PISCATAWAY, N.J. — After a season where Max Melton’s seemed to improve by the week, Rutgers football head coach Greg Schiano told his star defensive back that it was time to get to the NFL. And given what Melton had to endure in the early weeks of the season, his rise this season is even more noticeable.
Melton, who finished the season with 32 tackles, three interceptions and six passes defended, announced his NFL draft intentions a week ago. And while Schiano wouldn’t commit to Melton playing in a bowl game – “He’ll make that announcement if he’s playing in the bowl game” – he did single out Melton for praise.
Over the past two years, Melton has been among the best defensive backs in the Big Ten. And Schiano, who spent two years in the NFL as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, believes that Melton is going to be able to progress into being an impact player on Sundays.
“Max is going to be a very good football player in the National Football League,” Schiano said on Thursday following practice.
“He’s got all the skills to do it. He’s got the mindset to do it. I mean, I think I think he’s only going to go like this (hand motion upward) with his draft prep, because he’s really, really physically very, very gifted.”
Melton’s season saw him be named All-Big Ten (honorable mention) and receive an invite to the Senior Bowl. Schiano said it was a remarkable season, given what Melton had to play through in the first few weeks of the season.
“And one thing that wasn’t fair – at the beginning of the season – he was getting dinged a little bit by people saying ‘Oh, he’s not playing (well)’,” Schiano said.
“He had a broken hand. He played with a broken hand for the beginning of the season. never said a word about it. Never told you guys (the media) about it – like he knows I would have not been very pleased if he told you – but you try playing corner playing press technique when you can only use one hand. So…
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