Worth the Weekend?

New York Giant’s receiver David Tyree made one of the greatest catches in history during Super Bowl XLII. Tyree snatched a high pass out of the air and pinned the ball to his helmet as he plunged to the ground. The catch helped keep the Giants game-winning touchdown drive alive. Scouts at the 2003 NFL Scouting Combine had no idea he was capable of such an acrobatic reception. Tyree, a 2003 sixth round pick and a 2005 Pro Bowl special teams player, was not invited to the Combine.

There is a common misconception that the only path into the NFL is through the Combine and the NFL draft. There are many roads to the NFL, however. Tyree and several other Combine snubs have worked there way into the draft through strong individual workouts and school pro days. More than 70 schools held pro days in 2007, according to NFL.com. Matt Cassell backed up two Heisman Trophy winners at USC. Cassell played in 13 collegiate games, throwing only 33 passes in four years. A strong showing during his school’s pro day made him a seventh round pick of the New England Patriots.

Even going undrafted is not a deathblow to a football player’s career. There have been stars and reserves alike whose careers started as undrafted free agents. Priest Holmes scored 27 touchdowns for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2003, an NFL record at the time. Holmes was undrafted after an injury hampered college career at Texas, but was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as a free agent. Kurt Warner won two MVP awards and a Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams. Warner, the former Northern Iowa quarterback, had logged more years in the Arena Football League than the NFL when he won the 1999 MVP award.

Of all the undrafted players, former Denver Broncos wide receiver Rod Smith has accumulated one of the most impressive resumes. Smith has over 11,000 receiving yards to his name, the only undrafted player ever to cross 10,000 career yard mark. He also has more receptions and receiving touchdowns than any undrafted player. Smith, who was considered too small to play in the pros at six foot, 200 pounds, is a product of Missouri Southern. The small school stud overcame Combine and draft day woes by wowing the Broncos as a member of their practice squad in 1994.

The list of players who took unconventional paths to the NFL goes on and on. Somewhere in this year’s draft class there is undoubtedly a gem that won’t show up on any draft boards.

Every player dreams of hearing their name called on draft day; attending and succeeding at the Combine can help realize that goal. But there are plenty of paths to the NFL, and on game day the undrafted Combine snub snaps on his helmet just the same as the first round pick with an eight figure signing bonus.