"Small School" Stars Hope to get to NFL

[TexasTerror]

Bah to the term small-school! Mentions of Michael Coe from Alabama St,
Delaware TE Ben Patrick and last year's "small school" standouts including Colston, Bethea, Colon and Finnegan.

Small-School Stars Hope to Get to NFL
BY JEROME MINERVA
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

NEW YORK -- Michael Coe wants what Danieal Manning has. Coe, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound cornerback from Alabama State, has looked at the career path of the Chicago Bears' rookie free safety, envisioning what it might be like to jump from a small school to starting defensive back in the NFL.

"That'd be great to have success like that," Coe said in a recent telephone interview. "He's helping out the Bears tremendously, coming in, starting as a rookie. So, he's having a big impact on that defense. And (they went) to the Super Bowl. So it's kind of a dream season for a guy from Abilene Christian."

Coe is not alone in his desire to make the leap from playing in relative obscurity to football's biggest stage.

Of the 329 players invited to the NFL combine in Indianapolis beginning Wednesday, 28 are from small schools - Division I-AA and lower.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070216/APS/702162256

[3rd Coast Tiger]

Too bad he only was only given a chance to play in a meaningless conference championship game. Right TT?

[AppGuy04]

Too bad he only was only given a chance to play in a meaningless conference championship game. Right TT?

and you say he always brings it on himself:rolleyes:

[Russ B]

Bah to the term small-school!

What? 30k isn't small?

xlolx

[TexasTerror]

and you say he always brings it on himself:rolleyes:

You see it too?

A player's pro potential is a completely different beast than what level and competition they compete against. Guys whether they are NAIA, Div II, FCS or Div III are going to be found if they are quality, whether they're playing in-front of 1796 in a nationally televised conference game from Berry Center or 23,000 at Wash-Griz Stadium in Montana or even in-front of a few hundred fans at the NAIA level.

Good kids will be found...

[BEAR]

I sure am glad someone took a chance on little ole' NAIA guy named Monte Coleman from UCA. I mean I know he shouldn't have been that good in the NFL coming from a little ole' school like little ole' UCA playing in the NAIA, but....:bang: xlolx

[Purple Pride]

I sure am glad someone took a chance on little ole' NAIA guy named Monte Coleman from UCA. I mean I know he shouldn't have been that good in the NFL coming from a little ole' school like little ole' UCA playing in the NAIA, but....:bang: xlolx
I'm sorry, how many rings does Monte wear?:thumbsup: :hurray: :hurray:

[th0m]

About 2 less than Charles Haley ;)

[BEAR]

Haley got 5 rings? :eyebrow:

[Purple Pride]

Haley got 5 rings? :eyebrow:

Actually he does.

Seriously though, Monte had a great career.


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

[youwouldno]

Guys from the bigger schools get the benefit of the doubt, guys from FCS and below don't. It is true though obviously that the BCS teams have a larger number of prospects, and many more elite prospects, so NFL teams probably have no choice but to devote most scouting efforts to big-time FBS teams (lower level FBS are often considered 'small schools' as well).

[smallcollegefbfan]

http://thefootballexpert.com/buresmockdraft.html

This has not taken into account compensatory picks, which will be added in later this month I believe.

I thought it was interesting that only 10 non I-A players are in here. Seems that Allen Barbre and Ben Patrick went a good bit lower than what you would expect. Where is Jacoby Jones of Lane, DD Terry of SHSU, Craig Dahl of NDSU, Michael Allan of Whitworth, and Aaron Fairooz of UCA? I would have expected to see all of them.