ORONO, Maine — Damarr Aultman took the next step toward achieving his dream of playing in the National Football League on Saturday when he agreed to a free-agent deal with the Miami Dolphins.
The 2015 NFL Draft ended on Saturday afternoon after three days and 256 picks. Ever since, teams have been securing deals with undrafted players like Aultman.
The University of Maine football wide receiver and kick returner had garnered some attention with his appearances in some regional combines and at UMaine’s pro day in March.
Aultman, a 5-foot-11, 195-pounder from Wheatley Heights, New York, had a strong senior season for coach Jack Cosgrove’s Black Bears. He appeared in all 11 games, making a team-leading 48 receptions for 498 yards and two touchdowns.
The effort earned him a spot on the All-Colonial Athletic Association Third Team. Aultman also garnered All-CAA second-team recognition as a kick returner. He netted 23 yards, running back 28 kicks for 645 yards to tie a school single-season record.
Aultman finished his UMaine career ranked fifth all-time in receptions (162) and seventh in school history for receiving yards (2,061).
He proved himself a big-play performer for the Black Bears, scoring 18 touchdowns in 45 games. He had five TDs as a junior in 2013, when he caught 46 passes for 550 yards.
Prior to UMaine’s pro day on March 19, Aultman and teammate Khari Al-Mateen had gone through three months of intensive training at Athletic Performance Lab in Katy, Texas. Those efforts appear to have paid dividends.
In February, Aultman was invited to participate in an NFL Regional Combine in Denver, where he reportedly turned a few heads. He said Miami was one of the teams that contacted him after that effort.
At pro day, he turned in personal bests in the vertical leap (41 inches) and the broad jump (10 feet, 8 inches) and also clocked a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash.
Last season, Aultman credited his father, David Aultman, with instilling in him the desire to keep pushing himself in pursuit of excellence.
“He really taught me you’ve got to be hungry and if you want something, you’ve got to work for it and go get it,” said Aultman, whose mother, Shuwanda, served in the U.S. Army as did his father.
While he is a bit undersized for an NFL wide receiver, Aultman has demonstrated the ability to pick up big yards after the catch with some elusive moves and good speed.
Aultman earned a degree in business management from UMaine back in December.