University of Massachusets Athletics
Undrafted Rookies Can Make A Difference
May 08, 2007 | Football
May 8, 2007
At one point the NFL Draft was 30 rounds long, but there were only 8-12 teams at the time. And as more clubs joined the league rounds were cut out to have things go a little quicker. Now the draft is conducted in only seven rounds, which means less opportunity for guys to get selected. But for those who go undrafted, a free-agent contract could be their ticket to the big leagues.
Three notable Cardinals that went undrafted after their respective senior seasons in college are Kurt Warner, Aaron Francisco and Marcel Shipp. However, it was almost not meant to be for Francisco.
The third-year safety from BYU was expecting to hear his name called on Draft Weekend in 2005. A couple prognosticators even thought Francisco could have been a third-rounder. But he didn't hear from a single team and wondered what would happen next. Not getting drafted had Francisco question if he was even going to play football again. But then the phone did start ringing. The first call that came through was from the Arizona Cardinals.
"That was the first one I took," Francisco said. "I just went with whoever called first. As long as I got somewhere; it's better than nowhere."
But even getting that post-draft call is not a sign of immediate success. Francisco was released near the end of training camp, signed to the practice squad right before the season, then got the call up for active duty in the middle of October. Now he is a full-time member of the Cardinals and contributes both as a defensive back and as a special teamer. Francisco is one of the success stories, but that's not often the case.
"I'm sure it happens every year to a lot of guys," Francisco offered. "I see a lot of guys that get drafted that don't make it too far. And guys who don't get drafted make it farther than the guys who did get drafted. I think everybody has a fair shot in this league as long as you put yourself on a team."
The Cardinals have decided to bring in 20 rookie free agents following the draft. It's a number that is a little on the high side, but there shouldn't be a limit to how many players head coach Ken Whisenhunt thinks can help his team. Plus, only having five draft picks creates a need to acquire more bodies.
There are a few members of this group that the Cards are lucky to get. Travarous Bain played at the University of Miami before finishing up at Hampton. He could have been a mid-round draft pick. Matt Trannon is a record-setting receiver from Michigan State. Along with the drafting of fifth-rounder Steve Breaston, it proves you can never have too many quality receivers on this team. There's guard Tim Downing from Ohio State, who was a first-team All-Big Ten selection last season. And linebacker David Holloway from Maryland is the son of a former All-Pro.
But there's one more guy who could turn some heads, and that's running back Steve Baylark from the University of Massachusetts. He is one of only three running backs in the history of NCAA Division I-AA to rush for at least 1,000 yards in each of his four years. Current Bears RB Adrian Peterson and former Bears CB Jerry Azumah are the others. And there's a precedent with this signing.
Current Cardinals RB Marcel Shipp was also undrafted out of UMass back in 2001. As a rookie he found himself behind Michael Pittman and Thomas Jones on the depth chart and was used solely on special teams. But by 2002 when Pittman left for Tampa Bay, Shipp got his chance. He ended up leading the team in rushing in 2002-03, and again in '05, proving all you need is a roster spot and a chance to make something happen.
"I knew I wasn't going to be competing for a starting job or a backup job, but I knew I could make it in other ways" Shipp said. "I just focused on that and made the ball club. I had a chip on my shoulder and I just wanted to do whatever I had to do to make this team."
With all these years of experience under his belt, Shipp wouldn't mind now becoming a mentor for the incoming Baylark. School ties are one thing, but this is going to be competition at the same position.
"I will offer him any help or advice that I can give him," Shipp mentioned. "He's a UMass guy, and we've got to stick together.
"In all the years I've been here, I was with guys that worked hand and hand (and) we always knew it was competition at the end of the day. I'm not going to break that tradition that we have. I'm going to keep it going, so when he's in his seventh or eighth year here he can do the same thing to the young guys. I just think that's how teams are supposed to work. The competition is going to be there."
Getting on the field with the right mindset could be the biggest key for an undrafted player. Guys who have those chips on their shoulders about being snubbed in the draft have to be careful when they finally get their chance. It could be used to their advantage by coming out full throttle and showing that they are worth it. But it can also backfire. The player might have a sore spot or a grudge, or may even come out with an uninspired performance.
Just because an undrafted rookie doesn't make the active roster out of training camp, it could be that he's just one injury away from being called up. It's all about working hard and proving your worth on the field. Drafted or undrafted, all rookies are auditioning for the same spots.
"You can't be intimidated," Shipp added. "You've got to know that you can play at this level and believe in yourself. Just know that there's a role on this team somewhere for you. You just have to find it."
These undrafted rookies are going to hit the ground running. With a minicamp followed by OTAs up through the beginning of June, it will be easy to determine who can handle the pressure and who is going to be the next Warner, Francisco or Shipp.
