NFL.com analysis of James Proché, Rodney Clemons

[PonyPride]

Analysis by NFL.com's Lance Zeirlien:

Rodney Clemons
Clemons was a basketball player in high school until his football coach talked him into going out for the gridiron squad. He wound up a second-team all-state pick (111 tackles, five INTs) at Taylor High School in Katy, Texas, before signing with the Mustangs. Clemons redshirted due to injury after four games (one tackle) in 2015, and then started the next 50 games. He posted 56 stops in 2016 (one interception, four pass breakups), 68 tackles in 2017 (four for loss, one interception, 10 pass breakups) and 72 in 2018 (72 tackles, 2.5 for loss, one interception, four pass breakups). Clemons was a team captain as a senior and wore jersey No. 23 to honor former SMU player Jerry LeVias, the first African-American scholarship athlete in the Southwest Conference. He earned second-team All-American Athletic Conference honors for his play (78 tackles, three for loss, team-high four interceptions, nine pass breakups).

James Proché
Proche (pronounced pro-SHAY) decided to keep his game in the Dallas area after being considered a four-star recruit out of nearby DeSoto High. After a redshirt season, he started eight of 12 games for the Mustangs (57 catches for 709 yards, 12.4 yards per catch and six TDs) and returned kicks (15 returns for 273 yards and an 18.2-yard average on kickoffs; 12 returns for 47 yards and a 3.9-yard average on punts). In 2017, Proche displayed nice playmaking skills while starting nine of 13 games played (40 catches for 816 yards, 20.4 yards per catch and six TDs). He pushed his game to another level as a junior, being named first-team All-American Athletic Conference as SMU's leading receiver, grabbing 93 passes for 1,199 yards (12.9 yards per catch) and 12 scores. He again was the team's primary returner in 2018 (12 returns for 276 yards and a 23.0-yard average on kickoffs; 20 returns for 165 yards and an 8.3-yard average on punts). Proche helped the Mustangs achieve a 10-win season in 2019, again earning first-team all-conference accolades after starting all 13 games, tying for the national lead with 111 receptions (1,225 yards, 11.0 yards per catch), ranking in the top five with 15 scores and returning punts (17 returns for 164 yards and an average of 9.6 yards).

[DallasDiehard]

Nice of them to notice Clemons wearing LeVias's No. 23. Hopefully the scouts realize what an honor that is. It won't make or break whether he gets drafted or signed as a UFA, but it does speak to what the players and coaches think of his character.