LAS VEGAS, NV (MPG) – Each April, football players from around the world have their dreams realized and shattered over the course of three stressful days known simply as the National Football League (NFL) Draft.

The 2022 NFL Draft was held April 28-30 in Las Vegas, Nevada as several Northern California hopefuls anxiously awaited through 262 picks for their names to be called. The Sacramento region only had one player fulfill his dream of hearing his name called this year. However, the Northern California region had six prominent players agree to terms on professional contracts as undrafted free agents.

Cornerback DaRon Bland out of Fresno State heard his name called on the draft’s final day and was selected with the 167th pick by the Dallas Cowboys. Bland played high school football in Modesto at Central Catholic before committing to play collegiately for Sacramento State beginning in 2017. Bland recorded 92 tackles (26 assisted), three interceptions, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one sack in 30 games played over three years with the Hornets.

Bland shined as a junior at Sac State, earning first team All-Big Sky Conference honors as a defensive back and the Hornets’ Outstanding Defensive Back Award. Following the pinnacle of his Hornets career, Bland transferred south to Fresno State where his brother, Keane, previously had run track.

In one season with the Bulldogs, Bland had at least one tackle in every game and tallied 45 total (11 assisted) in 13 games which ranked fifth on the team, second among all defensive backs and first among all cornerbacks. Bland also had five pass break ups, two interceptions, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble and one quarterback hit.

The 6-foot-2 Modesto native’s play on a bigger stage going from the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) impressed the Cowboys enough for them to spend a fifth-round pick on him rather than risk attempting to sign him as an undrafted free agent.

For those who are not fortunate enough to hear their names called, the final pick of the draft isn’t necessarily the end of the road. Each year, many undrafted players are signed as free agents from teams around the NFL, Canadian Football League (CFL) and now even the recently resurrected United State Football League (USFL) immediately after the draft concludes.

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One of the first NorCal natives to sign with an NFL team as an undrafted free agent was tight end Stone Smartt from Old Dominion University. The Sacramento native who played high school ball at Del Oro in Loomis agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Smartt is a versatile player that offers L.A. flexibility, similar to New Orleans Saints’ do-it-all Swiss army knife type player, Taysom Hill. The 6-foot-4 Smartt spent the first half of his college career as a quarterback before converting into a wide receiver. With his weight at 232 pounds and given height, Smartt could become a formidable tight end in the NFL.

The next tight end from Northern California to sign an NFL contract was Tucker Fisk who played at Davis Senior High School before going on to play in the PAC-12 Conference at Stanford. Fisk, who split time in college between tight end, defensive end and special teams, reached an agreement with the Atlanta Falcons.

The 6-foot-4 Davis native could provide flexibility for Atlanta given his ability to play on all sides of the ball. Fisk earned the Jack Huston Award in 2021, which “goes to the player exemplifying aggressiveness, exceptional performance and unheralded efforts.”

Tucker has followed the same path as his dad, Jason, who played football at Davis and Stanford before moving on to the NFL. Jason Fisk was a seventh-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in the 1995 NFL Draft. The Davis native played defensive tackle for five teams during his 12-year career, recording 386 tackles, 19 sacks, four forced fumbles and three interceptions. Tucker will now attempt to top his father’s accolades in the league.

Joining Fisk in Georgia was another Davis product, except this 309-pound rusher played collegiately for the Aggies. Bryce Rodgers was a defensive lineman at UC Davis for five seasons dating back to 2016, earning All-Big Sky second team honors during his senior season in 2021. Rodgers led the Aggies defensive linemen in tackles with 18 (10 assisted) while adding two sacks, two quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and one blocked kick.

Fisk and Rodgers may be teammates for the first time, but they may already have several mutual friends and acquaintances after each played football in Davis and Palo Alto. Fisk started in Davis before moving to Palo Alto. Rodgers did the opposite growing up in East Palo Alto before migrating to Davis.

Rodgers was not the only former Aggie agreeing to terms with a National Football Conference (NFC) South division team, as punter Daniel Whelan signed with the Saints. Whelan currently holds the UC Davis record for longest punt average (44.01 yards) in a career and a single season average record (46.25) that he achieved in 2021.

The Irish All-American is “arguably the greatest punter in Aggie history,” according to UC Davis Athletics. Whelan earned All-America first team honors from four organizations in 2021: Stats Perform, AFCA, HERO Sports and Phil Steele. The 6-foot-6 Irishman was also named to the All-Big Sky Conference first team and a finalist for FCS Punter of the Year after the shortened 2021 spring season.

Whelan will be competing with third-year punter Blake Gillikin for the starting job. Gilikin is ranked second all-time in career punting average (43.03) at Penn State. However, Whelan’s average in college was nearly one full yard longer, which may have led to the Saints organization deciding to sign him.

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Rodgers and Whelan were not the only former Aggies to agrees to terms with a professional football team. Offensive lineman Kooper Richardson, who spent his first four collegiate seasons at UC Davis, signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL. Richardson was adaptable for the Aggies splitting time at tackle, guard and center.

Before coming to UC Davis, Richardson played at Folsom High School for his dad, Kris, who was the Bulldogs’ coach until 2019 when he became the assistant head coach and offensive line coach at Sac State. Richardson played two more seasons for the Aggies but ultimately deciding to transfer to Sac State to play for his dad again in his final year of eligibility. The 6-foot-5, 295-pound lineman earned All-Big Sky second team honors in 2021.

In a draft that was widely considered to be “weak” when it came to quarterbacks, Vacaville native Carson Strong expected to hear his name as one of the 262 called, but the moment never arrived. Strong, who attended Vacaville High School, was not drafted due to medical concerns over his knee according to the NFL Network. Strong agreed to terms with the Philadelphia Eagles who, if Strong stays healthy, could have gotten a steal of a prospect.

The 6-foot-4 Strong started for three seasons at the University of Nevada, Reno where he completed 852 of 1,252 (68%) attempts for 9,368 yards and 74 touchdowns in 31 total games. In 2021, Strong earned Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors after tossing 366 of 523 (70%) passes for 4,175 yards and 36 touchdowns.

Two players from Sacramento to keep an eye on who were expecting to be signed but have not yet been are Grant Union High School alumni, center Orlando Umana and safety TieNeal Martin. Umana played collegiately at The University of Utah and Ole Miss. Martin began his college career at Yuba College before transferring to the University of Tulsa.