The NFL draft finished last Saturday night with 253 players selected by 32 teams.
Former Cal Poly quarterback Chris Brown was not one of the players whose name was called.
But Sunday morning, Brown received a call from his agent Jim Miller.
“He called and asked me if I had a bag packed,” Brown told The Tribune. “Told me ‘we’re going to Dallas.’”
As one of the most prolific quarterbacks in Cal Poly history, the Dallas Cowboys were interested in Brown’s talent and want to sign him as an undrafted free agent. They plan to work him out at their three-day rookie minicamp in Dallas this weekend.
Due to his speed and quickness showcased by his consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons, the Cowboys will try him out at both quarterback and wide receiver. He’ll have a chance at both positions with the health of quarterback Tony Romo in question following an injury-riddled 2015 season and a lack of depth at wide receiver.
With this signing, Brown has a chance to join the likes of Nick Dzubnar, Asa Jackson, Ramses Barden, Chris Gocong and Jordan Beck as recent Cal Poly football players that played in the NFL.
Brown hopes to emulate Dzubnar’s path following the draft last year. Dzubnar was signed by the Chargers after rookie minicamp and played all 16 games as a rookie, primarily on special teams.
With a good performance this weekend, Brown could see similar time on special teams if he signs as a wide receiver.
“I definitely put a lot of effort and a lot of time in to make sure that I was going to be able to adapt to whatever it is that they told me that they wanted me to do,” Brown said to The Tribune.
If any team understands the value of undrafted free agents, it’s the Dallas Cowboys. Romo, a four-time Pro Bowler, was signed out of Eastern Illinois after the 2003 draft.
Brown’s older brother, Terrence, also signed a free-agent contract after the draft in 2013 with the Cincinnati Bengals. The older Brown had some words of wisdom for his younger brother.
“He just told me to be ready to use this opportunity to show them what I can do,” Brown told The Tribune. “I’m just excited to get that chance.”