The NFL Draft has been elusive to Stony Brook Football in the past, as former players like Will Tye and Victor Ochi have already had some levels of success in the NFL while going undrafted. Tye, especially, made the most of his time, shining for the New York Giants during his two-year tenure for Big Blue.
Despite not having any players drafted once again this year, five players have proven their worth to participate on an NFL roster.
Offensive lineman Timon Parris highlighted the post-draft signings for the Seawolves, as he signed a contract to play for the Washington Redskins this upcoming season. Four other players from the 2017 Seawolves roster will have a chance to shine.
Defensive back Chris Cooper was the second member of Stony Brook Football that signed a contract with an NFL team, joining the Indianapolis Colts. Defensive back Tyrice Beverette, wide receiver Ray Bolden and running back Stacey Bedell all accepted invitations to training camps for the New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers, respectively.
Parris had the most potential to be drafted out of the five seniors, as his NFL.com bio projected him to be drafted in either the fifth or sixth round of the draft. Lance Zierlein, NFL draft expert, wrote that, “While he has a tendency to lose his knee bend and overall pad level too often, it’s hard to ignore his impressive foot quickness in his pass sets.”
Parris was a four-year starter for Stony Brook and helped lead the offense to average nearly 30 points per game and about 351 yards per game. He was named American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press and STATS Football Collegiate Subdivision All-American despite playing only eight games this past season.
Cooper joins the Colts roster after earning Atlantic Coast Conference second-team honors in his final season with Stony Brook. Cooper recorded 147 tackles and 12 tackles for losses during his three-year tenure with the Seawolves.
Beverette, who will head to New Jersey, was a two-time second team All-CAA Football honoree in his three years with the Seawolves. He led the team with 96 total tackles in 2017 and collected 262 career tackles that included 27.5 tackles for losses.
Bolden, a two-time first team All-CAA Football selection for the wide receiver position, pulled down 66 receptions for 780 yards and nine touchdowns in 2017, which lead the Seawolves’ receiving corps. He completed his three seasons at Stony Brook with 171 catches for 2,081 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Bedell, a 2017 first team All-CAA Football selection and three-year veteran, rushed for 835 yards on 159 carries with eight touchdowns this past season with the Seawolves. He tallied a total of 2,954 yards and 31 touchdowns during his career at Stony Brook.
There are no scheduled dates for the training camps of any NFL teams at the time of this article’s publication.
