We have our answer. For Ball State fans the NFL draft was not about the Colts getting Andrew Luck as we knew he was going to Indy in December. It was about how many Ball State players would be drafted or be a free agent that finds a home quickly.
Serving humble pie to Ball State players for as long as we can remember.
None.
Even safety Sean Baker, A.K.A. “Soul Eater” has to “prove” himself in some workout at Tampa Bay. The school’s leader for interceptions was not even a lock for a free agent signing.
Little if anything has been reported on fellow safety Joshua Howard and center Kreg Hunter.
Here is the list of the 26 MAC players to sign as an undrafted free agent.
Akron, OL Jake Anderson
Bowling Green, OL Ben Bojicic, Cincinnati
Bowling Green, WR Kamar Jorden, Minnesota
Buffalo, WR Marcus Rivers, Green Bay
Kent State, C Chris Anzevino, Baltimore
Kent State, DT Ishmaa’ily Kitchen, Baltimore
Kent State, WR Sam Kirkland, Washington
Ohio, WR Phil Bates, Seattle
Ohio, P Paul Hershey, Kansas City
Ohio, LB Noah Keller, St. Louis
Northern Illinois, C Scott Wedige, Arizona
Northern Illinois, WR Nathan Palmer, San Francisco
Northern Illinois, LB Pat Schiller, Atlanta
Temple, OL Pat Boyle, Detroit
Temple, DE Morkeith Brown, Tampa Bay
Temple, OL Derek Dennis, Miami
Temple, LB Stephen Johnson, New Orleans
Temple, DE Adrian Robinson, Pittsburgh
Temple, WR Rod Streater, Oakland
Temple, OL Wayne Tribue, Denver
Toledo, WR Eric Page, Denver
Toledo, TE Danny Noble, Tampa Bay
Toledo, OL Mike VanDerMeulen, Tampa Bay
Toledo, DB Desmond Marrow, Houston
Toledo, OL Philipkeith Manley, Atlanta
Western Michigan, DL Drew Nowak, Jacksonville
There is not many defensive backs on the list. The value of a corner or safety has shrunk to almost nothing into today’s league that suspends players for any hit that is more fierce than norm.
Baker and Howard are hard-hitting safeties. Years ago their tackles would have been glorified on ESPN in their segment titled “Jacked Up”
Today, if those two players were in the league they would have to change their tendency to avoid fines and 15-yard penalties.
As the NFL tries to clean up its barbaric image, receivers and tight ends benefit from defenses trying hard not to get fined.
The NFL is only a couple of steps away from playing like the Arena League. Safeties do not fit in with such a style.
I don’t think scouts judge players based on where they play. Even though it appears the NFL finds little credibility in the Ball State program I hope that is not the case.
Could it be that Baker and Howard are a few years late? If these two were graduating in 2005 maybe this is a different story?
For now, if you have a son wanting to play in the NFL make sure he plays offense.
Filed under: NFLDraft |
Over The Pylon 
If you can figure out why Briggs wasn’t signed as an UDFA let me know. Look thru all NFL teams and the WR’s from all the small schools and tell me which ones played in 50 games, caught 200+ balls, and were 1st Team Academic All Americans? He should have been 3rd behind J. White and E. Page, so only one out of 3 of the top MAC WR’s made it?
Fifty defensive backs were selected in the draft, which is more than any other position. http://www.sbnation.com/2012-nfl-draft/2012/4/28/2984724/2012-nfl-draft-results-picks-by-position
If anything, defensive backs are becoming more important as teams need guys to stop all the receivers.
I think it has more to do that the NFL teams didn’t feel Sean and Joshua are athletic enough to draft. I think both guys will eventually catch on with a team and if nothing else be special teams studs and backup safeties.