Former Warrior signs NFL free-agent contract
Former El Camino football player Jean Sifrin hoped his dream became a reality this weekend as he waited for his name to be called at the 2015 NFL Draft.
However, Sifrin was not selected in the draft. But his dream of playing in the NFL is ongoing after signing an undrafted-free agent contract with the Indianapolis Colts, according to the Masslive website.
”He has a lot of upside,” EC football coach John Featherstone said. “He is a good athlete who can run, catch and is fearless on the field.”
Sifrin will begin his NFL career as a 27-year-old rookie and will have to earn a spot on the team during training camp. The Colts have four tight ends on its roster which makes for an uphill battle for Sifrin.
The 6-foot-5, 245-pound tight end played for EC in 2013 and finished the season with 18 catches for 328 yards and five touchdowns in five game, according to the El Camino athletics site.
Sifrin transferred to the University of Massachusetts in 2014 and had a breakout season, according to the UMASS website.
His 42 catches, 642 yards and six touchdowns earned him first team all Mid-American Conference honors. He had a spectacular leaping one-handed catch against Colorado that landed him on Sportcenter’s Top 10 Plays, according to the Masslive website.
Sifrin is raw but an athletic tight end with above-average leaping ability and open-field talent to stress defenses vertically, according to his draft profile on the NFL website.
He’s projected as a mid-to-late round prospect by most draft analysts. At his pro day he ran a 4.75 40-yard dash and bench-pressed 225 pounds 15 times. He showed his leaping ability with a 31-inch vertical leap, according to the NFL website.
Sifrin can take solice in the fact that several UMASS players have had solid pro careers without being selected. The biggest names that have come from UMASS are Victor Cruz, wide receiver for the New York Giants, and James Ihedigbo, safety for the Detroit Lions, according to the Gazettenet website.
Featherstone said that there were some things that he can do well against others.
“He can block, but you can also move him outside to create mismatches,” Featherstone said. “He’s got a bright future. He’s only going to get better.”
Updated to include John Featherstone quotes. Attempts to reach Jean Sifrin for this story were made but “The Union” did not receive an immediate reply.
