BUFFALO (WBEN - Brendan Keany) - Several UB football players were expecting to receive calls from NFL teams this past weekend at the draft, but nobody heard their name announced at the podium.
The football team boasted several marquee players, most notably quarterback Tyree Jackson and wide receiver Anthony Johnson. However, even these guys, who some analysts had once tabbed as possible day two picks, went through the last four rounds on Saturday without hearing their name called.
Wow. Tyree Jackson and David Sills both went undrafted. Amazing. I think both will have an impact in the NFL in the next 3 years.
— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) April 27, 2019Anthony Johnson and Tyree Jackson both from buffalo will be the biggest steals of the draft easily.
— Tajh Boyd (@TajhB10) April 27, 2019The good news for both players did eventually come, and for what should be an interesting story for Western New Yorkers, Jackson latched on with the Bills as an undrafted free agent, and Johnson is heading to Tampa Bay to get a shot with the Buccaneers. The Bills were also to land another homegrown talent in former UB cornerback Cameron Lewis.
IM COMING BACK ---- Let's get to it #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/u176MjgHNR
— Tyree Jackson (@TyJackson_3) April 27, 2019While UB Athletic Director Mark Alnutt admitted it was disappointing that nobody from the team was drafted, he noted that the draft isn't the end of the road, and to still have several players latch on with NFL teams is an achievement for a growing program.
"To have five, that's a very good number in this day in age to represent a program like ourselves," said Alnutt. "First of all, it speaks volumes for the program under [head coach> Lance Leipold's leadership, in terms of the quality of student athletes he's bringing into the program...Maybe it's a slight disappointment that these guys' names weren't called over the weekend from a draft standpoint, but soon after the draft concluded, they were able to latch on to some key programs."
Alnutt spoke specifically to what kind of person Jackson is, and he touched on the kind of player the Bills will be getting as he now has an opportunity to make the team.
"He's definitely a kid that is very passionate about the sport, about the game," began Alnutt. "He was able to improve a lot of aspects of his game over the past year, and I truly believe that the Bills are getting someone who will work very hard, going to continue to improve among his skill set there, and he's a great ambassador for UB."
Aside from what Jackson brings on the field, according to Alnutt, Jackson is tremendous person away from the game.
"All we've been talking about so far are his on-the-field traits," he said. "Even off the field, for a person like him to be able to represent himself, the program and the university in so many ways when it came to conducting community service, being involved with mentoring young kids in our football camps over the years - for him to grow and mature as a young man and to be where he's at - I'm very proud of him."
To read more about Jackson and his fit within the organization, Bills beat reporter Sal Capaccio wrote a story about how he became a member of the Bills.
