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Friday, 29 March 2024

Tommy Doyle's unusual path to becoming one of Miami's standout players

Credit: WCPO Cincinnati
Duration: 02:30s 0 shares 1 views

Tommy Doyle's unusual path to becoming one of Miami's standout players
Tommy Doyle's unusual path to becoming one of Miami's standout players

Tommy Doyle grew up on skates, with his sights set on the NHL.

His new ambitions are just one letter off.

SOCCER, BASEBALL ANDBASKETBALL HAVE ALL RETURNEDIN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER.FOOTBALL APPEARS TO BE RIGHTAROUND THE CORNER.KEENANSINGLETON HAS THE STORY ON ONEMIAMI FOOTBALL PLAYER'SIMPRESSIVE BODY OF WORK.TOMMY DOYLE'S HEART CHOSEHOCKEY.DOYLE: I ALWAYS THOUGHTI WAS GONNA GO TO THE NHL.ALWAYS WANTED TO BE ANENFORCER PLAYING HOCKEY.THEREST OF HIS BODY PUT THOSEDREAMS ON ICE.LIKE MANY OF US,DOYLE OUTGREW HIS FIRST LOVEWHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THENHE KEPT GROWING AND GROWING.THE ONE-TIME ENFORCER, IS NOWA PROTECTOR AS MIAMI'SSTARTING LEFT TACKLE.

ANDHE'S OPENING EYES NATIONALLY.OUTLAND AWARD WATCH LIST.1ST-TEAM ALL-MAC.AND ANUNOFFICIAL NOD AS ONE OF THEBEST TACKLE PROSPECTS IN THE2021 NFLDRAFT - AN INVITE TOTHOFFENSIVE LINEMANMASTERMIND SUMMITT.

HE WAS ONEOF A DOZEN COLLEGE LINEMANSELECTED TO ATTEND THE NFLDOMINATED GATHERING EARLIERTHIS JULY.TO BE A PRO, DOYLELEARNED FROM 50 OF THEMDOYLE:WE DID A LOT OF FILM STUDY,SOME SMALL BREAKOUT GROUP.REALLY, THE COOLEST PART WASHEARING THESE VETERANS, THESENFL PLAYERS, SOME OF THEADVICE THEY GAVE TO THE YOUNERCOLLEGE THERE.

LEARNED A LOT.EVEN IN THAT GATHERING OF BIGMEN, DOYLE STANDS OUT AT 6-8,340, YET HE'S STILL GROWING ASA FOOTBALL PLAYER.HE DIDN'TBEGIN PLAYING UNTIL HISSOPHOMORE YEAR IN EDINA,MINNESOTA - A TOWN ESPNRECENTLY CROWNED AS THE CENTEROF US HOCKEY.DOYLE: THE FIRSTTHING YOU LEARN TO DO IS SKATE.HE COULDN'T STICK WITH THESPORT - HIS COORDINATION LEDHIM OFF THE ICE TO FOOTBALLWHERE HE PLAYED LINEBACKER ANDDEFENSIVE LINE.ON THERECRUITING TRAIL, REDHAWKSOFFENSIVE LINE COACH GEORGEBARNETT'S CONVINVCED DOYLE TOTAKE A PATH HE'D NEVER TAKEN -TO THE ONE POSITION WHERE YOUNEVER WANT TO BE ON SKATES.THE OFFENSIVE LINE.BARNETT:ANYTIME YOU HAVE TO PROJECT ORYOU'RE GONNA THROW A KIND INTOTHE DEEP END THAT HE'S NOTUSED TO BEING IN.

YOU'VE GOTTO REST ON SOMETHING.DOYLE: D-LINEMAN, YOU CAN BE A LITTLBIT MORE RECKLESS.

THINK ILEARNED OFFENSIVE LINE, IT'S ALOT OF FUNDAMENTALS, IT'S ALOT OF TECHNIQUE, IT'S AMENTAL GAME.

POSITION YOURBODY, STAY BALANCED.

THOSEWERE SOME THINGS I STRUGGLEDWITH WHEN I WAS YOUNGER JUSTWANTING TO PUT MY HEAD DOWN.DOYLE AND BARNETT PUT THEIRHEADS TOGETHER AND GOT TOWORK.

IN JUST THREE YEARS, HEWENT FROM HIS FIRST KICK SLIDETO KICKING HIDES.

HIS TAPEAGAINST IOWA'S AJ EPENESA, THEBUFFALO BILLS SECOND ROUNDDRAFT PICK THIS YEAR, SHOWEDHIS GROWTH.

IT HAS NFLEVALUATORS HUNGRY FOR MORE.BARNETT: HE'S STILL IN YEAR 4OF HIS DEVELOPMENT WHICH ISSCARY.

COME APRIL, HIS HEARTWILL BE PUMPING AS HIS HANDREACHES FOR THE COMMISIONER'SAT THE DRAFT - ROGERGOODELL'S, NOT GARY'SBETTMAN'S.DOYLE: I'LL GET OVERIT.KEENAN SINGLETON, WCPO 9SPORTS

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