Football: Lucky hoping to impress

LINCOLN — Marlon Lucky is about to relive what it's like to be taking his talents to a whole new football atmosphere.

In 2005, Lucky was leaving high school for Nebraska. Four years later, he's going from NU to the NFL.

Only the situations couldn't be much different when it comes to fanfare and job security.

Lucky before was a “five-star'' recruit coming out of North Hollywood, Calif., followed by hype and assured a spot with the Huskers. The running back this week reports to Cincinnati facing the task of making the Bengals' 52-player roster as an undrafted and unheralded rookie free agent.

“I just break it down as competing,'' Lucky said. “Everyone's trying to get a spot, whether it's special teams or a third-down back or practice squad. That's all I see it as.

“It makes me better, makes me step up my game to the next level.''

Lucky is among eight players from last year's Husker team preparing for NFL training camps. Five are fighting the odds of making teams as free agents.

All Bengals coach Marvin Lewis told Lucky the last time he saw the 6-foot, 218-pounder was “to work hard, work harder than the next player.''

When the Bengals report Thursday, it will look better for Lucky than it did last spring. After tweaking a hamstring at NU's pro day, Lucky immediately aggravated it at Cincinnati's post-draft mini-camp and mostly watched.

The Bengals brought him back for some individual work in June and Lucky believes he was impressive.

“I was concerned, but I couldn't beat myself up from it,'' he said. “Injuries happen. All I could do was get in the playbook and learn mentally. I wasn't getting any reps so I had to come back and show them that I knew the offense.''

Assuming the Bengals keep four backs, and Cedric Benson and Brian Leonard make the team as expected, Lucky could be in a situation where five backs are vying for two spots. That bunch includes veteran Kenny Watson.

Also:

• Former NU receiver Nate Swift is involved in a similar numbers crunch as Denver opens camp. The Broncos have 11 receivers listed, which includes three other rookies and known veterans Brandon Marshall, Brandon Lloyd, Eddie Royal and Jabar Gaffney.

• In Washington, fifth-round draft pick Cody Glenn already has signed a four-year, $1.925 million contract with a $175,000 bonus. Glenn is looking to put aside post-draft controversy that ballooned over reasons why he was suspended last November as a Husker.

• Offensive lineman and sixth-round draft pick Matt Slauson leads three ex-Huskers going to camp with the New York Jets, where former NU head coach Bill Callahan is assistant head coach and offensive line coach. Defensive linemen Zach Potter and Ty Steinkuhler go in as free agents.

• Lydon Murtha remains unsigned as the Detroit Lions get started. The offensive tackle was a seventh-round draft pick.

• Todd Peterson gets his shot with Jacksonville, where the Jaguars might be paring a list of 12 receivers down to six. Peterson is one of six rookies.

“It's kind of tough because you bond together and you're friends with all these guys, but obviously they're the same guys you're competing against,” Peterson recently told the Grand Island Independent. “They're all good guys, but we all know that the best football players are going to be the ones who stick around.”

Contact the writer:

444-1042, rich.kaipust@owh.com

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