Video: Deerfield Beach's Jason Pierre-Paul Doing Backflips Over Draft Status

In this video, University of South Florida defensive end (and Deerfield Beach product) Jason Pierre-Paul is challenged by another USF player in -- of all things -- a back-handspring competition. Pierre-Paul does 16. Then he (understandably) stumbles around for a bit.It's a feat of pure athleticism. And apparently that's actually...

By Michael J. Mooney

March 17, 2010

Audio By Carbonatix

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top 20. ESPN's draft wizards place him at seventh and 17th in their most recent mock draft. You can see more about Pierre-Paul, who didn't even play football until late in high school, here.

Of course, Pierre-Paul is only the latest in a string of draft prospects who've attempted (successfully) to boost their draft status with videos displaying unbelievable athletic ability -- or at least the ability to jump very well.

There was Jarron Gilbert, who jumped completely out of a pool. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears. He didn't play much in his first year. This week, Gilbert was forced to give up his jersey number to Julius Peppers.

Shortly after Gilbert came Coral Springs product Darius Butler, now a cornerback with the New England Patriots, who proved he could leap four feet in the air before last year's draft. He went in the first round.

Not long after Butler came Miami's Keith Eloi (he played high school football in Naples), who jumped into the bed of a jacked-up F150... with the tailgate up. While he was wearing sandals.

We're hoping to get ahold of Pierre-Paul sometime soon to ask what's like to be so close to his dreams.

Michael J. Mooney

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