We move forward with our alphabetical trip through the roster highlighting some of the key players to watch this season by checking in on second-year linebacker Moise Fokou. Fokou, 6-1, 236, worked his way up the depth chart last season, starting as a seventh-round draft pick and finishing the season as the starting strongside linebacker. Now the incumbent on the strong side, Fokou is primed for a big season after a full year to ready his body and mind for the the NFL.
1. Fokou had arguably the most productive season of all the players drafted in the seventh round last season. Of the five seventh-rounders who played in all 16 games in 2009, Fokou was the only player to start more than two games (he started four). Two players, linebacker Brad Jones of the Green Bay Packers and Julian Edelman of the New England Patriots, started seven games in 2009, but neither was on the field every game like Fokou.
2. Fokou's contributions extended beyond defense to special teams, where he was a contributed to all four phases. Like most rookies, Fokou had to earn his stripes on special teams, and it's a role he should continue to play for new special teams coordinator Bobby April. Fokou ended up finishing third on the team with 295 special teams production points (behind Tracy White and Eldra Buckley) and tied for the team lead with 20 special teams tackles.
3. A native of Cameroon, Fokou moved to the United States with his family when he was only five years old. After falling in love with the game of football, Fokou steadily worked his way up, as he did in his rookie year. After high school, he began his collegiate career at division III Frostburg State. Then, he transferred to the University of Maryland, where he made the team as a walk-on. As a Terp, he continued to rise, first from the scout team to special teams, and then to a starting linebacker. In his final year at Maryland, Fokou earned All-ACC honors and was the only player in the conference to top both 75 tackles and 5.0 sacks.
-- Posted by Bo Wulf, 1:44 p.m., July 5
