Patriots running backs coach Ivan Fears is arguably the most honest coach on Bill Belichick’s staff.
It showed when speaking to reporters via video conference Sunday, Fears revealed rookie running back Rhamondre Stevenson couldn’t even make it through his initial conditioning test with the team.
“If you remember, he couldn’t even get started on the right day,” he said. “He couldn’t quite finish the conditioning test. So he started out definitely in the tank, and he has made great improvement, and has climbed out of there. So he’s definitely listened, and tried to do the right thing.”
The fourth-round pick has come a long way, as he has been one of the stars of the preseason for the team. In the two games, he’s rushed for 193 yards and four touchdowns, including a 91-yarder against Washington that showed off his speed for a player who weighs close to 230 pounds.
“Hard to say what they did at his school, but it sure seemed like he wasn’t ready for the NFL at that time when he got in here,” Fears said of the Oklahoma product. “So, I don’t know what they did there, but he needed to do a lot more work when we got him here. That’s what we’ve done with him, tried to get him right. The good news is the kid has taken it to heart, and worked his butt off.”
Despite Stevenson’s success, many believe he is in line for a red-shirt season, which a few Patriots running backs have had in recent years, including Shane Vereen, James White and Damien Harris.
But, does Fears think he can contribute in Year 1?
“One thing about our guys, one thing about all these rookies that have come in, their strong suit has always been their ability to carry the ball,” he said. “They’re all great athletes, they all know how to run the football. That’s not the issue. It’s the other part of the game that trips these guys up, and Rhamondre’s got the same thing. He’s gotta learn to play the entire game. We just can’t send him in there to run the ball. He’s got to do the other aspects of the game including the passing game, everything, to be a total player for us. So, is he there? Not yet. He’s not there yet.
“But I’ll tell you what, you like what you see from the kid, and I like the way the kid’s working, and I expect he’s going to continue to make progress in that area. So, we’ll see.”
Stevenson is part of a crowded running backs room, which may be the deepest position on the entire roster.
But, now getting some consideration for a role in the offense is a long ways ahead of just a few weeks ago when Fears said he needed to work on “everything.”
