Team. Tough. Compete. Finish. These four words have been the mantra of Crusader Football in the last decade. TTCF is so much more than a motto; it is how our young men learn to conduct themselves in life. Hundreds of Crusader Football alumni will carry these four words outside of the gridiron and into their professional careers. Especially the three that were recognized today for their future careers in the National Football League for the 2019-2020 football season.
Crusader Alumni Will Clapp ‘14, Roderic Teamer ‘15, and Irv Smith Jr ‘16 have made the 53 man rosters for their respective NFL teams. All three shared Tad Gormley Stadium as teammates yet they took very different paths.
Roderic Teamer ‘15 is an undrafted free agent out of Tulane University. Though he wasn’t selected in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Chargers invited him to camp as a free agent. With a chance to live his dream, Teamer played with his whole heart and garnered the attention of coaches, fans, and the Los Angeles Times.
Irv Smith Jr, ‘16 is already a major part of the Minnesota Vikings offense. Last spring the Minnesota Vikings selected him with their second-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Smith, a former National Champion with the University of Alabama, comes from an NFL pedigree. His father was a decorated tight end at Notre Dame and a first-round selection of the New Orleans Saints. Irv enters the NFL as one of the most exciting young tight ends in the league. (ESPN article)
Will Clapp ‘14 earned a spot on the 53 man roster for the hometown New Orleans Saints during the 2018-2019 season. Clapp, a seventh-round selection out of LSU earned a significant amount of playing time last season. Yet, the Saints boast one of the deepest offensive line units in the NFL and it would take a tremendous effort and performance to make the team again. Will did just that, battling through the preseason earning the Dudley Debosier “Protector of the Game” against the Minnesota Vikings and continuing to impress coaches with his toughness and attitude.
Congratulations to Brother Martin Head Football Coach Mark Bonis and his staff for preparing these young men to make a life with lessons learned outside of the classroom. No matter their path, they embodied the words Team, Tough, Compete, and Finish. With 22 Crusader alumni currently playing college football, we may see more familiar faces on Sunday afternoons.