D-3 Players in the Pros

[Knightstalker]

While trolling through collegiate rosters over the past weeks, trying to come up with my own nuggets for the NFL draft, I noticed that the NCAA doesn't post D-III rosters, only D-I and D-IAA (D-II).

Does anyone know why this is?  Further, is there a quick way to look at the D-III rosters collectively, instead of going into each school's web-site?

I would check out the D3football.com All American team and the all region teams and that should give you a good idea who might be looked at.

[Josh Bowerman]

Wow--two DIII guys in the sixth round today--Wheaton's Andrew Studebaker to Philly and Mt. Union's Pierre Garcon to Indianapolis.

If we can get Jerrell Freeman up in the last half of the 7th round, I'd say it will have been a stellar day!

[K-Mack]

Wow--two DIII guys in the sixth round today--Wheaton's Andrew Studebaker to Philly and Mt. Union's Pierre Garcon to Indianapolis.

If we can get Jerrell Freeman up in the last half of the 7th round, I'd say it will have been a stellar day!

Those are the two I thought had a chance at getting drafted. Definitely good to see.

I'm guessing Raebel is the free agent with the best chance to stick, but you never know really, could be someone like Solfkanics, etc.

Will be neat to see where Beaver, Freeman and the free agent gang land, so then we can really begin to speculate about their chances to stick.

For the really D3-interested, Owen Schmitt, who began his career at UW-River Falls before landing at West Virginia, went No. 163 to Seattle. Fifth round I think.

FWIW, re: Studebaker, the Eagles' current starting OLB is an undersized former sack-machine DE from I-AA Cal Poly. They've also been making a push all offseason to improve their special teams. And their draft was full of "high-motor" types.

So maybe some of those things bode well for his chances of making the team.

[PA_wesleyfan]

here's a link to Wesley's Bryan Robinson signing with Arizona
http://athletics.wesley.edu/index.cfm?fuseaction=news.viewHDetail&newsid=679

[K-Mack]

Cool, now we have confirmed Robinson to Arizona via FA deal and Jerrell Freeman to the Titans.

Says Robinson will be DT in the NFL. Interesting.

Raebel is discussing his options. Green Bay, Tampa Bay and possibly Cowboys or Dolphins in the mix, but Colts and Broncos out of the mix.

Here's Raebel mentioned in the Charlotte Observer as an LB sleeper

I wonder if Derek Blanchard is getting a sniff anywhere. No love on a Google Search.

The list of guys Pat has on the front page currently all bear watching, and there'll probably be a few we didn't have out there either that get a camp invite.

[Ralph Turner]

While trolling through collegiate rosters over the past weeks, trying to come up with my own nuggets for the NFL draft, I noticed that the NCAA doesn't post D-III rosters, only D-I and D-IAA (D-II).

Does anyone know why this is?  Further, is there a quick way to look at the D-III rosters collectively, instead of going into each school's web-site?

Welcome aboard, MilesMan.

Good suggestions to your questions are above.

[Pat Coleman]

The list of guys Pat has on the front page currently all bear watching, and there'll probably be a few we didn't have out there either that get a camp invite.

Yep, and there almost always are -- often they're offensive linemen with NFL size, occasionally a defensive tackle sneaks up on us that someone wants to look at as an end.

[Mugsy]

Those are the two I thought had a chance at getting drafted. Definitely good to see.

I'm guessing Raebel is the free agent with the best chance to stick, but you never know really, could be someone like Solfkanics, etc.

Will be neat to see where Beaver, Freeman and the free agent gang land, so then we can really begin to speculate about their chances to stick.

For the really D3-interested, Owen Schmitt, who began his career at UW-River Falls before landing at West Virginia, went No. 163 to Seattle. Fifth round I think.

FWIW, re: Studebaker, the Eagles' current starting OLB is an undersized former sack-machine DE from I-AA Cal Poly. They've also been making a push all offseason to improve their special teams. And their draft was full of "high-motor" types.

