[align=center]James Starks | RB | Buffalo | 6'2" - 218 lbs.[/align]
OVERVIEW
Starks hopes that his resume from the 2007 and 2008 seasons, along with the dedication and hard work he put in during a grueling rehabilitation process will convince a National Football League team that he might be the biggest steal in the draft among running back prospects.
The former quarterback, turned cornerback, turned tailback sat out the 2009 season after finally undergoing right shoulder surgery in August, 2009, after first being limited in March during spring camp. When the injury lingered into August drills, former head coach Turner Gill ordered his star player to undergo further tests.
Doctors advised the university that Starks was suffering from a labral tear in his left shoulder. Surgery was required and instead of toting the ball one last time before his mentor left for a head coaching position at Kansas, Starks would spend the next six months recovering from the operation and preparing for the NFL Scouting Combine.
Starks appeared to be back to top form at the Indianapolis event. He showed the burst and quickness that led to him becoming the school's record-holder for rushing yardage (3,140), rushing touchdowns (34) and points scored (222), despite playing in just 36 games. His bench press at the Combine (15) indicated that his shoulder was still in the recovery process, but teams are convinced that he will be ready for the start of training camp with no limitations.
As a fifth-year senior, Starks did not have any eligibility remaining to return to the university in 2010, but teams are eagerly looking forward to see what he can accomplish at the professional level. "We would have to watch junior film and base our decision on that," Tom Modrak, the Bills' vice president of college scouting said. "It's not good for the kid and it's too bad for the team and the program, but it's not the end of the world and he'll be able to get some things done."
Starks has a huge body of work for scouts to assess. He has back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons to his credit, a feat never accomplished by any other player at the school. He has also proven to be a valuable option for the passing game, as his 127 receptions rank seventh on the Bulls' career-record list.
"You look at what he did before and you look and see if he's 100 percent and you ask, "Can he do it again?' There have been guys who have gone very high who didn't play their senior year," Modrak said.
There have been several players who suffered setbacks before the draft, only to be selected high. The Bills picked Miami tailback Willis McGahee with the 23rd pick overall just months after he suffered a devastating knee injury during the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. "It happens," Modrak said. "No question it's a setback, but not one that he can't overcome. He can still get a career going, a lot of it will depend on the medical information and how well he can rehab."
Starks was an all-around athlete at Niagara Falls High School, competing in football as a quarterback and as a shooting guard on the basketball team. He ran for 1,048 yards and threw for over 600 yards for the Wolverines while earning All- Western New York honors as a senior, serving as a three-time team captain.
Starks was one of the key performers on Niagara Falls' nationally-ranked basketball team. He was part of a unit that featured future collegians, Greg Gamble (Buffalo) and Syracuse stars Jonny Flynn and Paul Harris. Flynn was selected in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft and stars at point guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
When Starks arrived at Buffalo as a quarterback, he was converted into a cornerback while redshirting on the scout team in 2005. The arrival of head coach Turner Gill would see the youngster return to the offensive side, this time as a tailback. Gill quickly noticed that Starks was a player around whom he could build his offense.
Despite a banner collegiate debut, as Starks gained 86 yards with a touchdown in the 2006 season opener vs. Temple, the redshirt freshman played in a reserve role until seventh game on the schedule. Gill handed the ball to #19 and Starks was off to the races. He led the team with 704 yards and six touchdowns on 175 carries (4.02 ypc). He also showed surprisingly good receiving skills, ranking second on the club with 34 catches.
In 2007, Starks received All-Mid American Conference second-team honors. He ranked fifth in the league in rushing, leading the team with 251 attempts (second on the school season-record list) for 1,103 yards, the fourth-best season total by a Bulls player. He scored twelve times on the ground and two more times on 41 receptions for 311 yards, as his 1,414 all-purpose yards rank sixth on the UB annual record chart.
Starks managed in 2008 to set the school season-records with 1,333 yards and sixteen touchdowns on 272 carries (4.9 ypc). He also placed second on the squad with a career-high 52 catches for 361 yards (6.94 ypc) and a score. His 102 points scored and 1,694 all-purpose yards also broke old Buffalo annual records.
In a December, 2009 interview with the Niagara Gazette, Starks told the newspaper that he was almost completely recovered from August shoulder surgery. The Niagara Falls native was asked to reflect on his football journey, which took him from recruited quarterback, to redshirting defensive back, to record-setting tailback, and now, NFL prospect.
"The NFL was always my goal, but now it's finally here, coming to reality. It's kind of bittersweet, you know. I wanted it so bad, but then I was out for so long," he said. Starks then displayed the range of motion in his repaired shoulder by reaching back to clasp the top of his head.
"I don't even know how to explain it," he said. "I'm just happy to be in the position I am. I couldn't pray for nothing more. I think God blessed me with an opportunity to do what I do, and I'm just happy. Everything is looking good and I've been working hard,'' he said. "You can call it sort of like an offseason because I've played but I've been in the weight room everyday. I'm getting my range of motion back and everything is looking pretty good.''
Starks said if the Bulls would have made it to a bowl game, he would have played. "I guess they're looking at my junior film because I didn't have any senior film so hopefully they like what they see and believe in me,'' said Starks. "I believe in myself and all I'm looking for is an opportunity, that's all I can ask for. I've been working my tail off.''
Starks also reflected on his time at UB, where he became the school's career rushing leader after just three seasons. "Coach Turner said I accomplished a lot and did a lot for the team," he said. "Although I didn't play my senior year I still was there cheering guys on doing whatever I could for the team. I don't feel like I let the guys down. I did all that was asked of me, gave my all every time I was on the football field and I think I did more than enough for the university."
