Cool Video: Matthew Judon was Introduced at the East-West Shrine Bowl Just as His Future Teammate Took a Screen Pass 65-Yards for a TD

(Cued up to the 1:23:06 mark. Or 6:11 of the 3rd quarter on the scoreboard.)

I'll admit that this might be one of those things that is blogworthy only to me and a very specific demographic of devout New England Patriots occultists. But I apologize for nothing. I'm posting this anyway, general interest be damned. Because it made at least part of my day as I and most Massholes are still processing the Pats draft.

Here's Matthew Judon, former participant in the East-West Shrine Bowl as a prospect out of Grand Valley St. in 2016, getting introduced in the broadcast booth. And no sooner have the NFL Network announcers brought him before the camera than Pierre Woods Jr. from South Dakota State rips off this incredible catch and run. With no one at the time knowing he would be Judon's team's fifth pick in the draft, 127th overall in the fourth round. (Except of course Belichick, who can see all through space and time like Heimdall who guards the entrance to the Rainbow Bridge into Asgard.) 

Random chance? Maybe. Pure coincidence? Perhaps. A 1-in-32 shot coming in since Strong was going to be drafted somewhere and Judon's team just happened to be the one? Possibly. But I'm going with "serendipity." This was the universe telling us this rookie is going to be special. I can feel it. 

This simple screen going for 65 yards is no fluke. Just as a reminder, Strong ran a 4.38 40 at the Combine, the fastest among all running backs. And only 15 players at any position were faster, including his new teammate Tyquan Thornton. Plus he's 5-foot-11 and 207 pounds, so he's got the size for the position at the next level.

In 2018 he was the Missouri Valley Football Conference Freshman of the Year, with 1,116 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on 117 carries. Last year he was injured in the spring but was still a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, given to the FCS Player of the Year, with an FCS-best 1,686 rushing yards (7.0 per carry) and the second most rushing TDs with 18.

From NFL.com - 

Instinctive running back with NFL traits and talent to find a home as a committee back or an eventual RB1. Hyper-focused vision provides him a variety of cut options and rush paths but also causes him to overthink his approach at times. Strong is more reactive than manipulative but is quite impressive with his spatial awareness and ability to slalom around bodies on a smooth, linear pathway without slowing his roll. He struggles when forced to slow his feet and make early cuts. He needs a north/south run scheme where he can square his pads and find his rhythm quickly. Strong lacks third-down value at this time, but has shown enough to believe it could be in his future. 

Strengths:

• Big-play threat with 10 career rushing TDs of 50-plus yards.
• Bends and bursts through line of scrimmage.
• Finds the center of the rush lane and avoids first-level defenders. ...
• Stays a step ahead of open-field tacklers with subtle shifts and cuts. ...
• Created easy separation on rare occasions he ran route out of the backfield. 

Judon from seeing it in person, and you and me after watching that video:

The Erhardt-Perkins system has always relied heavily on a stud who can be effective catching the ball out of the backfield. And it's had a stead progression of them. From Kevin Faulk to Shane Vereen to James White. And now, if there is any goodness left in the world, Pierre Strong Jr. 

Call it luck if you want. I need something to believe in three months before training camp starts. And I'm choosing to believe it's fate that led Pierre Strong to rip off one of the great runs of 2021 while the best defensive player on his future team was being introduced to a nationwide audience. I'll be expecting to see more of this come September and beyond.