Green Bay Packers: Joe Callahan Could be Undrafted Gem
By John Laird
When the NFL Draft ends, teams go on a spree of signing players who went undrafted with the slim hope that they can make an impact. Here, we’ll take a look at a potential hidden gem the Green Bay Packers were able to lure.
Players go under the radar for a number of reasons when it comes to the NFL Draft. It could be because of size, competition level, character, among others. When you’re a player from the Division III level trying to make it to the NFL, the odds are stacked pretty high against you.
Last year, Tampa Bay decided to break the mold and select a Division III product in the form of Ali Marpet, from Hobart College in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Marpet was able to slide right into the guard spot for the Bucs and do just fine from his transition from a low level college football program to the NFL. Talent will transition no matter what, it’s just rare to see it happen from Division III.
Joe Callahan has all the intangibles and attributes you look for. Despite playing for D-III Wesley College in Dover, Delaware, Callahan displayed many key attributes for a NFL level signal caller. The few that stick out were his arm strength, athletic ability, grit, and leadership. He has the ability to make these crazy plays when his body is in weird positions. In all reality he really reminds me of a poor man’s Brett Favre.
Remember that guy, Green Bay?
He was able to lead Wesley into being a D-III power house during his time there. Often having his team ranked in the Top-5 in the nation, he made a dangerous offense work almost single handedly.
Callahan has put up numbers since his sophomore season, and only got better as his career progressed for the Wolverines. His senior season he won the Gagliardi Trophy, which is the equivalent to the Heisman Trophy of D-III. He was a finalist the year before. He was also named as an All American by many different sources. If I were to list all of the awards I would be here for days.
In his senior season, the Absecon, New Jersey native posted a huge stat line in the form of 5,063 yards, 55 touchdowns, to go along with a near-70 completion percentage. The only other player in the history of college football to put up stats similar to that? Hawaii’s former passer, Colt Brennan. By the end of the 2015 season, Callahan had put his name in the record books, multiple times.
Now just because he plays for a Division-III school don’t think he hasn’t went up against lousy competition. Multiple times during his collegiate career, Callahan went up against D-IAA UNC Charlotte, and beat them. Not to mention going up against D-III powerhouses like Mount Union and North Central, the former Wolverine still was able to put up near 50 points a game.
As a three year starter, the 6’1″, 225 pound passer made the play-offs each year, but never got farther then the NCAA Semi-Finals. When your offense is a one man show, it’s easy to know who to key on.
Callahan was able to take a team with little hope all the way to the semi-final and quarter-finals in two different years, but eventually lost to Mount Union both years.
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In the end, I don’t expect all of the NFL to know who Joe Callahan is. What I do know is once the fans of the Packers get to see him in preseason action, they will get to love him. He may never amount to be a starting NFL quarterback, but could be a solid back-up for Green Bay for many years to come.
You got a good one, Ted Thompson.