By JOSH BURRIS
A Norwell High School graduate will be looking to make the most of his opportunity to play in the NFL after signing an undrafted free agent contract on Saturday.
Curtis Blackwell – a former Ball State guard and 2017 Norwell grad – agreed to a deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the NFL Draft concluded.
Blackwell was not one of the 262 names called in the three-day draft, but is one of several more that will get a chance to make an NFL roster.
Blackwell’s Ball State teammate, safety JT Wahee, will also be joining him in Tampa Bay on a rookie free agent deal.
“It feels awesome. It’s a great feeling,” Blackwell said about getting an opportunity in the NFL.
Blackwell watched the draft at home with his parents and fiance waiting for a call of any kind from his agent or a team. He said the waiting and the unknown can be pretty mentally taxing.
“You keep your mind in ‘where am I going to go, where am I going to be,’ that type of thing. And to actually finally have a home is a big relief,” he said.
After the draft, teams have a short amount of time to get all the undrafted players they want signed. Blackwell said his agent Brian Hamilton refers to that period as the “wild, wild west.”
Hamilton fielded a handful of calls from teams and relayed information to Blackwell to figure out what may be the best opportunity. At the end of the day, Tampa Bay felt right to the Uniondale native.
“I had other teams reaching out throughout the day, but the Buccaneers made an offer and it just seemed like the right place for me,” Blackwell said.
The Norwell community is also excited to see how one of its own does at the next level.
“I’m so happy for Curtis. He’s a great representative of our program, school, and community,” Norwell football coach Josh Gerber said. “He’s got a great opportunity, and we’ll all be cheering for him. I’m excited to see what his future holds.”
Norwell athletic director Kelby Weybright said he knows Blackwell will make the most of this opportunity.
“(I’m) really excited that Curtis is getting this opportunity. It is a true testament to his desire, dedication, and hard work that he had put himself in this position,” Weybright said. “One thing you can be certain of is that Curtis will give the Bucs his total commitment to making the team, getting better every day and there won’t be any in camp who will work harder.”
Blackwell put together a solid five-year career at Ball State. He was named All-MAC second team twice and in his final season was named to the preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy, which is awarded to college football’s best interior lineman.
Blackwell contributed to an offensive line in 2021 that allowed 3.8 tackles-for-loss per game, which ranked 13th best in the nation. The 1.8 sacks allowed per game was also one of the best averages in the MAC.
Blackwell also got to be a part of one of Ball State’s best football seasons in 2020, which was initially cancelled by the MAC due to concerns around COVID-19. The decision was later reversed and the season was shortened, but the Cardinals made the most of it.
Ball State finished with a 7-1 record, which was the most wins it has had in a season since 2013. The Cardinals not only won their first MAC championship game in school history – a 38-28 victory over Buffalo – but also won their first bowl game when they defeated San Jose State 34-13 in the Arizona Bowl.
With the shortened season, the NCAA also granted all of its players an extra year of eligibility. Blackwell, who was a senior in 2020, decided to come back for a fifth year in 2021 to take advantage of the opportunity to not only keep the team’s success going, but also show the NFL what he can do.
In his final season, the Cardinals finished 6-7 and reached a bowl game once again, but lost to Georgia State in the Camellia Bowl.
In Tampa bay, Blackwell will join a strong offensive line that features former Pro Bowl selections like Tristan Wirfs and Ryan Jensen.
He will also get the opportunity to block for one of the game’s all-time greats in Tom Brady, who recently rejoined the Bucs out of retirement.
Blackwell is excited to get to work and learn what he can from the organization.
“I’m excited to get down there and go to work and make the most of this opportunity,” he said.
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