Defensive Back | Letters 2004-07

There are Bearcats that I loved more than Haruki Nakamura. But not many of them. Steve Logan, Kenyon Martin, Mardy Gilyard... and thats about it. I could identify with Ruki in a way that I really couldn't with others. He was undersized and not as talented as those around him, or those that he played against. But he played the game as if he was the biggest guy on the field. But the cliche of the smaller man with the Napoleon complex doesn't apply.

Instead Ruki played safety as if he was a colossus covering ground with ease, delivering hits with unnerving force. Despite usually being the smallest guy on the field he played the game like he was a giant. That is a hugely admirable trait. His stats might not stack up with some of the other defensive backs on this list. But there isn't a Bearcat fan who can forget Ruki.

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