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Valley natives earn free agent deals after draft
By Joe Scalzo
YOUNGSTOWN
Cardinal Mooney High graduate Ray Vinopal believes he should have been drafted this weekend — and he’s ready to prove it.
Vinopal, who started every game at safety for Pitt the last two years, agreed to a free-agent contract with the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday after going unpicked in the NFL draft.
Overall, the Mahoning Valley did not have a player drafted for just the second time since 2005.
“I’m ready to get in there and show them, ‘Hey, you could have drafted me. I’m worth a pick,’” Vinopal said. “They’re gonna be pleasantly surprised in what they’re getting.”
Vinopal was one of three Mahoning Valley natives who earned free-agent deals Saturday, joining Michigan State safety Kurtis Drummond (Hubbard), who is headed to the Houston Texans, and Oregon cornerback Troy Hill (a former South Sider), who got picked up by the Cincinnati Bengals.
Kentucky running back Braylon Heard, who teamed with Vinopal on Mooney’s 2009 state championship team, had an offer to attend a tryout camp from the Cleveland Browns, but was still sorting through offers Saturday night, Vinopal said.
Of the NFL players who appeared in at least one game last season, 31.6 percent were undrafted free agents, according to ESPN.
Vinopal started getting texts from several teams during the sixth and seventh rounds of Saturday’s draft, “and I kind of got the feeling I wasn’t going to be picked.” He also had free agent offers from the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, but chose the Cowboys because, unlike the other three teams, they didn’t draft a safety.
“Let’s be honest, aside from maybe the first three rounds, you’ve got to make the team, whether you’re drafted or not,” he said. “So I picked the place where I thought I could be an active guy, whether it was special teams or a safety role. I thought Dallas was the best place for me, the best opportunity to make the football team.”
Drummond was probably the most surprising draft snub this weekend, considering he was invited to both the Senior Bowl and the NFL combine. Drummond earned third-team All-America honors and was named the Big Ten defensive back of the year last fall. NFL.com projected him as a fourth-round pick and listed him as the best available free safety among undrafted players.
“Never question God’s plan,” Drummond tweeted after the draft. “Everything happens for a reason. Life is about how you handle adversity. Stay tuned ...”
Hill, who was NFL.com’s best remaining corner after the draft, played youth football with Heard on the Bethel Braves. He played one season at Chaney High before moving to California in 2007. He started every game for the Ducks last season.
Heard, who played two seasons with Nebraska before transferring to Kentucky, rushed for 368 yards and four TDs last fall. Although it’s more difficult to make an NFL training camp as a tryout, former Canfield standout Sean Baker did so with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers three years ago. Baker played five games with the Atlanta Falcons last fall.
Ravens running back Fitzgerald Toussaint (Liberty) and Browns DT Ishmaa’ily Kitchen (Mooney) also played in at least one NFL game last fall after making their teams as undrafted free agents. Mooney High graduate Michael Zordich made the Saints’ practice squad last fall after going undrafted in 2013.