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Bucs tryout safety Darius Price hopes to put Siena Heights on the map

Darius Price, competing for a roster spot this weekend in rookie minicamp, would be Michigan school's first NFL player.
 
Published May 7, 2018

Darius Price likes the idea that he might introduce the NFL and its fans to Siena Heights University if he can stick around with the Bucs.

To answer the question: The school (enrollment: 1,600) is from Adrian, Mich., southwest of Detroit, and has only had a football program since 2011, with one year as a club sport before joining NAIA.

"It's an honor, just to be the the first one to get an NFL invite and the opportunity to play at the next level," said Price, who will compete at Bucs rookie minicamp this weekend as a tryout player, hoping to come out of the weekend with a contract as an undrafted rookie free agent.

Price,  who played corner in college but is getting a look as a safety, was able to participate at Michigan's pro day, giving him a greater exposure with NFL clubs, and a Bucs scout reached out to his agent after seeing him there.

"Corner really prepared me from a technical standpoint to defend the pass, and I love to play the run," said Price, who has excellent size at 6-foot-2, 217 pounds.

Price was recognized as one of NAIA's top prospects — the Cliff Harris Award, given to the top defender in NCAA Division II, III or NAIA, had him as the top vote-getter among NAIA players.

Price played quarterback and defensive end in high school in Saginaw, but college coaches liked him as a defensive back. He stayed every summer to develop at the position — his scholarship didn't cover summer classes, so he paid out of pocket. A non-qualifier out of high school who had to sit out his first year of college, he took 18 credit-hours last fall and graduated with a degree in business administration.

Saginaw has produced some great pro athletes — former NFL players LaMarr Woodley and Charles Rogers, as well as current NBA star Draymond Green. None faced odds as long as Price faces to make the NFL cut.

The Bucs have had good success with undrafted players in recent years — receiver Adam Humphries made the team in 2015 as a tryout player, and tight end Cameron Brate just landed a $42 million contract after developing from an undrafted rookie and practice-squad player into tying for the NFL lead among tight ends with eight touchdown catches in 2016.

If Price can land a contract, there's still good competition among the rookie safeties — the Bucs drafted Pittsburgh's Jordan Whitehead in the fourth round and signed Northwestern's Godwin Igwebuike as an undrafted free agent.