Draft isn’t only path to NFL for UR’s Vaughan and others

Josh Vaughan will follow the NFL draft. The tailback from Hermitage High School and the University of Richmond may be selected in the two-day, seven-round, 256-player extravaganza.

But an NFL opportunity -- regardless of how it arrives -- is what energizes Vaughan. That could mean signing with a team as an undrafted free agent, port of entry that worked out for dozens of NFL players. Among the notables: Dallas QB Tony Romo (Eastern Illinois), Indianapolis center Jeff Saturday (North Carolina), New York Giants LB Antonio Pierce (Arizona), Arizona QB Kurt Warner (Northern Iowa), Washington LB London Fletcher (John Carroll), Oakland QB Jeff Garcia (San Jose State), Philadelphia offensive tackle Jason Peters (Arkansas).

"I've been in contact with a lot of teams, they told me they're interested, and I feel very confident I'll get a chance," said Vaughan, a 6-0 228-pounder who rushed for 1,884 yards for the Spiders in 2008. "That's all you want, a chance."

This is a message spread among Spiders by assistant Stacy Tutt. The former Richmond QB spent 2006 and 2007 as a member of the New York Jets as a special-teams player and H-back. He signed as an undrafted free agent.

"I always tell these guys 'Don't you think because you're from the University of Richmond that you're not as good as those guys [from bigger schools]. We're just as good, and maybe better,'" Tutt said.

Tutt acknowledges that he "moped around for a while" following the 2006 NFL draft because his name was not called. But Tutt said he learned that as an undrafted free agent, he "ended up at the same place as somebody who was drafted."

If Vaughan isn't picked, he will probably spend Sunday night and Monday morning sorting through NFL offers. Quality undrafted free agents are highly valued because of salary-cap considerations. They cost less than veterans. Pittsburgh won Super Bowl XLIII with16 undrafted players on its 53-man roster.

"Every kid who played college football dreams of getting drafted," said ex-UR defensive end Sherman Logan. "But getting drafted isn't the be-all and end-all."

Each NFL team typically signs seven to 12 undrafted free agents following the draft's completion. Depending on the demand for an undrafted player, some can make more in signing bonus than draftees. Then comes mini-camp, organized team activities, competition to be among the 80 players brought to summer camp and finalized rosters.

Spiders under NFL consideration took about two weeks off following the mid-December FCS championship game won by Richmond. Then they began workouts. Fullback John Crone and Logan drilled two or three times a day.

"The draft is great, and everybody gets excited about it," Crone said. "But I'm not really worried about the draft. You just want that opportunity."

Contact John O'Connor at (804) 649-6233 or .