Albany's Dan Di Lella turns heads at Fordham Pro Day

[ramMan]

Word out of Fordham is that 6'5" Albany quarterback, Dan Di Lella, turned a lot of heads at Fordham Pro Day. I heard he left with "serious interest" from at least eight (!) NFL teams.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Danefan or Dane 96, maybe both have mentioned this fella a few times and he really looks to have some good tools. I was real impressed watching the playoff game against SBU and the way he moved them down the field.

[Dane96]

He is all over the place now.

Apparently, he was the best player at the Fordham and Rutgers Pro Days, and the Regional NFL Combine. He is off to Michigan for the Super Regional...you have to be asked to that. He apparently is being rated higher than Bo Levi Mitchell and Aaron Corp.

Giants, Jets, Arizona, and Dolphins all with big time interest. My guess is he is an FA Signing with Practice Squad in his future for either the Dolphins or Giants.

It's a deep draft at QB, at least 8-10 guys rated ahead of him...otherwise he probably would have gotten drafted in the 7th...that's how high his stock has risen.

[danefan]

He really turned around his game this year and from what I've heard, he's jumped leaps and bounds since the season even ended. Added 35 pounds to his frame and changed his throwing mechanics.

[smallcollegefbfan]

He is all over the place now.

Apparently, he was the best player at the Fordham and Rutgers Pro Days, and the Regional NFL Combine. He is off to Michigan for the Super Regional...you have to be asked to that. He apparently is being rated higher than Bo Levi Mitchell and Aaron Corp.

Giants, Jets, Arizona, and Dolphins all with big time interest. My guess is he is an FA Signing with Practice Squad in his future for either the Dolphins or Giants.

It's a deep draft at QB, at least 8-10 guys rated ahead of him...otherwise he probably would have gotten drafted in the 7th...that's how high his stock has risen.

No NFL team has him rated higher than Corp but maybe Bo Levi because of his size.

Of course the teams showed interest. He has been on my list I have sent to teams but many didn't know about him. I have him rated as a camp body but most didn't know who he was.

And don't get too high on a team talking to a player on draft day. That means nothing. I remember one time a former FCS player told me the team who drafted him never came to his school during the fall, never called him or agent, never came to workouts, and did not interview him at the combine. Those two teams who talked to him did not have him on their list so they were just trying to get information. That is a good sign but still don't get too far ahead of yourself.

And I'm not trying to be mean. I just don't want you or anyone else on here putting more into that than what it was. A player had a solid workout and the teams who had nothing on him wanted to get information. That happens all the time.

On a good note I do think he has a shot to make a practice squad but it will depend on how good the QBs are for that team. He needs an ideal situation to make it for sure. Doesn't have a big arm but solid enough to be a good camp body in my mind.

[Dane96]

Yes, they do...but thanks for playing. Let's just say, I am close with people on the Dolphins staff and our friends at the Giants may have this little connection to the Albany staff...not sure how.

You act like we don't know what we are talking about. Newsflash: we do. We know the difference in talking to a player on draft day.

Jesus...go pee in someone else's cheerios.

[smallcollegefbfan]

Yes, they do...but thanks for playing. Let's just say, I am close with people on the Dolphins staff and our friends at the Giants may have this little connection to the Albany staff...not sure how.

You act like we don't know what we are talking about. Newsflash: we do. We know the difference in talking to a player on draft day.

Jesus...go pee in someone else's cheerios.

I'm not. I'm just telling you that these guys tell everyone they like them. You don't know how many times I heard a scout tell a player they like them or like their speed and they gave them a camp body grade. Meaning a free agent they would sign but not a guy they think has a shot to make their team. And you may know someone there but I highly doubt this kid has a shot to get drafted. And I don't think he makes a NFL team. He has CFL written all over him. He's a decent player and yes I would bring him in camp. He was a great player for you guys but he isn't a NFL QB. I just don't see him latching on. And I know some people with both of those teams. I can tell you one of those two teams doesn't have him on their board. He is a camp body grade for them.

[Mr. C]

Having seen both DiLella and Corp in person this season and also having seen them in the past and on film, I would rank Corp higher. I would also rank Corp ahead of B.J. Coleman of UTC. The main reason for the interest in DiLella is his size and arm strength. People fall in love with the Joe Flaco and John Skelton types because of those tools. But there is more to playing quarterback than tools. They also like to think that DiLella has a large upside. In pure terms of ability, Corp was the most capable FCS NFL talent I saw at QB this year in the senior class.