CAREER NOTES
Starks started 30-of-36 games at Buffalo, carrying the ball 698 times for 3,140 yards (4.5 ypc) and 34 touchdowns... Caught 127 passes for 898 yards (7.07 ypc) and three scores... Completed one pass for 5 yards and recovered an fumbled kickoff for a 7-yard gain in his collegiate debut vs. Temple... Scored 222 points and amassed 4,045 all-purpose yards, an average of 112.36 yards per game... His 34 touchdown runs tied Marcus Merriweather of Ball Sate (1999-2002) for 16th on the Mid-American Conference career-record list and broke the old school record of 29 scoring scampers by Lee Jones (1965-67)... His 16 touchdown runs in 2008 tied the Buffalo season-record that Jones first set in 1966... His 12 scoring runs in 2007 placed fourth on that season-record chart... Ran for over 100 yards twelve times during his career, one shy of the school record of thirteen by Anthony Swan (1994-97)... His six 100-yard rushing efforts in 2008 were one shy of the UB annual record of seven, shared by O.D. Underwood (1986) and Anthony Swan (1996)... His 698 rushing attempts are topped by only Swan's 812 on the university's career-record list... His 272 attempts in 2008 set the school season-record and his 251 carries in 2007 rank second, breaking the previous mark of 244 by Anthony Swan in 1996... His 37 rushing attempts vs. Akron in 2008 rank behind O.D. Underwood (41 vs. Ithaca, 1986) on the school game- record list... Holds the Buffalo career-record with 3,140 yards rushing, topping the old mark of 3,103 yards by Anthony Swan (1994-97)... The only player in school history to rush for over 1,000 yards twice in a career and just the fourth Bull to reach that figure ever, Starks' 1,333 yards in 2008 topped the previous school record of 1,189 yards by O.D. Underwood (1986)... His 231 yards rushing vs. Toledo in 2007 rank third on the UB game-record list behind Alan Bell (266 vs. Duquesne, 1991) and O.D. Underwood (232 vs. Rochester, 1986)... One of four players in school history to generate 4,000 all-purpose yards (4,045) for the Bulls... His 1,694 all-purpose yards in 2008 broke the old Buffalo annual record of 1,556 yards by Andre Forde in 2002... Set the school career scoring record with 222 points, topping the previous mark of 184 points by Alan Bell (1989-92)... His 102 points scored in 2008 broke the old UB annual record of 96 points by Lee Jones in 1966... Starks ranks seventh in school history with 127 receptions... His thirteen catches vs. Akron in 2008 tied the Bulls game-record that was first set by Chaz Ahmed at Mercyhurst in 1990.
2009 SEASON
A preseason All-American and All-Mid American Conference choice, along with being a member of the Doak Walker Award Watch List (nation's top running back), Starks missed spring and fall camps with a lingering shoulder problems... Tests revealed a labrum tear in his left shoulder, as he underwent late August surgery, missing the entire season.
2008 SEASON
Starks earned All-American honorable mention from The NFL Draft Report and was selected All-Mid American Conference first-team by the league's coaches and media... Starks set the school season-records with 272 carries for 1,333 yards (4.9 ypc) and sixteen touch-downs... Ranked second on the team with a career-high 52 receptions for 361 yards (6.94 ypc) and a touchdown... Also set Bulls season-records for points scored (102) and all-purpose yardage (1,694)... Ranked third in the MAC and 15th in the nation with an average of 111.08 yards per game rushing... Finished fourth in the league and 24th in the nation in all-purpose yardage (141.17 ypg) and tied for 17th in the major college ranks in scoring (8.5 ppg)... Ran for over 100 yards in six contests... Posted multiple touchdown performances in five games, including a string of four-straight later in the season.
2007 SEASON
Starks earned second-team All-MAC honors in his first season as a full-time starter... Led the team and ranked fifth in the conference in rushing, averaging 91.92 yards per game... Totaled 1,103 yards on the ground, the fourth-best season total by a Bulls player, as he carried 251 times (second on the Bull's annual record chart) with twelve touchdowns (fourth on UB's season-record list), averaging 4.39 yards per attempt... Finished third on the team with 41 receptions for 311 yards (7.59 ypc) and two scores... His 84 points scored rank fifth on the Bulls' season-record chart... Also completed his only collegiate pass attempt, good for 5 yards vs. Bowling Green... His 1,414 all-purpose yards rank fourth in school annals, as his average of 117.82 yards per game ranked fifth in the MAC... Ran for over 100 yards four times, including 231 vs. Toledo, the third-best game total in school history... Had a string of four consecutive games (vs. Ball State, Ohio, Toledo and Syracuse) with multiple touchdowns.
2006 SEASON
Starks moved into the starting lineup in the seventh game of the schedule vs. Ohio University... Led the team with 704 yards and six touchdowns on 175 carries (4.02 ypc), as he finished second on the squad with 34 receptions for 226 yards (6.65 ypc)... Scored 36 points and collected 937 all-purpose yards, an average of 78.08 yards per game... Was named All- MAC second-team.
2005 SEASON
Redshirted in his first season at Buffalo... Competed on the scout team at cornerback after first being recruited as a quarterback.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Niagara Falls (N.Y.) High School, playing football for head coach Joe Shifflet... Competed in football as a quarterback and as a shooting guard on the basketball team... Ran for 1,048 yards and threw for over 600 yards for the Wolverines while earning All-Western New York honors as a senior, serving as a three-time team captain... One of the key performers on Niagara Falls' nationally-ranked basketball team.
PERSONAL
Sociology major... Son of Lillie Hill and James Starks... Born James Darell Starks on 2/25/86... Resides in Niagara Falls, New York.