It's amazing how much technique matters when playing defensive end. The approach is critical in gaining a competitive edge on your opponent. Such is the case with Tarleton State's defensive end Jamaal Steamer.

Steamer has the speed and quickness to beat his opponent at the snap of the ball and get to the quarterback. His secret is the way he lines up at the line of scrimmage. His stance his low and lean with bad intentions.

"Jamaal is cat quick," Defensive Coordinator Cary Fowler said. "When he lines up in the 3-point stance, he looks like a cat getting ready to pounce."

Tarleton State is located near the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area. The Texans play in Division II in the Lone Star Conference.

Steamer listed at 6' 2" , 252 and plays with tremendous quickness and power. He's got big hands and long arms that he uses for his first punch and grabbing offensive linemen to use a club rip or a bull pull to get to the quarterback.

"Most of the time I don't use the bull rush. I come off the edge so quick that I usually get to the quarterback. That's a good thing," states Steamer.

He has been heavily influenced by his older brother Dominique. Steamer uses his older brother as a role model for anything he does in life. Dominique chose and attended Texas A&M over Oklahoma to be near his family and guide Jamaal. He currently coaches at a local middle school.

"I love him to death. He's almost like a father figure to me. I'm the player that I am today because of him. He's been there from every single step of the beginning of my career from high school to college. He's been there to make sure I do all the right things," elaborates Steamer.

Steamer is a student of the game. He always studies film and is fully aware of the advantages that come along with knowing his opponent.

"Watching film is [like being] in another classroom. Our coaches give us weekly exams on the people that we're going to fight so that we know every aspect of the offense and what we can do to stop them and what we can do to counter their moves."

Last season he was named to the Second Team All-LSC South Division and also named to the Second Team All-Super Region Four by Daktronics. His accolades also included being named to Don Hansen's Football Magazine All-Super Region Four Third Team. He was second on the team with 53 total tackles, including 21 solo and 32 assisted stops. He recorded 6.5 sacks for minus-43 yards. He had 19.0 tackles for a loss of minus-63 yards, was tied for third in the conference and recovered two fumbles and forced one.

In 2007, he was selected to the Lone Star Conference South Division First Team Defense. He played in all 11 games for the Texans as a defensive end and was named the LSC South Division Defensive Player of the Week on October 14 for his efforts against Midwestern State. He led the team with 12 tackles for a loss of 75 yards.

Steamer is a team player. He always plays through the whistle and is willing to do whatever it takes to get the team a win. He's always working hard and a lot of things don't bother him. When he is faced with adversity, Steamer will always have a smile in his face. He is a calming influence to his team mates.

Teams have begun to game plan against Steamer and run to the other side of the field.

The Texans utilize a 4-2-5 base defense. However, that does not to stop Coach Fowler from switching Steamer from defensive end at the 6 technique to being plugged in the "A" gap or as a 3 or 4 technique occasionally.

He is the kind of player that although his primary responsibility is defensive end, can be used along the line to confuse offenses. He also plays on special teams as needed.

Coach Fowler explains that as recent as this past Saturday towards the end of the game he moved Steamer to a different position.

"We try to isolate him in different ways. In the game Saturday [against Northeastern State], the score was 6-0 as we led with 50 seconds to go and it was 4^th and 5 on our 20 yard line. We lined up Jamaal in an outside alignment. The tackle kicks out and we just shot him under in the "B" gap. We can bring him from a lot of different places. [Anyway] Jamaal batted the ball down on a first down pass and sealed a victory for us."

Steamer is studying Business Management with a minor in Accounting as a fall back and will graduate next May.

If Steamer keeps taking the advice of his older brother and sticks with his focus from his coaches and team mates, his speed and athleticism may vault him onto the draft radar come next spring.