lee909

a few worth watching

Adrian Hubbard, OLB, Alabama
Deandre Coleman, DT, California
Marcus Roberson, CB, Florida
Anthony Steen G Alabama

CheramieIII

6.6 wr from Rutgers. REPLACEMENT FOR COLSTON?

SaintLeonard

Marcus Roberson is the only UF corner left unsigned..

Euphoria

So far I like all the UDFA we signed over whoever we picked last in the 6th.

lee909

Jackson Jeffcoat signed with Seahawks

lee909

Saints Nation Blog ‏@SaintsNationBlg 23s
Kicker Sergio Castillo of Buffalo is also coming to compete in Saints camp



West Texas A&M's Castillo wins Mitchell Award
December 18, 2013|By David Haugh | Tribune reporter

Before every field goal during his historic senior year, West Texas A&M kicker Sergio Castillo followed the same ritual.

Castillo carefully walked off the distance from the holder, thrust his hips twice into the air to loosen up, took two deep breaths and repeated his favorite Bible verse from Galatians 2:20.



It is no longer I who lives but Christ who lives in me.

By the time Castillo finished repeating those words, he was done feeling any pressure, too.

“The way I interpret that is I’m not the one kicking, He is the one kicking for me so that gives me so much confidence I just relax,’’ Castillo said. “It works for me. I started saying it last year when I was struggling mentally and it made a big difference.’’

As a result, Castillo made a major impact on college football, setting a Division II record for career points with 437. Castillo’s legacy also will include the 2013 Fred Mitchell Award he received Wednesday that goes to the nation’s top place-kicker in FCS, Division II, Division III, NAIA and NJCAA for excellence on the field and in the community.

Named for esteemed longtime Chicago Tribune sports columnist Fred Mitchell, the All-American place-kicker from Wittenberg University, the award went to Castillo out of a field of more than 750 kickers. Mitchell officially will present Castillo with the honor Feb. 17, 2014, during the National Football Foundation Chicago Metro Chapter Awards ceremony at Halas Hall.

“He embodies all that is good about college athletics,’’ head coach Mike Nesbitt said. “His hard work, discipline and outstanding character sets him apart from anyone else.’’

On the field, the native of La Joya, Texas (pop. 4,000) helped the Buffs go 11-3 by hitting 24 of 30 field goals this season and 62 of 79 in his career – including a long of 56. Off the field, the son of Mexican immigrants earned a bachelor’s degree in history quickly enough to begin post-graduate work in education – all while committing himself to the community of Canyon, Texas. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes member volunteered weekly as a mentor to troubled youth, spoke regularly to at-risk high school students and spearheaded a toy drive for children in Juarez, Mexico.

“That’s why we’re put in this world, to give and show there is life out there beyond football and you can accomplish whatever you want no matter what your background is,’’ Castillo said. “I want to show kids that anything is possible.’’

Castillo considers himself living proof. He is the first member in his family from any generation to attend college, a distinction that filled him with a sense of pride and responsibility. From the first day he walked onto campus, every step brought him closer to the objective growing up poor made obvious at an early age.

“The number one goal was education because we struggled economically,’’ Castillo said. “We never saw it as, 'Oh feel sorry for us.' We embraced it. I didn’t want the lifestyle my parents had because they struggled. I never saw it as pressure but embracing the journey.’’


That meant enjoying every minute of it for the guy who is as affable as he was accurate. Whether kidding around with teammates as a team leader during the Buffs’ playoff run or wearing his trademark fluorescent orange spikes, Castillo’s vibrant personality left an impression.

“In the beginning when I first started wearing those bright shoes everybody gave me a hard time but once they saw I still did my job, that was all that mattered,’’ Castillo said.

That’s all that will matter to pro scouts gauging whether Castillo can fulfill a lifelong dream of kicking in the NFL next year. He says he looks forward to showing teams at West Texas A&M’s Pro Day later this winter that his range extends to 67 yards. And if the NFL doesn’t work out, Castillo would get a kick out of becoming a high school principal and using his example to inspire students.

“I really believe if you put in the hard work, you reap what you sow,’’ Castillo said. “And God takes care of the rest.’’

"Two receivers to the left, Garcon to the right. Manning in the shotgun, puts Collie in motion. Looks in his direction...it's picked off! It's picked off! It's Tracy Porter again! He's runnin' free! He's gonna go all the way!

lee909

Full list so far

Pierre Warren, FS, Jacksonville State

Ty Zimmerman, S, Kansas State

Logan Kilgore, QB, Middle Tennessee State

Timothy Flanders, RB, Sam Houston State

Chidera Uzo-Diribe, DE, Colorado

Micajah Reynolds, DL, Michigan State

Je’Ron Hamm, WR, UL Monroe

TraShaun Nixon, LB, New Mexico State

George Uko, DT, USC

Spencer Hadley, OLB, BYU

Matt Armstrong, C, Grand Valley State

Jerome Cunningham, TE, South Connecticut State

Seantavious Jones, WR, Valdosta State

Brian Dixon, CB, Northwest Missouri State

Derrick Strozier, CB, Tulane

Lawrence Virgil, DE, Valdosta State

Brandon Coleman, WR, Rutgers

Kasim Edebali, DE, Boston College

Sergio Castillo, K, West Texas A&M

"Two receivers to the left, Garcon to the right. Manning in the shotgun, puts Collie in motion. Looks in his direction...it's picked off! It's picked off! It's Tracy Porter again! He's runnin' free! He's gonna go all the way!

lsutigerfan

Damn why didn't Coleman get drafted? He was projected a 3rd-4th rounder. Love this signing!!!

hennr

on another site it had a center named Josh Allen to saints but no link.

voodooido

Would love to see Josh Allen. Had a great college career at ULM.