Dewey McDonald was going about his day as usual, with nothing too out of the ordinary planned.
And then he got the call.
“I was on the phone with a lot of different teams,” he said.
But it was the Indianapolis Colts wasted no time in shoring up its secondary by signing the 6-foot, 215-pound safety from California (Pa) moments after the 7th round of the 2014 NFL Draft had ended. And, having worked out privately for the Colts prior to the draft, McDonald had to be expecting it.
“I had a visit with them and it went great,” McDonald said. “I felt it would be the best place for me.”
The whole process for McDonald is an experience that can never be taken away from the standout safety. After transferring from Fairmont State University, the only goal left to accomplish was to reach the NFL, but the stressful part is over.
“I knew I had done all that I could do,” McDonald said about the days leading up to the draft. “I’m definitely glad that part of the process is over.”
McDonald was the first, and only, player from the PSAC West to sign an undrafted free agent deal on Saturday night. IUP’s quarterback Mike Box was asked to attend the Washington Redskins mini camp later this offseason. That, too, shows the hard work and effort that McDonald put into his only season with the Vulcans.
That’s something Vulcans coach Mike Kellar knew that McDonald would bring to Cal when defensive coordinator Mike Lopez brought McDonald with him from FSU.
“If I could coach a team full of Dewey McDonalds, I would,” Kellar said a week before the draft. “He’s not just a good football player, he’s a good person. Anyone can see that.”
McDonald joins former Cal players such as Rontez Miles and Eric Kush in the NFL.
Now that one goal is complete, the next goal is to make the roster at one of the safety positions.
“Both (safety) positions are similar so I feel that I can do both,” he said of where he think be best fits on the depth chart. “I’ve just got to come into camp and make the roster.”
Other notables from the PSAC to take their talents to the next level were players from the East as Bloomsburg had defensive end Larry Webster get selected in the 4th round by the Detroit Lions – the only PSAC player to be drafted – and then had offensive linemen Matt Feiler and Brian Clarke sign UDFA deals with the Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys, respectively. Shippensburg QB Zach Zulli also shored up a deal with the Seattle Seahawks. A name to stick out that wasn’t picked up anywhere was Bloomsburg running back Franklyn Quiteh.
Some notables from the West who were not signed to UDFA deals at all include IUP RB De’Antwan Williams, IUP WR Terrill Barnes, IUP LB Carl Fleming, Slippery Rock WR John Schademan, Slippery Rock DB Anthony Sanders, Cal DE/LB BJ Stephens and Cal WR Mike Williams.
Photo Credit: Cal Athletics
