April 23, 2005

Charleston, SC - Nelson Huggins did what he could.

Huggins, the football coach at North Charleston High School, put together highlight tapes. He sent them to the big-time schools, trying to convince them that Nehemiah Broughton could play big-time football.

"That's when everybody was throwing the ball, and nobody was looking for a running back under six feet tall," Huggins said. "Nobody was really interested."

Five years later, some people are getting interested.

After two knee injuries and a standout career at The Citadel, the 5-11, 255-pound Broughton is projected as a middle- to late-round draft choice in this weekend's NFL draft, which takes place today and Sunday.

By unofficial count, he would become the sixth Citadel player to be picked by an NFL team, and the first since running back Travis Jervey in 1995.

A chance to play in the NFL is a dream Broughton has harbored since he was seven years old. But it's one that he wasn't sure would come after he hurt his knee as a junior at North Charleston High School and was passed over by those big-time schools as a senior.

"I still believed I could do it," said Broughton, who ran for 2,643 yards in his Citadel career, ranking him fifth on the Bulldogs' all-time list. "I've always believed in myself. But when you don't get one of those big schools, you just know you'll have to work a lot harder.

"It takes a lot more work to get recognized than it would at a big school like South Carolina or Florida State."

Broughton has put in the work, especially after a second knee injury cut short his junior season at The Citadel. He ran for 778 yards and eight touchdowns in 2003 before he was hit from behind while blocking on a punt in the 10th game of the season against Chattanooga.

After surgery and rehabilitation, Broughton returned to run for 793 yards last season. His breakout season came as a sophomore in 2002 when he rushed for 1,038 yards and 11 TDs, the ninth 1,000-yard season in Citadel history. But it was after his senior season was over that the player dubbed "Nemo-sapien" by his teammates really began to make a name with the pro scouts.

Broughton was picked to play in the Senior Bowl and had a solid week of practice, though he did not get a carry in the game. And at the NFL combine, Broughton impressed with 40-yard dash times in the 4.5- to 4.6-second range, impressive for a back his size. He bench-pressed 225 pounds 25 times, ranking second among the 22 backs tested.

Those "measurables" improved his stock, though scouts disagree on whether Broughton will play running back or fullback in the NFL.

"I won't say I was satisfied," Broughton said of his pre-draft performances. "I feel like in some areas I could have done better. I could have done more in the Senior Bowl, that's probably the biggest thing. But that part is over now, and you can't go back and change anything. I think I opened some eyes, though."

Broughton said his friends and family are excited, but he doesn't plan a draft-day party or anything like that.

"I'm just going to treat it like any other day," he said. "I'll feel a lot better when I see it happen. I'm trying not to think about what might happen. Whatever it is, it will be a big surprise."

And even if Broughton doesn't hear his name called this weekend, his dream won't be over. He'll take the free-agent route and keep working hard.

"I've been doing this since I was seven years old," he said. "I'm going to keep pursuing it."

NOTES

Former Citadel defensive end Cliff Washburn is now starting at offensive tackle for Frankfurt in NFL Europe. He's listed at 6-5 and 310 pounds ... Former Bulldog offensive lineman Lew Dawson (6-5, 320) is on injured reserve with the Centurions of NFL Europe.