After this weekend’s NFL draft, it looks like there will be some new Wildcats playing on Sundays.
For the second straight year, an ACU football player came off draft boards when the St. Louis Rams drafted running back Daryl Richardson in the seventh round.
Richardson will join family members and past ACU standouts Bernard Scott and Clyde Gates in pro football, where he will begin chasing a Lombardi trophy when training camps open in August.
Shortly after the draft ended, there was a flurry of activity for former ACU stars when four other Wildcats were contacted about joining a training camp and possibly even making a roster next fall.
The Dallas Cowboys snatched up Aston Whiteside on Saturday night, signing him to a free agent contract. Whiteside will be able to give America’s team some much needed versatility, and should have a good chance of making the final roster.
Elsewhere in the NFC east, the Redskins invited tight end Ben Gibbs to a free agent tryout camp of their own. Gibbs will get a chance to impress legendary coach Mike Shanahan and could end up learning from Pro Bowl tight end Chris Cooley as soon as his knee heals up sometime next month.
“I am so thankful for everything God has done healing my knee,” Gibbs said. “Once I get fully healthy, the Redskins are going to give me a full tryout, and I will have a chance to make the roster.”
Former offensive tackle Neal Tivis has several options on where he will play on Sunday’s. Tivis is looking into playing ball in either Cincinnati or St. Louis, where he would possibly join Richardson in the offensive huddle.
“Right now, I am looking to play for the Bengals or the Rams,” Tivis said. “I can play tackle or move inside to guard, whatever the team I sign with wants me to do.”
Derek Drummond rounds out the Wildcats that signed with professional football teams on Saturday, when Drummond agreed to play in the Canadian Football league.
If Gibbs and Tivis are able to make their respective squads and attend training camp, the ‘Cats will have ten players in NFL uniforms when the calendar turns to August, which is a feat that a lot of division one schools would be proud of.
