That kind of speed tends to get you noticed, even if the knock on Peerman was his durability after leading the Cavaliers in rushing with 774 yards and seven touchdowns last year.
"I just put the pedal to the metal and play as fast as I can on every play," he said. That kind of effort hasn't gone unnoticed.
"Cedric Peerman is really working hard," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "And he sticks his face in there."
I didn't ask Harbaugh where Peerman was sticking his face, since it's a noncontact camp. But wherever he was sticking it, it was a good thing.
At this minicamp, the Ravens do a drill in which running backs and receivers run downfield and try to catch the ball one-handed - with the other hand held behind their back.
Peerman didn't exactly shine at this one, quickly dropping a couple of passes.
But as you might suspect, this was not the end of the world for a guy who spent blistering Virginia summers loading tobacco sacks onto trucks.
"We never did that [drill] in college," Peerman said. "[The coaches] were always saying, 'Two hands on the ball!' I got small hands, so it's really good to work on something like that."
Oh, yeah, this guy has a major attitude problem.
Actually, what you have here is a guy from a big-time college program who has never thought of himself as big-time.
He still preaches at Hills Creek Baptist Church in Gladys and talks to school kids about following the Lord.
And even though the work could have crippled a mule, he has fond memories of that dusty tobacco farm.
"Yeah, that's where I developed a lot of my strength," he said. "Lower-body strength from walking up and down dirt fields all day long. And that's where I developed my leg strength and ... probably a little bit of speed. I thank God for that, the place I grew up in."
Said Stanley Peerman: "I'll say this, [the Ravens] don't know what they have. He'll make the team. I have no doubt."
And Cedric Peerman still drives the '96 Ford Contour.
Which might be the only one left in the entire country.
Cedric Peerman
Pos.: RB
College: Virginia
Drafted: Sixth round, 185th overall
Ht.: 5-9 Wt.: 220 pounds
