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- Mar 19, 2019
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All those numbers would have ranked in the top-five range among all defensive backs at the NFL Scouting Combine, yet Dequoy spent a week and a half after his pro day laid up in bed considerably ill with some sort of respiratory flu (not the coronavirus).
"It's rare to see that," Ghavami said of the athleticism, let alone at less than full strength. "He was able to showcase that and get his opportunity.
"The good teams do their homework, and I feel the Packers did theirs on Marc."
Dequoy credited adrenaline and his own imperviousness to pressure for the pro-day performance. Apparently, attention and big stages only fuel him. In collegiate playoff games, he returned two interceptions for touchdowns to bring his career total to six – six pick-sixes! – on 12 interceptions over the last three years.
He followed up Quebec conference defensive player of the year honors in 2018 with an all-national first-team selection last season, as he helped Montreal reach the Vanier Cup, Canada's collegiate national championship game.
That's when he broke his forearm, but he still received one of just two annual invites for Canadian players to a U.S. postseason all-star event. Despite having to sit out the actual game, Dequoy ended his East-West Shrine week in St. Petersburg, Fla., believing the NFL was more than just a pipe dream.
"I played there with guys who were drafted, the top talent in the country," Dequoy said. "After that, I told my agent, 'I know I can be in that league.'"
His confidence rose further as he trained for his pro day with other NFL players in Knoxville, Tenn., where he got some advice from Minnesota Vikings All-Pro safety Harrison Smith. He incorporated some tips to smooth out his drill work, and then he just had to wait.
As the Packers' interest ramped up in mid-April, Dequoy said he got a call from Green Bay's new defensive backs coach, Jerry Gray, the day before the draft began. Another call from the Packers came on the third day at the start of the sixth round, with an offer to sign as a free agent, and Dequoy wasted no time making it official when the draft concluded.
Ghavami advised Dequoy the Packers have a strong track record of giving undrafted players a fair shot to make the team. Back in 2013, one who did was former Montreal high schooler Andy Mulumba, with whom Dequoy recently spoke to learn more about the Packers.
Since signing, Dequoy has taken part in the Packers' virtual rookie orientation and now the virtual offseason program, conducting meetings with coaches and teammates online. Currently in Montreal, he's doing his best to continue working out and putting all the rest of his energy into learning the defensive playbook.
"Just the system is different," he said in describing the biggest change from the Canadian game, which has 12 players per side, a longer and wider field, and only three downs per series, among other alterations.
"I'm a guy who can learn on my own. I'm getting in the playbook, making sure when camp arrives, I'm not one step behind everybody. Then afterward it'll be getting adapted to the game speed."
Through his college career, Dequoy played various spots in the defensive backfield, mostly safety. The Packers are listing him as a cornerback, where his size (6-3, 198) fits best. He's more than willing to line up anywhere the team wants to try him, and he's already planning on special teams being his first vehicle to a roster spot.