[Mr. C]

I'm not. I'm just telling you that these guys tell everyone they like them. You don't know how many times I heard a scout tell a player they like them or like their speed and they gave them a camp body grade. Meaning a free agent they would sign but not a guy they think has a shot to make their team. And you may know someone there but I highly doubt this kid has a shot to get drafted. And I don't think he makes a NFL team. He has CFL written all over him. He's a decent player and yes I would bring him in camp. He was a great player for you guys but he isn't a NFL QB. I just don't see him latching on. And I know some people with both of those teams. I can tell you one of those two teams doesn't have him on their board. He is a camp body grade for them.

DiLella really isn't the prototype CFL QB. You usually see the more athletic guys who can run and pass have success at the CFL level.

[Dane96]

No NFL team has him rated higher than Corp but maybe Bo Levi because of his size.

Of course the teams showed interest. He has been on my list I have sent to teams but many didn't know about him. I have him rated as a camp body but most didn't know who he was.

And don't get too high on a team talking to a player on draft day. That means nothing. I remember one time a former FCS player told me the team who drafted him never came to his school during the fall, never called him or agent, never came to workouts, and did not interview him at the combine. Those two teams who talked to him did not have him on their list so they were just trying to get information. That is a good sign but still don't get too far ahead of yourself.

And I'm not trying to be mean. I just don't want you or anyone else on here putting more into that than what it was. A player had a solid workout and the teams who had nothing on him wanted to get information. That happens all the time.

On a good note I do think he has a shot to make a practice squad but it will depend on how good the QBs are for that team. He needs an ideal situation to make it for sure. Doesn't have a big arm but solid enough to be a good camp body in my mind.

So...buck up. What team doesn't have him as very high interest / FA. Who said Draft Board.

Honestly...buck up. If it's the Giants, well...they are lying to Bob Ford, which would be a major shock to all.

If it's the Dolphins...I am calling you out...big time. And we can go off-line with this. It's a FACT that I can PERSONALLY CONFIRM. I don't normally come on this board and go all hog-wild on something unless I am 100% certain. You've been on the board long-enough to know that I don't go blow-harding something unless I am pretty sure of it. And I am 100% certain on the Dolphins.

Mr. C.- Agree with most of what you said, and frankly...many of us (including Dan from his interviews) are like, whoa...WTF...what happened. But as Danefan alluded to, this kid has blown through the post-fooball season to now, getting much bigger, faster, and stronger while adding a new mechanical throwing motion to his game....apparently re-inventing his game to potential NFL camp level. You are correct, any interest was due to his size. Now, appparently, it is a skill-set...whether that translates to a camp, I don't know.

[smallcollegefbfan]

DiLella really isn't the prototype CFL QB. You usually see the more athletic guys who can run and pass have success at the CFL level.

I'm just saying that because it's the 2nd best league and I could see him in that league.

He is really more suited for the AFL but he will get a tryout and should get in the CFL because he can throw it and was in a NFL camp. Although, Richie Williams got cut from the CFL and he is the athletic guy they love in the CFL so you never know.

[smallcollegefbfan]

So...buck up. What team doesn't have him as very high interest / FA. Who said Draft Board.

Honestly...buck up. If it's the Giants, well...they are lying to Bob Ford, which would be a major shock to all.

If it's the Dolphins...I am calling you out...big time. And we can go off-line with this. It's a FACT that I can PERSONALLY CONFIRM. I don't normally come on this board and go all hog-wild on something unless I am 100% certain. You've been on the board long-enough to know that I don't go blow-harding something unless I am pretty sure of it. And I am 100% certain on the Dolphins.

Mr. C.- Agree with most of what you said, and frankly...many of us (including Dan from his interviews) are like, whoa...WTF...what happened. But as Danefan alluded to, this kid has blown through the post-fooball season to now, getting much bigger, faster, and stronger while adding a new mechanical throwing motion to his game....apparently re-inventing his game to potential NFL camp level. You are correct, any interest was due to his size. Now, appparently, it is a skill-set...whether that translates to a camp, I don't know.

Well you do know that teams tell coaches and players what they want to hear all the time, right? I'm just saying that he is on this team's board as a free agent they will bring in for a tryout or maybe sign to a contract, depending on what they do in the draft.

I know I just don't want people thinking this kid gets drafted because I just don't see it. I mean he is a solid free agent who I put on my list when I saw him play but he didn't wow me enough to say he has a shot at the draft. I would definitely bring him in a camp and I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade but simply stating that he has not passed Corp in any way. Corp could be a good NFL QB if he is healthy. He should be a solid #2 and Di Lella is likely a 3rd string or practice squad type, if he makes it.

[Dane96]

No one said drafted...not even Dan.

Like everyone, and his family, Dan will find out on or after Draft Day what his next steps might be.

And like I said, I trust my connection to the Dolphins (direct) and he is rated ahead of Corp on their list. We can choose to differ on what we have seen or been told.

Again, this is all new to Dan and his group; he wasnt looking at the NFL at one point...and now he is one of a few hot names climbing the board.