FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[K-Mack]

Lord also surfaced with the Lions briefly, I believe, and I actually saw him on TV once in an arena league game (to date the only one I ever watched).

He and I (and Dusty and William Rochelle) had some fun matchups back in the day. Playing Catholic and Guilford were my favorite games as a corner and safety because I knew we were going to get some action in the secondary and I knew we had to play well to win. Or even be in the game.

Gettysburg's Wing-T on the other hand ...

Back to the original question ... only other ODAC guys I can think of besides Taylor and Copeland who got an NFL sniff was Winston Young last year and R-MC LB Tim Armoska (R.I.P.) in '98.

Those might not have been "signed contracts" though.

Also I think W&L QB Christian Batcheller was in the Pirates organization for a while.

I remember some rumblings too about guys like E&H RB Oliver Jordan having an opportunity a year or so after I graduated ... At the time, the XFL seemed like more jobs/chances for small-school players.

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

Winston Young

Ehh, his was a CFL sniff.

[K-Mack]

Winston Young

Ehh, his was a CFL sniff.

I was only one letter off!

And lookit how close "N" and "C" are on the keyboard.

[CBE]

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

Other than Copeland and BC's Jermaine Taylor (Packers in '04 and Buccaneers in '05), what other ODAC players have signed NFL contracts in the last 10 or so years? Any?

Jermaine was in the Bucs camp in '05 AND '06.  The Bucs sent him to NFL Europe in Feb/March '06 where he played the season for the Berlin Thunder.  Good luck to Brandon!

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

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

Other than Copeland and BC's Jermaine Taylor (Packers in '04 and Buccaneers in '05), what other ODAC players have signed NFL contracts in the last 10 or so years? Any?

Jermaine was in the Bucs camp in '05 AND '06.

You always love correcting me on that.

Good to see you're still checking the boards, CBE! Ready for '08?!

[muchacho]

Notarfrancesco and Kevin Ricca had workouts with the Redskins, but nothing came from them as far as I know. Mike Hunter had several workouts with NFL teams and the XFL, but his 40 time wasn't fast enough to overcome the D3 stigma.

[CBE]

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

Other than Copeland and BC's Jermaine Taylor (Packers in '04 and Buccaneers in '05), what other ODAC players have signed NFL contracts in the last 10 or so years? Any?

Jermaine was in the Bucs camp in '05 AND '06.

You always love correcting me on that.

Good to see you're still checking the boards, CBE! Ready for '08?!

I'm ready for sure.  JT came by to visit last weekend.  He's still doing great with Ray Jay down in St Pete.

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

Chasing the NFL Pie in the sky is not for everyone. The  chance to make it as a undrafted player are slim. There have been plenty of talented ODAC players who have chosen to pursue other things. If you don't hire an agent and you have a scholarship to med school you will not be asked to many nfl camps.

I didn't realize this until today, but after he rides out his NFL dream, Copeland plans to go to veterinary school -- he was a biology major. Not a bad "back up" plan.

[hurley]

Nice piece on Copeland getting a tryout .   http://www.dailynews-record.com/sports_details.php?AID=16507&CHID=3.   

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

Nice piece on Copeland getting a tryout .   http://www.dailynews-record.com/sports_details.php?AID=16507&CHID=3.   

Another good one in today's Greensboro News-Record:

http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080501/NRSTAFF/18691686/-1/NEWSRECRSSARKIVE

He's from Greensboro.

[hasanova]

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

Other than Copeland and BC's Jermaine Taylor (Packers in '04 and Buccaneers in '05), what other ODAC players have signed NFL contracts in the last 10 or so years? Any?

As a side note, I hope Copeland's NFL contract (although he still has to make the team) finally proves my statement the last couple years when I said he was the best receiver in the conference. I remember getting pounded by fans from Guilford (b/c of Barnette), W&L (b/c of Martin) and H-SC (b/c of Smith) when I suggested that. I guess I never had BC-colored glasses on.

My congratulations to Brandon as well.  Good luck!

To answer your question, I know Guilford's Junior Lord (1994-97) played two years on the Washington Redskins practice squad.  He also signed with Green Bay, but was sent to NFL Europe.  Junior also played in the XFL as well as Arena ball, but never, as far as I know, in an NFL game.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junior_Lord

This post congratulating Brandon Copeland was my last post made five days ago, yet I've been smited three times this week - hardly seems to be the true spirit of this forum.  I've already been through this a couple of times over the last two years with one poster in particular because my nephew opted to not play for his school.  If this is you again, please stop.

[Llamaguy]

My boy #87 gets noticed! Keep up the good work Brandon. It is a long hard road but it all starts with a good first day at a tryout. Good luck!

"HONORABLE MENTION CAMPERS: Lance Leggett, an undrafted signee from Miami (Fla.), and Brandon Copeland, a tryout player from Bridgewater (Va.), are two lanky wide receivers who caught everything thrown their way."

(taken from CleavlandBrowns.com 5/3/08)

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

My boy #87 gets noticed! Keep up the good work Brandon. It is a long hard road but it all starts with a good first day at a tryout. Good luck!

"HONORABLE MENTION CAMPERS: Lance Leggett, an undrafted signee from Miami (Fla.), and Brandon Copeland, a tryout player from Bridgewater (Va.), are two lanky wide receivers who caught everything thrown their way."

(taken from CleavlandBrowns.com 5/3/08)

...or from ClevelandBrowns.com 

Not a meat cleaver!   You must be out getting ready for the tailgaiting season and cutting some chicken! 

[hasanova]

My boy #87 gets noticed! Keep up the good work Brandon. It is a long hard road but it all starts with a good first day at a tryout. Good luck!

"HONORABLE MENTION CAMPERS: Lance Leggett, an undrafted signee from Miami (Fla.), and Brandon Copeland, a tryout player from Bridgewater (Va.), are two lanky wide receivers who caught everything thrown their way."

(taken from CleavlandBrowns.com 5/3/08)

Nice!  Brandon is a former Greensboro Page HS Pirate, so a lot of folks in the Gate City are rooting for him as well!  Vince Evans, of course, was a DI player, but he also came out of Page before making it to the NFL.  Good luck, Brandon!

[Llamaguy]

My boy #87 gets noticed! Keep up the good work Brandon. It is a long hard road but it all starts with a good first day at a tryout. Good luck!

"HONORABLE MENTION CAMPERS: Lance Leggett, an undrafted signee from Miami (Fla.), and Brandon Copeland, a tryout player from Bridgewater (Va.), are two lanky wide receivers who caught everything thrown their way."

(taken from CleavlandBrowns.com 5/3/08)

...or from ClevelandBrowns.com 

Not a meat cleaver!   You must be out getting ready for the tailgaiting season and cutting some chicken! 

+1 karma for that one! After checking the site a few times, I did learn to spell Cleveland. Sorry OhiO folks.