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According to his coach, he isn’t even playing his best position.
The former twiggy looking recruit South Florida coach Jim Levitt offered a scholarship to was brought on to play center.
Now he’s a potential NFL 1st round pick and one of the most productive defensive ends in college football history.
All because of his discipline, great motor, and humble nature.
Getting “Trained Up”
George Selvie came from a very modest family life. His father was a Navy man for 20 years, constantly moving the family around.
His mother was a very spiritual woman. Selvie grew up around Church and was raised on the structure and principles you’d expect from a religious family.
His parents took pride in “training him up”, and although he didn’t get a chance all the time to make childhood mistakes and suffer the consequences, his parents assured him it was for the best.
When Selvie first went to his high school coach Jerry Pollard, his instant reaction about the 6-2, 180 athlete in front of him was quarterback or receiver.
When asked what position he wanted to play, Selvie chose center.
Center’s are in charge of the front that makes the offense go, has to deal with struggles of playing on the interior in the trenches, and rarely gets credit for team success outside of the locker room.
But that just displays Selvie’s character. He didn’t need the headlines. He understood the importance of team unity, and felt he could best use his abilities as a center.
So, Coach Pollard put Selvie at center and at end on defense. It ended up that Selvie wasn’t a bad choice at center.
By his senior season, he was being recruited by many FCS and Division II schools to play center first, and maybe a little bit on the defensive line. The 2nd team All-State prospect at center fought to keep his weight about 200 pounds in his high school career, so many of the big time programs stayed away from the scrawny lineman.
Even when Mike Johnson, Selvie’s teammate in high school and one of the top guards in this 2010 draft class pleaded Selvie’s case to Johnson’s school of choice, Alabama, they still wouldn’t listen.
But, as luck would have it, Selvie did get that one offer for a chance to play Division I football: At the university of South Florida.
Making a Name
The 217 pound center/defensive lineman redshirted his first year at South Florida. As expected for his strong work ethic, he won the USF Overachiever Award, given to the athlete who best displays hard work in the strength and conditioning program.
After injuries to the defensive line and a long-jam atop the center depth chart, Selvie was asked to fill his role on the defensive line. He wasn’t overjoyed about the switch, but still fought to be the best he could be, no matter what position he lined up at.
As a redshirt freshman, Selvie’s hard work, now at defensive end, had paid off. He started all 13 games for the Bulls and led all linemen with 84 tackles and 5.5 sacks. He was named USF Defensive Rookie of the Year and to the Freshman All-American team by Sporting News.
But the dominating force that would become George Selvie was only beginning his journey to legendary status.
National Headlines
After emerging on the scene as a freshman and already being anticipated to have a breakout season, no one expected the stats Selvie would go on to put up in his sophomore campaign.
Selvie’s coaches attribute his breakout production to his quick learning, hard work in practice, discipline, great motor, and his humble nature.
Whatever he was doing, all young defensive lineman should take notes.
Selvie went on to finish the 2007 seasons with 14.5 sacks and 31.5 tackles for loss. He was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year and to just about every National All-American team.
He had now reached the pinnacle of his career and the secret was out. This lanky, skinny defensive end was nearly unblockable.
Forget trying to over power him: he was too quick. Using a quicker lineman: Selvie would swim move right past him. And double teams? He’d jump between them both and take down the quarterback.
This quarterback terrorizer had become a household name across the country.
His junior and senior campaigns saw a huge dip in his production. As to be expected, I guess, because after a 14.5 sack season, teams kind of know to watch out for you.
He still managed to be a 2008 and 2009 1st teamer in the Big East both seasons according to numerous publications.
Selvie finished his career with 29 sacks, tied for third among active NCAA career sack leaders, and 69.5 tackles for loss, the most by a 13.5 margin among active leaders.
His lack of NFL size and his dip in production has made him a fringe 2nd round prospect, but he’s been dealing with size questions his whole life. That won’t stop him now, and will likely add to his non-stop motivation and motor.
George Selvie should be a reminder to all college scouts and recruiters out there. Being a productive college athlete sometimes takes more than size or frame or strength.
It takes discipline, motor, and being humble. Selvie’s parents understood that. And whether he develops into an elite edge rusher or goes on to bigger things in life, Selvie has great potential as a person, and NFL teams should (and will) take note.
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