Marcus Lattimore Expects to be Ready for Start of 2013-14 NFL Season
By Josh Sanchez
South Carolina Gamecocks running back Marcus Lattimore is continuing to rehab from his gruesome knee injury that he suffered just three months ago. It was an injury that ended his season and many believe could have ended his football career. However, Lattimore is making an unbelievable recovery and expects he could be back much sooner than any of us had believed to be possible.
The 21-year-old running back is currently rehabbing at Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in Florida.
Lattimore is preparing for the 2013 NFL Draft and will have many questions thrown his way regarding the recovery time from his surgery. What Lattimore has his sights sent on for his return could blow the minds of NFL personnel.
According to Dan Wolken of the USA Today, Lattimore hopes to return for the start of the 2013-14 NFL season.
“That’s my goal, and it is realistic,” Lattimore said.
“Dr. (James) Andrews came in to see me he said, ‘You’re doing remarkable, you’re doing everything you can.’ His words were, ‘You’re going to shock the world.'”
Lattimore has some medical red flags because of his season-ending knee injuries in two straight years, but if he can check out to the NFL team’s satisfaction, he will be an intriguing prospect to watch in April’s draft.
Heading into the 2012-13 college football season, Lattimore was viewed as one of the best running back prospects in the nation and a potential first-round pick.
If he can have a full and speedy recovery, Lattimore could turn heads during NFL training camps and have himself an immediate impact for the team that is willing to take a chance on the running back with an injured past.
It worked for Willis McGahee, so there is no reason to doubt Lattimore can have a productive NFL career.