So maybe some of those things bode well for his chances of making the team.

If Studebaker can perform well enough on special teams to make the team, then he has a better chance of adding 15-25lbs and moving to his natural position at DE.

BTW:  To show Studebaker's athletic ability, I believe his short shuttle time was better than all WR's that were drafted and that was at 6' 4" 255lbs.

[K-Mack]

My understanding is that Horace Gant landed with the Redskins. No word if QB coach Chris Meidt, who coached Gant at St. Olaf, had anything to do with that, but it's a logical assumption.

Beaver to the Packers.

Heard Bridgewater's Brandon Copeland signed, but don't see it in print anywhere.

Then again, I haven't been monitoring the conference sub-boards on this here site, so perhaps the answers are already in print.

[wab64]

Pete Metzelaars, Wabash College 1982, was drafted in the third round by Seattle, as a big tight end. 6'7", 250 lb. He played for 16 years in the NFL with Seattle, Buffalo, Carolina and Detroit. His 212 games are the record for a tight end (169 consecutive). Pete is now an assistant coach with the Indianapolis Colts, offensive quality control.
    One hopes that his example will be of assistance to Pierre Garcon in outgrowing the petulance (brashness?) on which many posters, not just from UWW, have commented.
    Interestingly enough, Pete's greatest contribution was on the basketball court, where he led Wabash to the 1982 d3 championship, with 45 points and 13 rebounds in the final game. He was d3 player of the year and his career shooting pct of .724 still is the NCAA record.
    It's good to see players like Pierre and Andy "make the cut". However I don't think many d3 prospects could match Pete's 16 years.

[K-Mack]

From the ODAC board's trustiest poster:

Congrats to Bridgewater's Brandon Copeland for signing an undrafted free agent contract with the Cleveland Browns!!!

[Ralph Turner]

Pete Metzelaars, Wabash College 1982, was drafted in the third round by Seattle, as a big tight end. 6'7", 250 lb. He played for 16 years in the NFL with Seattle, Buffalo, Carolina and Detroit. His 212 games are the record for a tight end (169 consecutive). Pete is now an assistant coach with the Indianapolis Colts, offensive quality control.
...

He never won a Super Bowl in four tries.

The more important question on these boards is, did he won the Monon Bell?   

[Mr. Ypsi]

Ralph,

Per the Wabash website (didn't double-check what DePauw had to say!), it appears he went only 2-1-1.  Something tells me it may have been far worse if he had not been on the team!   d3 rarely sees the likes of him.

I don't know the Monon Bell protocol back in the day when ties were possible.  The tie came after a Wabash win, so I'd guess they maintained possession 3 of his four years, but perhaps only two (perhaps there was a vault midway where the Bell was stashed after ties? ).

[K-Mack]

ProFootballTalk.com is publishing the teams' list of free agents as they get time, but all I've seen are confirmations of stuff we already know, and Division II guys names I recognized from having previewed that division a couple times (being known as a "small-school football" guy)

It looks like:
Studebaker-Drafted by Eagles
Garcon-Drafted by Colts
Freeman-Titans
Robinson-Cardinals
Beaver-Packers
Copeland-Browns
Gant-Redskins

I saw a (star-trib?) list of 16 FA Vikings that didn't include Raebel, but did include Illinois' J. Leman and Maryland's Erin Henderson at LB. But we also have reason to believe AJ is going to the Vikings, so I guess we can add him to the list.

That's eight, which is pretty good in a year when NFL rosters are limited at 80 with NFL Europe roster exemptions no longer in play. There are apparently quite a few fewer spots available for free-agents post-draft. Some teams are bringing in as few as five or seven undrafted guys. (assume those teams had lots of picks)

[footballfan413]

Found a link to a reporter's blog at a local Chicago area newspaper which sums up Raebel's situation.


http://www.nwherald.com/blogs/oncampus/index.php