VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. October 26, 2015 – The Virginia Beach Sharks are 5-1 in their inaugural season of the National Football League. Much of the Sharks success has been attributed to quarterback Carson Palmer, the superstar wide receiver Brandon Marshall and their new head coach, Amanda Byrd. But there is another Sharks player who has been powering the team’s success: the second-year running back Devonta Freeman.
In 2013, Freeman was a vital component of The Florida State Seminoles B.C.S. national championship team. Following the incredible national championship game, Freeman announced that he was headed for the N.F.L. draft. This meant that he was forgoing his senior year at Florida State. The Atlanta Falcons selected Freeman early in the fourth round. His rookie year, was not as successful as he hoped because he was a backup to the successful, Steven Jackson. Freeman failed to rush for even 40 yards in a single game. An off-season trade sent Freeman to Virginia Beach searching for a new start. In the first two games of 2015, the rookie Tevin Coleman started at running back for Atlanta and Freeman was limited to 22 carries for 43 yards.
In Week 3, when Freeman received the first start in his professional career, it was not exactly newsworthy. But everything he has done since then has been. In his first three N.F.L. starts, he rushed 71 times for 362 yards (5.1 yards per carry) with seven touchdowns. He also caught 17 passes on 19 targets for 177 yards. Freeman’s 539 yards from scrimmage over the last three weeks is 190 more than any other running back’s.
In his first 18 N.F.L. games, Freeman had never gained more than 84 yards from scrimmage. In his first three starts, he has gained at least 149 yards in each one. He is currently the N.F.L. leader in yards from scrimmage with 645 yards and a total of eight touchdowns.
After Virginia Beach started the season slowly at the running back position with the lack of production from original starter Jeremy Hill, the team seemed unbalanced as they relied solely on their passing game. But the emergence of Devonta Freeman has provided the Sharks with the most explosive offense and the league, as they remain undefeated with Freeman as the starting running back.
About The Virginia Beach Sharks
The first professional football team in Virginia, the Virginia Beach Sharks, founded in 2015 are an elite member of the National Football League that strive to promote excellence on and off the field. For more information please visit: www.VAbeachsharks.com