CAMP TONTOZONA - When choosing what school to go to, redshirt freshman wide receiver Derek Eusebio took a leap of faith by traveling from Texas to Tempe as a walk-on. The coach that he connected with at ASU, Ra’Shaad Samples, left after his freshman year, but Eusebio stayed back and trusted the process with head coach Kenny Dillingham. These days, he’s rightfully earning second-team reps and becoming a formidable contributor in preseason practices, earning the quarterback’s trust.
“There’s always those doubts,” Eusebio said. “I really just had to believe in myself, and my parents always believed in me and they saw what I wanted to do and fully supported me. I thought that if I worked hard, I’d get a chance eventually, and trusting God’s plan for me allowed me to stay calm … I’ve been playing this game since I was little, and I wasn’t ready to give it up. I wanted to do everything in my power to continue playing for as long as I can.”
Eusebio wasn’t recruited heavily in high school after posting 60 receptions for 762 yards and 13 touchdowns in his senior year at Parish Episcopal High School in Plano, Texas. At 5 ’10 and 180 pounds, Eusebio doesn’t possess the football builds many coaches were looking for. Nonetheless, what he lacked in size, he made up for on the field. Playing the same slot wide receiver role as starter Melquan Stovall has him seeking the guidance of the ASU senior.
“I looked at the FCS level,” Eusebio recalled. “I thought I could play at a smaller level, but they didn’t offer me any scholarships. After that, Coach Samples reached out to me and said he’d love me over here as a walk-on, and that chance was all I needed. Me and Melquan) are the same size so that was nice to see that I could get it done, and I like to think I have good hands.”
Eusebio has taken full advantage of his limited reps in the first week of practice, catching multiple long balls and limiting his drops. While seven sessions is a small sample size compared to a larger body of work of playing consistently during the season, creating a good impression is always a necessary start to advance up the depth chart. Throughout our interview, his teammates came up to Eusebio and constantly lifted him. “This guy needs to be on scholarship,” one of the Arizona State players said.
“I haven’t done anything yet,” Eusebio admitted. “Practice is practice; everyone is doing this around the country. Hopefully, I can get into a game and do the same thing, but right now, it’s nice to earn respect from the guys. That can be hard to do as a walk-on, and I’m glad to be making a name for myself right now.”
"He's shown up," Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham said. "And I'll say this: he consistently makes plays when he is with the wo (second team) group. That dude is actually fighting to be part of the travel squad, to actually play in games. He's putting himself in a position to actually be seen on Saturday nights."
Throughout the history of the NFL and college football, there have been receivers with the same measurables as Eusebio, who didn’t let their size outdo their confidence level. For Eusebio, that aspect has always impacted him and allowed him to stay confident and keep playing.
“I always looked up to Julian Edelman,” Eusebio acknowledged. “The Patriots always had a little slot guy there like Wes Welker and Edelman among other players that were always players that I looked up to. Melquan has been a big help, too, with his wisdom, and we all call him ‘unc.’ We watch each other’s reps and try to learn from each other the best we can since we’re all doing the same thing.”
Wide receiver coach Hines Ward was a notable addition to the Sun Devil coaching staff, relacing Samples late in spring practice. The Pittsburgh Steelers’ great playing style has transitioned to his specialties as a coach. Regarded as one of the best blocking wide receivers of all time, the Ward has implemented that aspect into fall practice early and often. Eusebio embraces the opportunity to be coached by a former NFL player who has a lot of wisdom to offer.
“Everyone looks up to him,” Eusebio remarked. “Everyone knows he was a blocking machine. For us, blocking isn’t our favorite thing, but he’s trying to get us into it. He’s probably one of the best-conditioned receivers ever, and the stuff he’s put us through is his way of trying to get us up to that level. Although we’re not there yet, it’s a blessing to have one of the greats at your position as your coach.”
The Devils currently have 22 players on the roster from Texas. Although they are not all from the same area of that state, this creates an instant bond among the various ASU players hailing from that area. This element has only helped Eusebio’s overall acclimation to the team.
“I knew of some players before I came here,” Eusebio noted. “I knew (ASU cornerback) Keith Abney II and (ASU running back) Kyson Brown before I came here, and I played Little League baseball with (ASU wide receiver) Kaleb Black. This camp allows us to get closer, and also with guys that we weren’t as close with before we came up. Coach Ward told us it’s easier to fight for one another if you know what they’ve been through.”
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