Edgewater graduate Rucker thriving at D-II Mars Hill

Craig Rucker has always been driven, especially by the naysayers who constantly told him he was too small to be successful at the college level. He expected to have plenty of success in college. He just figured it would be a different college.

The success part hasn’t changed for the former Edgewater High running back, who is now one of the nation’s leading receivers at NCAA Division II Mars Hill.

Another thing that hasn’t changed for Rucker is his size. He’s still 5-foot-7, 165 pounds, but of course he says he has a little more muscle.

“I’m a little more cut,” Rucker said with a laugh during a recent phone interview.

Rucker originally planned to have all of his success at the Football Bowl Subdivision level with the Utah State Aggies, with whom he signed a National Letter of Intent in 2016. He also had several other offers from FIU, Akron, Ball State, Georgia Southern, Georgia State and Toledo.

What eventually happened, however, was that the Utah State admissions office declared late in the process that he did not qualify. They wanted him to grayshirt or go to junior college, but he wanted no part of that.

He was devastated but not deterred. He immediately found refuge at Mars Hill. One of his old Pop Warner coaches,

Jerry Middleton, has a brother who was at Mars Hill and connected Rucker with the program. The rest is history.

“I actually didn’t know anything about Mars Hill,” Rucker said of the North Carolina school. “But coach Middleton’s younger brother Jeremy Middleton came here and I kind of grew up with him and he was already committed here. Coach Middleton put in a good word for me and then when the head coach (Tim

Clifton) found out I was trying to get over there, he just kind of took it from there.”

Rucker has been starting at receiver at Mars Hill since stepping on campus, and his skillset is undeniable. He’s still just as shifty as ever, probably faster, and he was already fast. He has terrific hands, a great center of balance and an unparalleled level of determination.

Last season, he was first-team allSouth Atlantic Conference after catching 53 balls for 915 yards and six touchdowns.

This year he’s been even better and might be a finalist for the Harlon Hill Award, a Heisman Trophy-equivalent honor given to the best player in Division II football.

He ended this season ranked No. 5 in the country in receptions per game at 8.2 (82 catches in 10 games), tied for fifth with 13 receiving touchdowns, No. 6 with 1,234 receiving yards and No. 14 in all-purpose yards, averaging 154.9 per game with 245 yards in kickoff returns. He also posted three rushing touchdowns.

During three seasons, he has scored 33 touchdowns.

“It’s a blessing and showing me that hard work is playing off,” Rucker said “My journey hasn’t ended. There were some bumps in my path, but I just stayed focused and stayed doing what I had to do to get where I am.”

Rucker is not the first local product to have success at Mars Hill. Former Winter Park defensive end the older brother of recent Miami grad

was a finalist for the Award in 2012 after his success with the Lions.

Injuries slowed Harris’ push to reach the NFL.

Rucker is now looking to get attention that might propel him toward an NFL career, although his size may hold him back. He’s out to prove those who judge him based on his height are wrong.

“I’ve come a long way, but I’m still the same Ruck,” Rucker said. “But year, I’ve definitely come a long way. I’m learning a lot more from the great coaches I’m under now and I’m just adding more flavor and experience to my game.

“Coach Clifton and the offensive coordinator, ever since I came in here, those two guys have always been on me and making sure I’m becoming a better person off the field as well as a better player on the field. Do I give kudos to those guys!”

Rucker’s game has always had flavor. At Edgewater, he consistently fired up fans every time he touched the football. I will never forget a performance he had as a senior against South Lake during which he touched the end zone five times — in the first half.

That season, he had 22 catches for 480 yards and five touchdowns, and he ran the ball 66 times for 856 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns.

Rucker doesn’t really concern himself with those who thought he couldn’t make it because of his size.

“It’s not about the size of the player, it’s about the fight,” Rucker said. “It’s how big his heart is and if size mattered, the elephant would have been king of the jungle.”

While he’s working to improve, he’s still tracking the progress of the current Edgewater High team. The Eagles head into the Class 7A third-round state playoff game this week at Jacksonville Lee on Friday night.

“Oh, yeah, shout-out to my Edgewater boys,” he said. “I hope they go all the way.” COMMENTARY