INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts had 46 players taking part in their three-day rookie minicamp at the team's facility Friday. Only eight of those players were draft picks from last weekend. There were 15 undrafted rookies and 13 players who were brought in on a tryout in an attempt to have a shot at making the team's 53-man roster at the start of the regular season.
"It's a really exciting time for these young men," coach Chuck Pagano said. "It's a great opportunity. It's really tough getting to this point. It's hard getting into one of these buildings this time of year and then it's even harder staying. I'm really excited about this group ... The goal is to evaluate these guys and see exactly what we have in our draft choices and the free agents and the tryout guys."
Colts general manager Ryan Grigson prides himself in finding gems that could potentially make the 53-man active roster or at least the practice squad. Defensive lineman Zach Kerr, running back Zurlon Tipton, center Jonotthan Harrison and cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy were collegiate free agents that made the opening roster last season. Safety Dewey McDonald began the season on the practice squad but worked his way up to the active roster. Harrison started 10 games at center last season.
"There's a bunch of guys that are in the Hall of Fame, guys that have played," Pagano said. "You know the James Harrisons of the world, the Tony Romos of the world, Kurt Warner. A bunch of guys have got into this league, however whether they were drafted, free agent, a tryout guy, don't worry about that. My point to them was, 'Don't start measuring yourself right now. Worry about you, worry about when the day is over the goal is, am I a better football player this afternoon than I was this morning? Then repeat the same thing tomorrow. The final goal of something like this would be to become necessary. Be so good that we can't ignore you.'"
This year's group of players includes linebacker Zachary Hodges, who went from being homeless in high school to being named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year twice while at Harvard. Running back Tyler Varga, who finished his career at Yale fourth in rushing yards (2,985) and third in rushing touchdowns (31).
"I mean, I think everyone thinks that they're the best player or should try to think that they're the best at their craft," Hodges said. "So for anyone to tell you not, I guess that could be rough. This is a marathon. I think I've said that since the beginning. The fight isn't over."
