Lesson learned for Florida OL
Some times the harshest lessons are the best ones. That’s exactly the case for Miami Krop offensive lineman Chris Rutledge. An academic situation kept him off the field as a sophomore and he’s used that ever since as motivation to keep him focused on his future and his dream of playing college football.
“I learned a big lesson,” Rutledge, who is 6-foot-6 and 270 pounds, said. “I regret that I wasn’t keeping focused in the classroom. I had to sit out the entire season because I wasn’t taking care of things.
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“It was really. But I think in the end it was a good thing. It made me a better person because of it.”
And now Rutledge, who has a 5.38-second time in the 40-yard dash and a 4.86 shuttle time, has worked hard in the classroom and carries a 2.3 grade-point average and a 750 score on the SAT.
He’s also worked hard on the field.
The standout offensive tackle got calls in May from Maryland, Ole Miss, Florida, Rutgers, UCF, Clemson, Toledo and Florida State. He’s also picked up his first scholarship offer, landing one from Rutgers.
“I have good lateral movement from side to side,” he said. “And I get off the ball quickly. I want to play tackle in college and I’m really looking forward to getting more attention from the coaches. It’s good to see that the hard work is paying off.”
Rutledge said he’s not in a rush to make a decision and is going to camp for sure at the Florida Down and Dirty Linemen Camp.
“As far as school goes, the major will make a big difference,” he said. “I want to major in business and computer technology. I’m also going to look at how far away it’s from home and what the people are like.”