Throughout their time on the gridiron as members of Harvard’s football team, Collin Zych, Gino Gordon, Marco Iannuzzi, Chuks Obi, and Brent Osborne kept their opponents guessing. Now they’re the ones playing a waiting game.
The five athletes recently participated in two NFL Pro Days in hopes of making an NFL team. The league has the next move.
Each participated in a Pro Day on March 23 at Boston College, and four athletes participated in a second one Wednesday at Palmer Dixon and in the Stadium.
“I think it went really well,” Iannuzzi said. “As a group, we really performed well. A few of us had personal bests. We sort of got a little more exposure, definitely got some more eyes on us.”
Originally, the team had planned to participate solely in the Pro Day at BC, but James Frazier, the head of the Crimson’s strength and conditioning program, scheduled one on campus a few weeks ago, according to Osborne.
“They’re going to have every single NFL team in there,” Harvard coach Tim Murphy said on Tuesday, March 8. “To have access to every single NFL team…makes perfect sense. It’s nice of BC to let us be part of that and recognize that we have some great talent.”
And the more Pro Days the better for the Crimson’s athletes, who recognize that spots in the NFL will be hard to come by.
“All of them have the potential to play in the NFL, but they all realize that they’re going to have to test well,” Murphy said before the combines.
Of all of the athletes, Iannuzzi might be the one with the best shot at earning a professional contract because he has also been pursuing a career in the CFL. The wide receiver participated in the CFL Combine over the weekend between March 4 and 6.
“For him, it’s natural,” Murphy said of Iannuzzi’s chances in the CFL. “They’re dying for outstanding athletes like that.”
Iannuzzi hasn’t announced which league he would prefer.
Meanwhile, the other four are competing for a spot in a league that may or may not have a season this coming fall.
“I consider myself a guy on the bubble,” Osborne said. “From what I understand, if a lockout is still going on, it would be hard to sign as a free agent.”
Should NFL teams take the field, there is no reason to believe that one of these five wouldn’t be among the ranks. One likely to do so is Zych, captain of the 2010 team. Zych and rising senior Josué Ortiz were the only athletes in the conference to be unanimously named first-team All Ivy.
“He’s a safety with corner speed [and] tremendous instincts, a big play kid,” Murphy said. “I don’t think he would have any problem getting a good look in an NFL camp.”
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