National Football League

UNI's Fountain motivated even more

Published Mar. 26, 2018 11:17 a.m. ET

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(STATS) - Former Northern Iowa wide receiver Daurice Fountain not being invited to the NFL Combine was considered the biggest snub among FCS candidates for next month's draft.

It's only motivated him more.

"I always have a chip on my shoulder," Fountain said Sunday after UNI's pro day. "I knew regardless of if I got a NFL Combine invite or not, that I was still going to be an underdog. So, when it didn't happen, it just added even more fuel to the fire."

The 6-foot-1 1/2, 210-pound Fountain is generally projected to be picked in the fifth or sixth round of the draft, which will be held April 26-28 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Interest grew around him at the East-West Shrine Game in January. After standing out in practices, he won the game's MVP award.

A former track standout, Fountain is an athletic receiver who is adept at picking up yards after the catch. He finished his career ranked fourth all-time at UNI in receptions (150), sixth in touchdowns (23) and ninth in receiving yards (2,077).

The Panthers program has done well to produce NFL players, such as NFL Hall of Famer Kurt Warner and Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson. Fountain says he has relied on some of his recent teammates who have gone on to play in the league, such as Deiondre' Hall of the Chicago Bears and Makinton Dorleant and Xavier Williams of the Kansas City Chiefs, to help show him the way.

"Those guys opened the door for us, they showed the NFL that UNI has ballers and we have great talent coming out of this program," he said. "I'm thankful for that."

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