The number of Georgia Tech football players who have battled their way onto NFL rosters after going undrafted is not small. The Falcons alone had two last season, wide receiver Kevin Cone and fullback Mike Cox.
After no Tech players were selected in last month’s draft, six former Yellow Jackets are attempting the same climb, trusting in their ability and holding fast to their dreams.
The versatility that defensive lineman Izaan Cross developed playing for three different defensive coordinators may have hampered his career at Tech, but it also may have prepared him for his NFL shot. The Buffalo Bills, with whom Cross agreed to a free-agent deal about 10 minutes after the draft ended, use a hybrid scheme that incorporates both 3-4 and 4-3 formations.
“I’m not necessarily a true d-tackle or a true d-end,” he said, “so I have that freedom to do a bunch of things.”
Brought to Tech as an end in the 4-3, he played 2 1/2 seasons as an end in the 3-4 before finishing his career back at end in the 4-3.
“It just seems like a good fit,” he said of the Bills in general.
Buffalo did not draft any defensive linemen and signed one other defensive lineman after the draft.
“It’s time for me to compete and try to get a spot on this roster,” Cross said.
T.J. Barnes has made it through rookie minicamp and the first week of organized team activities (OTAs) with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who play out of a base 4-3 defense.
As he has been digesting the Jaguars’ scheme, he gave credit to former Tech defensive coordinator Al Groh.
“Coach Groh did a great job of preparing me for things like that,” Barnes said. “Our playbook was very thick. It took me a lot of time to learn, but it prepared me.”
Jacksonville didn’t draft any defensive linemen and signed one other defensive tackle after the draft — former Georgia lineman Abry Jones. They are two of eight defensive tackles on the roster.
“It feels like I’m living a dream, but I’m just at work,” Barnes said.
Running back Orwin Smith and long snapper Tyler Morgan participated in tryouts, Smith with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Morgan with the Falcons and the Carolina Panthers. A tryout is essentially that, a step before a rookie free-agent contract. Neither was signed, but both remain hopeful.
Smith said he thought the tryout went well and was shocked when he wasn’t offered a roster spot. Complicating matters is the fact that he hasn’t been cleared from his rehabilitation from shoulder surgery that he delayed to play in a draft showcase game in January. Smith said the Buccaneers tried him out despite that. He said he continues to receive calls from teams, but they won’t bring him in until he’s cleared. He hopes to be receive clearance by the end of May.
After Morgan tried out with the Panthers, he said he was told he was good enough to play at the NFL level.
“It’s just you’ve got to get in front of the right people,” Morgan said. “I’m just trying to do that right now. Hopefully the next round of camps that come around, I’ll get invited somewhere.”
Cornerback Rod Sweeting, who was perhaps the most likely former Tech player to get selected, ended up signing with the New Orleans Saints after the draft. Despite being at the bottom of the pile, he should get a fair shake. Several undrafted rookies have made the team under coach Sean Payton. Former Tech safety Chris Reis made the roster a year after he was not drafted and went on to make a critical recovery of an onside kick in New Orleans’ Super Bowl victory.
“Sean always says that it doesn’t matter how you get here, once you’re here you’re ours, and we’re going to let the best player win,” Saints general manager Mickey Loomis told the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
Sweeting does have the following in his favor. Of the nine corners going through offseason training with the team, four of them have a combined one game of NFL experience. The Saints didn’t draft any corners, signed Sweeting and another cornerback after the draft and have already waived the other.
“He’s got size, speed and good character, so we’re excited that we got him,” Loomis told New Orleans radio station WWL.
Draft experts thought guard Omoregie Uzzi could be selected near the end of the draft. Unfortunately, Uzzi is still waiting for his phone call a month later.
“It’s been really frustrating,” said Uzzi, a two-time first-team All-ACC selection.
Uzzi had arthroscopic knee surgery in January — he declined to specify the injury — which appears to be the reason teams have stayed away. Uzzi was able to perform only the bench press at Tech’s pro day and was not medically cleared at the time of the draft, preventing teams from working him out. Uzzi said he is now cleared, but he hasn’t drawn so much as an offer to try out or a request from a team to undergo a physical.
“I’m pretty confused by that,” he said. “I can move right now. I feel like I can perform.”
Uzzi just wants someone to take a chance on him.
“Hopefully it happens,” he said.
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