'04 Player Preview: Derrick Dockery
July 9, 2004
Derrick Dockery started the Redskins' final 13 games at left guard last season. (Photo by Don Wright)
Derrick Dockery remembers his first NFL start very well. As a rookie, the 6-6,345-pound guard from Texas officially began his NFL career on the morning of the Redskins' Week 4 matchup against the Patriots. He was told he was going to replace injured guard Dave Fiore in the starting lineup.
"I was excited, but I also knew it was about business," said Dockery, looking back on the Redskins' thrilling 20-17 victory over the eventual Super Bowl champs. "I learned quickly that you've got to be prepared for anything. You have to be ready to go."
When Dockery was drafted in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft, he was viewed as either a guard or tackle. Despite some early struggles, he quickly settled in at the left guard position as Fiore finished the year on the injury list.
Joe Bugel, the Redskins' assistant head coach-offense and offensive line guru, has pushed Dockery hard this offseason, both in the classroom and on the field.
"The toughest thing about Dockery is that he was a rookie last year," Bugel said. "This is a kind of work where a guy grows into the position. When you have to go 38-40 plays, you find out a lot about yourself. The team will find out a lot about you."
One of the Redskins' off-season priorities was solidifying depth along the offensive line. The Redskins have veteran Kenyatta Jones vying for playing time at left guard and the team drafted two offensive linemen in Mark Wilson and Jim Molinaro.
Said Bugel: "For a young kid, this kind of competition is what he needed in the offseason."
Veteran offensive lineman Chris Samuels, who works side-by-side with Dockery every day, is convinced the young man out of the University of Texas will be a solid NFL player for years to come.
Memorable Game:
After struggling in a 24-7 loss at Buffalo, Dockery rebounded with a solid performance at Dallas. He limited Pro Bowl defensive tackle La'Roi Glover to zero tackles and helped the Redskins' running backs rush for 89 yards on 16 carries in a 21-14 loss to the Cowboys.
From the Files:
Dockery wrote a rookie diary for Redskins.com during 2003 Training Camp. On whether he likes to do a lot of talking during games, he said: "As a player, I thrive off of emotion. I've always been a guy who likes to talk trash on the field. But I haven't really earned the right to say too much yet. If you can back it up, do it-but first you have to go out there and earn respect."
http://www.redskins.com/news/newsDetail.jsp?id=2187
