Todd Gurley - from "small town" to big time

The evolution from a very good running back prospect to a Heisman trophy candidate in just a little over a year has been quite entertaining to watch. Emerson finds we're not the only ones pleasantly surprised.

• Rocky Mount NC sports editor Jessie Nunery: “You could see physically looking at him that he filled that uniform a little better than anybody else...I thought I was watching a video game. He made one or two quick cuts, and he was gone.”
• 247 recruiting analyst Rusty Mansell: “Did I think he was the No. 1 running back in the country? No I didn’t. But I knew he was pretty damn good."
• Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo: “We thought he was a good player, a strong running back. But I don’t think you ever know until they get here. There’s a lot of factors that determine when a kid takes off, or how he takes off. ” Bobo paused a moment. “No,” he said. “I could never imagine.”
• Even the man himself may be a little surprised. Maybe...“I was small-town, man,” Gurley said. “I wasn’t in a major city. Small town, 2A football, there wasn’t anybody who had really come out of there. There’s nothing out there, really.”

Now, quite obviously, the sky's the limit. Like I told someone the other day, let's just enjoy this embarrassment of riches while he's 'tween the hedges.