Central Mass has record 3 NFL Draftees in 2014.

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Jack Andrade, GoLocal Sports Reporter

3 players from Central Massachusetts were selected in the 2014 NFL Draft, a record amount for the area.

Worcester native and St. John’s (Shrewsbury) alum Richard Rodgers was selected in the third round by the Green Bay Packers. Worcester native and Doherty High School alum Yawin Smallwood was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round. Leominster native and St. John’s alum Rob Blanchflower was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round as well.

Never before had 3 or more players from the area been selected in the same year.

Rodgers

The 6’4” 257 pound Rodgers is a versatile talent capable of playing in-line as a tight end or in the slot as a wide receiver. He isn’t a fantastic athlete, but Rodgers is willing to go over the middle and put his body on the line for the ball.

Rodgers’ competitiveness and toughness impressed the Packers enough that they took him with a Top 100 pick (98th overall). Despite being drafted earlier than expected, Rodgers is staying humble.

“Wherever I go, I go, and that was my mindset going in,” Rodgers said, speaking on conference call with the media after being selected. “If I went in the last pick in the draft or the third round like I did I was going to bring my work ethic to whatever team [I was picked by] and just play my heart out.”

Rodgers played the last 4 seasons at the University of California, and fellow Cal alum (and Packers quarterback) Aaron Rodgers (no relation) tweeted his excitement about his new tight end.

Another Rodgers from Cal in Green Bay, sweet.
— Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) May 10, 2014

As for Richard Rodgers, the Worcester-native is ecstatic he’ll soon be working with one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

“I think it’s going to be a great experience, Rodgers said. “I’m going to get to learn from a veteran quarterback who is one of the best in the league if not the best.”

Smallwood

The 6’2” 246 pound Smallwood was a team captain and a highly productive linebacker for the University of Connecticut for 3 years. It was surprising to see him still on the board in the seventh round, as he had been pegged as a mid-round prospect for most of the draft process.

Smallwood said that being drafted was “one of the happiest times of my life,” but he was disappointed to have been a 7th round pick.

“I feel like I was a guy who should’ve been picked a lot earlier,” Smallwood said on his media conference call. “I think I’m the best linebacker in this class.”

Blanchflower

The 6’4” 256 pound Blanchflower is a multi-dimensional tight end capable of delivering crushing blocks and making catches downfield.

The Steelers are a traditional “smash mouth” team, and Pittsburgh tight ends coach James Daniel praised Blanchflower as an all-around player.

“He’s a two-phase guy, which is different than a lot of guys you have coming in right now,” Daniel said. “I think he’s got a chance to be helpful for us being a part of this football team.”

Follow Jack on Twitter @RealJackAndrade

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