When Amara Darboh arrived in America, he was an orphan, the result of the Sierra Leone Civil War that killed more than 50,000 people in his homeland. Sixteen years later, he rose from those roots to become one of college football’s top wide receivers.
Amara Darboh finishes journey from Sierra Leone to the NFL as Seahawks draft pick
The Michigan wideout overcame long odds to make his NFL dream come true.
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
This weekend, he took the latest step in his long and winding journey after being selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft.
Darboh spent his formative years in Iowa and made his way to Michigan, where he developed into one of the Big Ten’s most consistent receiving threats. The 6’2 wideout caught 115 passes for nearly 1,600 yards his final two seasons in maize and blue, earning all-conference honors last fall. With his help, the Wolverines climbed from the Brady Hoke era and posted a pair of top-12 seasons in 2015 and 2016.
Amara Darboh’s limited usage kept him from making a bigger mark in college.
Darboh’s 2016 numbers — 57 catches, 862 yards, and seven touchdowns — don’t look all that impressive until you frame them in the context of Jim Harbaugh’s run-heavy offense. The Wolverines only threw for 212 yards per game, which ranked just 85th nationally. Darboh accounted for 31.3 percent of his team’s passing yards.
Translate that to a more prolific aerial attack — let’s say, Oklahoma — and you might get much more impressive numbers like 85 receptions and 1,294 yards.
That’s not a perfect translation, but it helps underscore how important Darboh was to Michigan’s offense.
Darboh’s a complete receiver who runs his routes well.
He snaps off his cuts to create separation from defensive backs and get the most from a subpar crop of passers. He’s also a staid blocker who locks on to cornerbacks and keeps them from cutting off big runs.
At 6’2 and 214 pounds, he’s a viable red zone threat with solid athleticism for an NFL WR. He’s not afraid to make tough catches over the middle, and is at his best on quick slants, where his power allows him to catch the ball near the line of scrimmage, then drag defenders forward to create first down yardage.
He’s also a solid runner who is able to turn simple receiver screens into big gains downfield — though he struggles to break free from more accomplished tacklers.
Will his jack-of-all-trades, master of none, skill set keep him from making an impact in the NFL?
Darboh does many things well, but doesn’t excel in any one area. He’s got good size, but he’s not big enough to be a true post-up threat in the end zone. He’s fast, but his 4.45 40 time isn’t elite. He was an above-average Big Ten athlete, but will that hold up against the NFL’s best defensive backs?
While his routes are consistent, he doesn’t erupt out of them, and that missing explosiveness could be the key to shutting him down in man coverage. His hands aren’t great either; he drops too many catchable passes, effectively squandering the goodwill that comes from his strong play over the middle.
See More:
