The 2018 National Football League Draft will have a lot at stake for Ferris as Zach Sieler has a legitimate shot at hearing his named called.
Sieler was one of the most dominant men in the past two seasons as a member of a ferocious Bulldog defensive line. Quarterbacks feared him on Saturdays in college and will soon fear him again on Sundays as the 6-foot-6, 290-pound lineman works his way into the professional spotlight.
“I have been talking to a lot of teams with my agent. However, I can’t really name them. There’s lot of stuff going on but I’m very excited,” Sieler said. “I’m just praying I get an opportunity to be on a team and I know from there I’m going to excel.”
It’s rare to see a Division II athlete forgoing a season to make the leap to the professional ranks but if anyone has a chance to make it work, it’s Sieler. In the 2016 season as a sophomore, Sieler put himself on the map with a record-breaking year. He set school records with 29.5 tackles for loss and 19.5 sacks while being named the Football Gazette National Defensive Player of the Year.
Sieler saw another year of success in 2017 while consistently being put up against two to three offensive linemen as opposing teams tried to limit the damage Sieler inflicted on any player touching the ball. Sieler has since been working out in Atlanta, continuously improving so he can have the best opportunity once reaching the NFL.
“I feel great. I’m excited. Going through this process is very eye-opening. I’ve learned a lot of things and I’m thankful for all that’s happening,” Sieler said. “I’m just trying to enjoy the moment. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
Sieler would become the first Bulldog ever drafted into the NFL if his name is called at the draft in April.
If Sieler’s name isn’t called during the draft, he will garner a lot of interest as one of the best free agents out of college and would join recent Bulldogs Jake Lampman, Jason Vander Laan and Justin Zimmer who have all taken that route.
One thing is for sure: no matter how he gets there, Sieler is hard at work to haunt the dreams of NFL quarterbacks everywhere.
The 2018 NFL Draft begins on Thursday, April 26 and will wrap up on Saturday, April 28.
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