Next for Hubbard’s Drummond: NFL

January 18, 2015 at 12:09a.m.

Michigan State safety will play in Senior Bowl

When Hubbard’s Kurtis Drummond arrived at Michigan State in the fall of 2010, he was joining a program that hadn’t finished higher than third in the Big Ten in 20 years.

The Spartans were coming off a 6-7 season and still had a reputation as a team that would fade in the biggest moments, having lost four straight bowl games.

That changed in 2010, as Mark Dantonio led MSU to an 11-2 record and a share of its first Big Ten title since 1990. By the time Drummond graduated, the Spartans had gone 53-14, won three league titles and four straight bowl games.

“I think from the time I got there to the time I left, we had a chance to take Michigan State to the next level,” said Drummond, a Hubbard High graduate. “We won big games, we played on big stages and definitely got Michigan State back to elite status.”

Drummond was a big part of that. The four-year letterwinner finished his career by starting 34 straight games at free safety and earned first team All-America honors this season from the Football Writers Association of America and Phil Steele. He was also named the Big Ten defensive back of the year after leading the team in tackles (72), interceptions (four), pass break-ups (11) and passes defended (15).

“I really just took it one day at a time,” he said of his growth. “People always say they’re going to do that, but I really did.

“When I came to the end of my college career, I had a chance to look back at all the things that happened and all the people I came into contact with and understood how blessed I am. This past senior year was a great experience. It was a privilege and an honor to be a captain on the team and I learned so much.”

Since MSU’s comeback win over Baylor in the Cotton Bowl, Drummond has been in Boca Raton, Fla., preparing for the NFL draft. He leaves for Mobile, Ala., on Monday to start practices for Saturday’s Senior Bowl.

“I’m just looking forward to going down there and showcasing my talent to all the scouts and GMs and different personnel from NFL teams,” said Drummond, who graduated in December with his psychology degree. “I’m just enjoying the blessing that comes with that opportunity

“Really, you’ve just got to go down there and be yourself and not try to press anything or do too much. I just want to play my game and the plays will come to me.”

CBS Sports’ Dane Brugler called Drummond “the most consistent Big Ten defensive back I’ve seen on tape so far and is very much in the conversation to be the first senior safety drafted.”

The site ranks him 105th overall in the draft class and third at his position, projecting him as a third-round draft pick. He would be the first Hubbard player drafted since 2006, when the Steelers chose Anthony Smith in the third round.

Overall, there have been three former Eagles to make it to the pros. Al Campana (Youngstown State) was a RB/DB with the Chicago Bears from 1950-53. Dan Benish (Clemson) won a national title with the Tigers in 1981 and played with the Atlanta Falcons from 1983-86. He also was a replacement player with the Redskins in 1987. Al Pitts (Michigan State) was drafted by the Browns in 1978 but did not play.

Smith played six seasons in the NFL and won Super Bowls with the Steelers in 2009 and the Green Bay Packers in 2011.

“Growing up, I was actually in love with basketball,” said Drummond (6-foot-1, 200 pounds). “But when I realized [a scholarship] wasn’t an option, I really started to focus on football and the [college] offers started coming in.

“Coming from that [Youngstown] area, there was no other option but to be tough and to work hard and those are the qualities you need in this game. This isn’t a sport for everyone. You have to earn everything.”

Dantonio (a former assistant under Jim Tressel at YSU) and defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi (an Ursuline High graduate who just got hired as Pitt’s head coach) have molded the Spartans’ defense into one of the nation’s best over the past few years, producing NFL defensive backs such as Darqueze Dennard, Trenton Robinson and Chris Rucker (a Warren Harding High graduate).

“I was definitely blessed to have great competitors and great athletes around me,” Drummond said. “We had a great coaching staff and I only needed to look to my right and to my left to see what I needed to do. Seeing all the time they were putting into football, it brought me to love the game.

“Really, my goal is just to continue to play.”

Drummond said he followed Hubbard closely last fall as the Eagles advanced to the Division III regional final. He said he’s close with Hubbard running back Larry Scott, a Michigan State recruit.

“He’s like a little brother,” Drummond said. “We talk often.”

Hubbard’s other standout running back, junior George Hill, has already committed to Ohio State. MSU defeated the Buckeyes in last year’s Big Ten championship game, then lost to them in this year’s regular season.

Drummond said he was rooting for OSU in the playoffs.

“There wasn’t any jealousy,” he said. “They’re a good football team and they played a great game against us. I’m just happy they were able to showcase to the rest of the country the type of teams we have in the Big Ten.

“With all the bad talk we were getting at the end of the year and with the way the media portrayed us, it’s funny how things worked out.”