FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — When the New England Patriots were considering hosting Division II receiver Andrew Jamiel for a tryout this week, they reached out to five-time All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman for a reference.
Sherman told the Patriots the same thing he’s been relaying to Jamiel: “What took you so long! He deserves a shot in the NFL.”
How Sherman became Jamiel’s top advocate highlights the lengths Jamiel has taken to keep his NFL dream alive. When Jamiel graduated from Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts, in 2020 — having set many of the school’s all-time records — it was the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He was supposed to work out at Holy Cross’ pro day, but it was canceled. He then looked to the Canadian Football League, but its season was canceled, too. So was the XFL’s.
“I was out of options, and knew I needed help; I needed a pro day evaluation coming from a Division II school, so NFL teams would take a look at me,” Jamiel said.
Then one day, as he searched social media, he came across the Fan Controlled Football League, which was advertising open tryouts at a high school field in Atlanta. Sherman is an investor/owner in the league. Quarterback Johnny Manziel and receiver Josh Gordon are among the one-time NFL players to suit up for 7-on-7 indoor games that are played on a 50-yard field, with a one-hour running clock and fans calling plays.
Jamiel’s team, the Glacier Boyz, lost in the championship game in the 2021 season. But Jamiel’s quickness, and knack for getting in and out of his breaks with precision, quickly earned him respect from Sherman, Terrell Owens and others. The 5-foot-9, 175-pound Jamiel was declared a franchise player after he led the league in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
“A lot of the owners are famous athletes, actors, social media personalities. So I knew there would be a lot of hype and a lot of eyes around the league. It was a great opportunity for me, because at that point I had only played against Division II competition,” he said.
“Going to that league, I was not only able to prove to others, but I was able to prove to myself that I belong.
“I could have easily competed at the Division I level, and I deserve a shot at a level higher than the…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at www.espn.com – AFC East…