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BOCA RATON – It’s not the shot they were hoping for, but it’s more of a shot than most people get.
Three former FAU football players will spend the weekend auditioning for an NFL job at rookie minicamps.
For one player, that audition could last a couple weekends.
Guard Jakobi Smith is currently in Seattle for a tryout with the Seahawks, his agent Seth Needleman confirmed to OwlAccess.com via text message. If the weekend in Seattle doesn’t produce the desired result – a free agent contract with the Seahawks – Smith already has a second camp tryout invite – this one with the Cincinnati Bengals at their rookie minicamp next weekend.
The 6-foot-3, 311-pound Smith won a 2017 fall camp battle with San Diego St. transfer William Tuihalamaka to be the starting right guard, then started all 14 games for an FAU offense that broke numerous records. Smith benched 225 pounds 31 times during FAU’s pro day.
Wide receiver John Franklin, an Auburn transfer who arrived at FAU during fall camp, will join Smith in Seattle. While it was widely incorrectly reported that Franklin signed a free agent contract with the Seahanks, Franklin confirmed that he did not sign and will be in the Pacific Northwest trying out for the club. Like Smith, Franklin could still elect to sign with the Seahawks or a different team, should another offer arise.
After beginning his college career as a quarterback at Florida St., Franklin gained famed as the quarterback of East Mississippi Community College, featured in the Netflix docu-series “Last Chance U.”
Franklin converted to wide receiver at Auburn and during his lone season at FAU he caught seven passes for 95 yards and a touchdown. Franklin also carried the ball 16 times for 242 yards and two scores. Speed is Franklin’s biggest asset. While Franklin’s official 40-yard dash time at FAU’s pro day was 4.4, some scouts clocked him in the high 4.3s.
Fellow wide receiver Kalib Woods is also getting a tryout this weekend. He’ll be with the Kansas City Chiefs, his agency reported on Twitter.
FAU’s leading receiver in 2017, Woods began the 2018 season under suspension following his arrest on two charges of felony battery stemming from a fight at an off-campus event. Once FAU lifted the suspension, the 6-foot-3, 189-pound Woods caught 24 passes for 619 yards and four touchdowns..
Woods ran a disappointing 4.55 in the 40 during FAU’s pro day.
Nine NFL teams will hold their rookie minicamps this weekend. The remaining teams’ minicamps are scheduled for the following weekend.
That’s when the only two Owls to sign contracts following last weekend’s NFL draft will take the field together. Running back Buddy Howell and kicker Greg Joseph both signed with the Miami Dolphins in the hours after the draft concluded.
That same weekend wide receiver Kamrin Solomon will have a weekend tryout at the Jacksonville Jaguars rookie minicamp, his agent post on Twitter.
No FAU players were selected during the 2018 NFL draft.
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