Ex-Husker Chris Patrick was not picked up in Thursday's NFL supplemental draft.
STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Thursday, July 12, 2007 7:00 pm
Ex-Husker Chris Patrick was bypassed in Thursday’s NFL supplemental draft.
Patrick, an offensive tackle/guard, now will try to make an NFL team as a free agent. He has workouts with three NFL teams planned for next week, though agent Joe Linta declined to identify which teams.
As for Patrick being bypassed, “We’re somewhere between being disappointed and surprised more teams didn’t do their homework on this kid,” Linta said. “He’s going to play in the league for 10 years once he gets to a team.
“I mean, the film doesn’t lie. All you have to do is watch him against Auburn, Texas and USC.”
The 6-foot-4, 290-pound Patrick, of Ithaca, Mich., is slightly undersized for a tackle but OK sizewise for a guard. He started 12 games at left tackle last season as a junior after starting the final two games of the 2005 season. He said “family issues” led to his decision to skip his senior year.
A total of 10 prospects were available in Thursday’s supplemental draft, and two reportedly were selected. A total of 36 players have been chosen in the supplemental draft since it was instituted by the NFL in 1977. The draft is conducted via e-mail.
NFL training camps begin late next month.
“It’s hard to get teams interested in players at this point in the year,” Linta said. “Literally everyone is on vacation.”
Patrick plans to continue his workouts in Ithaca.
“I’m disappointed but it’s not the end of everything,” he said. “Yeah, I would’ve loved to been drafted. It’s tough, man. But I’ve just got to keep working. That’s my only solution. I’ll sign as a free agent, and that would be good, too.
“I’m real confident I’ll get into an (NFL training) camp somewhere. I’ll just hope and pray for the best — that’s all I can do.”
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.