South Florida running backs hope combine is game-changer

DAVIE — Devin ‘Motor’ Singletary spent his last two seasons as Florida Atlantic’s standout running back, tearing up the NCAA record books by scoring 55 touchdowns in Lane Kiffin’s highpowered offense.

Despite his on-field performance, Singletary’s diminutive size will be a factor as NFL teams consider his athletic prowess before the 2019 NFL draft.

Singletary — a 5-foot-7, 203-pound prospect from Deerfield Beach — has never let his stature get in the way of proving others wrong. He hopes to solidify his standing as one of the top running backs during the NFL combine this week.

“If Barry Sanders can do it, I feel I can do it,” Singletary said Thursday. “We’re the same size.”

Singletary, Florida’s Jordan Scarlett and Miami’s Travis Homer are the group of running backs from South Florida looking to improve their draft stock.

Singletary is projected as a second-round pick, while Scarlett and Homer are considered potential thirdday selections during the draft, which will be held April 25-27 in Nashville, Tenn.

“I feel I’m one of the best, if not the best,” Singletary said regarding his status among the entire running backs group. “That’s just how I feel about it.”

Singletary rushed for 4,287 yards in three seasons at FAU, finishing with 66 career touchdowns, which ranks sixth on the all-time FBS list. He led the nation with 33 and 22 touchdowns the last two seasons, respectively.

Singletary plans to use the combine to showcase his skills in front of NFL scouts and executives with hopes to move up the draft board.

“I’m a game-changer and I’m versatile,” he said.

Scarlett, who played at Davie’s University School and then Fort Lauderdale’s St. Thomas Aquinas before UF, enters the combine and interview process hoping to show growth from a suspension during his junior year.

Scarlett was one of nine Gators players accused in a credit-card fraud incident. He saw third-degree felony charges ultimately dropped after a pre-trial intervention.

“They want to hear my side of it, and see how I changed and why I changed, and definitely it’s because I love football,” Scarlett said of answering questions about the incident during interviews with NFL teams.

“Once it was taken away from me, I realized that this is what I love, I’m not trying to put that in jeopardy again.”

Scarlett finished his Gators career rushing for 1,846 yards with 12 touchdowns in 34 games over three seasons. He believes his participation in the combine football drills will give him an opportunity to separate himself.

“I’m definitely a downhill, aggressive player. I run hard,” Scarlett said. “And I’m somebody that’s going to do the right thing.”

Homer, who nearly rushed for 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons, declared for the draft on the same day former coach Mark Richt resigned from his post on Dec. 30, 2018.

While Homer is excited Manny Diaz became Miami’s new coach, and he will miss the camaraderie of being a Hurricanes player, he believes becoming a professional is a better life decision than if he were to return for his senior season at UM.

“I just felt like it was time for me,” said Homer, who finished with 1,995 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns in three seasons. “I feel like I can handle what comes with the next level.”

Singletary