By Ed Farrell
Herald Assistant Sports Editor
This past weekend’s NFL collegiate draft did not produce any picks from Mercer County during the 2-day, 7-round process. But the extensive free-agent bonanza benefitted one local product Monday.
Former Hickory High and University of Buffalo standout Ben Woods announced he is headed to the Cleveland Browns’ 3-day rookie free-agent mini-camp in Berea this weekend.
“So far, so good,” an excited Woods related via phone Monday afternoon, cautioning, “I can’t get too excited. I have a lot of work ahead of me. But it’s definitely the chance of a lifetime, to play in the NFL.
“Making a dream become reality is pretty awesome!” continued the 22-year-old son of Keith and Donna Woods of Hermitage. “I have a big week ahead of me (he has one more final exam to take before he completes requirements for a degree in exercise science and nutrition, graduating May 11), but I’m just going to try to think of it as another day at the office.”
Woods began attracting interest from several teams following the completion of his collegiate career last fall, when he was chosen as a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, emblematic of the county’s top punter.
As a senior Woods averaged 42 yards on 72 punts, and pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line on 40 percent of his punts. Prior to his senior season he also handled the Bulls’ kickoff chores, and during the first 34 games of his career he was succesful on 7 of 11 onside-kick attempts. As a junior, he had 5 touchbacks in 16 kickoffs.
Woods maintains every meaningful punting record on UB’s books.
Earlier this spring in Reno, Nev. Woods attended an invitation-only kickers’ equivalent to the NFL Scouting Combine. That and his collegiate numbers drew the interest of the Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers, Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints. Earlier Monday Woods was contacted by Browns’ special teams coordinator Ted Daisher and director of player personnel T.J. McCreight. Woods’ agent, El Paso, Texas-based Ed Bunn, currently is negotiating contract specifics.
Sixth-year pro Dave Zastudil is Cleveland’s incumbent punter, having averaged 41.8 on 49 attempts last year, including 4 touchbacks, 14 downed inside the 20, and a long launch of 64 yards.
“This is a unilateral contract and I can be cut at any time. But if I perform well (at rookie camp) and training camp, hopefully I can win the starting spot,” Woods said. “They like me because I can punt, kick off, I’ve held (for placekickers), they like my ‘directional’ punting, and my all-weather background, having punted in Buffalo.
“They also like my size (6-foot-3, 220 pounds), quickness and strength,” Woods continued, explaining, “They like a little bit bigger punter ... a guy with a little bigger frame, a bigger target for the long-snapper, and someone with a little more endurance.”
This opportunity will test Woods’ allegiance. Admittedly, he is a “huge Pittsburgh fan,” but more seriously he related,
“I received interest from a number of teams the last couple days, but Cleveland pushed hard and it sounded like the best situation. They had an an available spot (Scott Player was Zastudil’s backup last season, averaging 45.6 on 13 punts), and I felt like I could win the job. ... I’d rather go to a team where I can win a roster spot.”
Where his professional football career leads, at this juncture, is conjecture, but “ ... the bottom line of my life,” Woods related, “is to give glory to God.”
