knows what he’s talking about. Those guys train with him in the offseason.
“I wanted to be right in [Robinson’s] backyard. I had someone go to APEC for me and check out the facility. And it's just great people and those who run the facility are so good at what they do."
James has solicited help from Belt, his uncle and others but makes it crystal clear that he’s the only one making decisions. He wants the responsibility and accountability.
"This is all me. Every decision I've made from when I came to college to right now has been my own decision.
"You can’t look back and think, 'Aw man I made the wrong decision.' At that point you're going to be panicking and not love the process anymore. When I made the decision, I was ready to go. Before I announced I was leaving school, I was preparing myself for how the process and that I would enjoy it and love it every day.
"Not everyone will be on your side. You’ll have some guys that will say, 'I'll support your decision regardless what you do.' Some guys, you can tell, they don’t really mean it. A good amount of people were on my side. You can't live their life, and they can't live your life. You got to take risks and do things in life that you’re going to be comfortable with."
Seven weeks after leaving school and 11 weeks before the 2018 NFL Draft, Richie James seems like someone who's very happy with his decisions.
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