Jaguars' Ben Patterson choosing NFL rookie camp over graduation
Instead of walking onto the podium to receive his petroleum engineering degree from Texas Permian Basin, rookie Ben Patterson will be at Jaguars camp.
Veronica Keller received big-time great news with a dollop of not-so-ideal news two weeks ago from her son, Ben Patterson. The great news: Patterson, a receiver at Division II Texas-Permian Basin, agreed to terms to join the Jacksonville Jaguars as undrafted free agent . The not-so-ideal news: The second day of Jaguars rookie camp on May 9 conflicts with Patterson’s graduation ceremony.
Patterson’s decision was easy. “I’m going to be in Jacksonville,” he told me during a phone interview earlier this week. Mom’s reaction?
“She was a little sad, but she said, ‘This is what you’ve worked so hard for,’” Patterson said. Sometimes in this job, you back into a cool story. Exhibit A was earlier this week when I talked to Patterson’s college coach, Kris McCullough, to gather information on a player who faces ultra-long odds of making the Jaguars ’ initial 53-man roster.
“What’s crazy is he would miss two practices a week for school reasons,” said McCullough, now the coach at Gardner-Webb, an FCS program in Boiling Springs, N. C. Excuse me, what?
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