Try, try again

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/08/2017 (2953 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The thing about Ryan Lankford is this: he doesn’t take rejection easily.

As an undrafted receiver after finishing his college career at the University of Illinois in 2013, the Jacksonville, Fla., native joined the Miami Dolphins briefly on a tryout in 2014 before being released. A year later, he had a longer stay with the Indianapolis Colts before being added to the practice roster and signing a reserve/future contract in 2015. By the summer, he had been released again.

Looking north, Lankford earned a part-time role in Saskatchewan with the CFL’s Roughriders, playing one game in 2015 and nine games in 2016, with some practice-roster duty included. Last October, he was cut loose again after catching 19 passes for 165 yards.

Lankford went home discouraged but not ready to give up on his dream.

“Well, I got released from Saskatchewan and the season was over and it was always in the back of my mind, worst-case scenario, there’s always these free-agent camps,” Lankford said earlier this week, following practice with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. “I’m not afraid to work, ever, so I was always checking for the ones close to us. I’m in Jacksonville so anything in Florida, anything in Tampa, Miami, anything in that area. My agent sent me one from Winnipeg and I always thought Winnipeg was a pretty good organization, so I had maybe three weeks or a month to prepare for it, (and thought) I’m just going to go down there.

“Me and my dad got in the car and drove down south, it was like only six hours, easy drive (to Miami). I was born down there. My dad, he used to play for the Dolphins, so we’ve got a bunch of family… Went down there, paid $100 and realized it could be the last shot. And so you’ve just got to go there and show what you can do, that I had some experience that would help, played in a couple of (CFL) games — that would help — and that’s what happened.”

It was a prime example of being in the right place at the right time. Lankford, attempting to make an impression on Blue Bombers assistant general manager Danny McManus and other members of the Winnipeg brain trust, showed well in the receiving and kick-return drills before blowing the doors off when his 40-yard dash times were recorded.

“It was one day, either you have it or you don’t type thing,” said Lankford, who posted times of 4.31 and 4.29 seconds that January day in Miami. “I just went out knowing this could be my last opportunity in the business and now we’re here. I knew anyone who had on a blue shirt or a W shirt, I needed to make sure they knew who I was.

“That was the fastest 40 I’ve ever ran. I was pretty excited about that.”

Lankford’s father Paul, who played in two Super Bowls as a cornerback with the Dolphins during a 10-year NFL career, is justifiably proud of his son’s dedication to his craft.

“His passion for the game has made my job, and my wife’s job, easy because he’s very driven to have success,” Paul Lankford said via telephone from Jacksonville. “It’s almost just turning him loose and just trying to keep everything in perspective, I guess. And that’s been my message to him. Health is a key but continuing to try to improve yourself is something you’ve gotta strive every day to accomplish.”

Paul Lankford, who has attended Winnipeg’s last two road games, never advised his 25-year-old son to take a more realistic approach and consider moving on without football.

“That never came up because he knew and I knew he had the talent and the ability and somebody was going to see that and say, ‘Hey, we need this guy on our team to help us win,’” Paul Lankford said. “It was just where was he gonna land.”

In Winnipeg, Ryan earned a job as a kick returner out of training camp and was soon adding receiving duties after an injury to veteran-slotback Weston Dressler. Heading into Thursday’s game against the Edmonton Eskimos, he led the CFL with 821 yards on 31 kickoff returns, including a 105-yard touchdown romp in a July 13 game against the Toronto Argonauts.

“I was watching that on TV live and we were going crazy here,” said Paul Lankford, who shared the experience with his wife Wanda.

In two games as a regular in the receiving corps, Ryan Lankford has 13 catches for 191 yards, including a play that went for a 71-yard gain.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Thursdays

Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter.

Sign up for Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

While Lankford has shown speed and big-play ability (he ran a 10.51 to win the 100 metres at the Florida Relays as a high school senior), he has another less-obvious talent. He was a semi-regular punter and backup kicker in college (owing to his soccer background) and would be Winnipeg’s backup kicker if needed.

Lankford, who believes his field-goal range would be 40 to 45 yards, ran an intriguing fake-punt formation in college.

“We had a little rocket punt thing where I could kinda take the ball, roll out, read the end. If the end came, punt it,” he said. “If he didn’t, I’d try to run for the first down.”

“Hey, there’s a bunch of things that people don’t know that kid can do,” Paul Lankford said. “I’ve seen him score the touchdown, kick the extra point and then kick off. He got a 44-yard field goal in the rain in high school. So, it doesn’t surprise.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @sawa14