Undrafted rookie RB Pope trying to convince Seahawks he belongs

Published 8:00 pm Wednesday, August 24, 2016

RENTON — Troymaine Pope is fully aware of his tenuous position with the Seattle Seahawks.

The rookie running back went undrafted out of Jacksonville State. He wasn’t signed by Seattle until a week into training camp, and only then because the Seahawks were desperately short at running back because of injuries. At 5-foot-8 and 205 pounds he’s on the small side for an NFL running back. And he’s one of seven running backs who are battling for three or four roster spots, a group that includes two proven veterans and three draft picks.

But as someone who was on the verge of taking a factory job when the Seahawks called, Pope knows that no matter how long the odds, he has to take advantage of every opportunity afforded him.

The Seahawks play their third preseason game Thursday night when they host the Dallas Cowboys at CenturyLink Field, and Pope is one of the many Seahawks who knows he has to use the game to show the coaches he deserves to stick around.

“I know I could be gone any day now, but I’m going to continue to work and outwork anybody,” Pope said.

Thursday’s game is the third of Seattle’s four preseason contests, and it also marks the players’ final on-field moment before the first round of cuts. NFL rosters must be reduced from 90 to 75 players by next Tuesday, but it’s likely the Seahawks will make their cuts before resuming practice Sunday.

Pope is one of the players who’s at risk. But he’s also the unknown player who’s arguably stood out most during Seattle’s preseason thus far. Last week he nearly led the Seahawks to a fourth-quarter comeback as he rushed for a team-high 86 yards on 10 carries and scored the team’s lone touchdown, showing both a good burst of speed and the ability to cut back. He’s also displayed versatility by being used as a kick returner.

“He’s got good run instincts,” Seahawks running backs coach Sherman Smith said. “He has a good feel for what we’re doing in the zone game. He can make people miss, so he’s got some quickness. He’s not the fastest guy in the world, but he’s competitive fast. He’s got some talent.”

It’s a far cry from where Pope was at the beginning of August. Pope, coming off a stellar senior season at Jacksonville State where he gained 1,788 yards on 218 carries and scored 19 touchdowns, attended rookie camp with the Kansas City Chiefs, but didn’t get signed. After that no NFL teams contacted him, and he began training for a job at the International Automotive Components factory in his hometown of Anniston, Alabama. Instead of carrying a football and eluding defenders, Pope was preparing for a life of driving forklifts and stacking boxes.

That was until the Seahawks, with Thomas Rawls, C.J. Prosise and Zac Brooks all hobbled by injuries, came calling.

“When the Seahawks contacted me I was driving with my mom, and my agent called me and let me know and I just broke down in tears,” Pope said.

“I never gave up on my dream,” Pope added. “Even when my mom would be telling me to get a job, I knew what I wanted to do with my life, I knew God had a plan for me.”

Whether that plan ultimately includes the Seahawks remains in question. Brooks returned to game action last Thursday, while Rawls and Prosise have both returned to practice, so the Seattle backfield is getting crowded again. Pope also has learning to do in pass protection, an area where Smith said Pope was essentially starting from scratch.

“We’ve got numbers,” Smith acknowledged. “We don’t keep that many guys, so he’s got to show a lot of stuff. He could make the practice squad, I don’t know. To make our active roster, it’s going to be tough because you’ve got some guys.”

But given what he’s done so far, Pope has at least shown he’s more than just an injury stop-gap, and he’s given the coaches something to think about.

“I think what he’s done is take advantage of opportunities and say, ‘You know what, a lot of guys started out that way and ended up making the team,’” Smith said. “What I told him before the first preseason game was that he’s not just showing what he can do to us, there’s 31 other teams that are going to look at this tape and they’re going to say, ‘Hey man, look at this guy.’ You’re interviewing for 31 teams also.”

And as for his shot at making the Seahawks?

Said Smith: “He’s giving himself a chance, I will say that.”

For more on the Seattle sports scene, check out Nick Patterson’s Seattle Sidelines blog at cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/heraldnet/tag/seattle-sidelines, or follow him on Twitter at @NickHPatterson.