Ravens sign Evan Oglesby
By Brent Holloway
Friday, December 16, 2005 12:37 PM EST
The Toccoa Record
For months Evan Oglesby has been toiling on the Buffalo Bills practice squad, living the life of an undrafted free agent in the NFL, but he’s been working toward his dream of suiting up on Sundays for a lot longer than that.
Monday night, that dream will be realized.
Sunday, Dec. 4, Oglesby was contacted through his agent by the Baltimore Ravens. Two days later he was signed to their active roster.
“I was getting ready to put up my Christmas tree when I got the call,” said Oglesby, a graduate of Stephens County High School.
“It was going to be my first Christmas tree in my own place and I was excited about that. Then I got a call from my agent. He said ‘are you ready to play with the big boys and told me that the Baltimore Ravens wanted to sign me to their active roster. It was almost a no-brainer.”
For Oglesby, the call was the culmination of years of work and dedication.
He didn’t get many scholarship offers from Division I schools, so Oglesby took his talents to the University of North Alabama in Florence, a Division II school in the Gulf South Conference.
At UNA, he flourished. He started four years at cornerback for the Lions, intercepting seven passes and garnering All-America honors during his junior year and being named to the All-GSC team in 2003 and 2004.
In last April’s NFL draft, Oglesby wasn’t selected, but NFL scouts hadn’t missed him completely.
Shortly after the draft, he was signed as a rookie free agent by the Buffalo Bills, where he eventually was signed to the practice squad after failing to make the 53-man roster on the last day of cuts.
Life on the practice squad is a far cry from the glitz and glamour of NFL Sundays. Your friends and family won’t see you on television.
You’ll never hear your name on SportsCenter. And even if you do make a play worthy of the highlight reel and there are cameras there to capture it, they probably won’t.
Chances are they’re only at your practice to get the scoop on your team’s latest quarterback controversy.
Not exactly what millions of kids grow up dreaming about, but Oglesby said he was grateful for the opportunity.
“At Buffalo they really preached technique,” Oglesby said. “Coach (Jerry) Gray (Bills defensive coordinator) is a good defensive coach and I’ve been working hard to improve, so when I got (to Baltimore) I feel like I just fit right in. I really liked it in Buffalo and I thank them for all that they did, but I’m in Baltimore now and I’m focusing on that.”
Oglesby’s affection for his team in Buffalo made the decision to go to the Ravens more difficult than some might imagine.
“I did need to think about it,” he said. “They called about 7:30 or 8 (p.m.) and wanted me to be in Baltimore first thing Monday morning. So I called my mom Sunday night and we had a good long talk. She told me she was behind me 100 percent whatever I chose, so that really made my decision easier.”
With mom’s approval in tow, Oglesby set out for his new home in Baltimore, where he is staying in a hotel suite through the end of the season.
After three practices last week, Oglesby didn’t dress out in the Ravens’ 12-10 loss in Denver, but he’ll be donning no. 25 Monday night when Baltimore hosts the Green Bay Packers and expects to see action on special teams and in some substitute packages.
“They’ve told me to be ready at any time,” Oglesby said. “A of lot the schemes and everything are the same as they were in Buffalo, it’s just different calls that I have to learn.”
Playing among veterans and pro bowl cornerbacks like Deion Sanders, Dale Carter, Samari Rolle and Chris McAllister, Oglesby said he’s doing his best to soak up all the wisdom he can while trying to make a name of his own.
“The coaching staff and everybody showed me love and made me feel welcome,” Oglesby said, “and I feel like I’ve made a good impression here during the first week of practice.
“I just didn’t want to come out and look like a rookie,” he added. “Here it’s all about proving yourself and I think I’ve been able to do that. Now I just want to keep working and keep improving and be able to contribute when I get my chance.”
When his cleats meet the turf at approximately 9 p.m. Oglesby will be achieving one of his life’s goals, but he realizes that it won’t be solely the product of his talent and dedication. He’s gotten lots of help along the way and he hasn’t forgotten those that have made it possible.
“It’s truly a blessing,” he said. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and coming from Toccoa, Ga., you know, small town, nothing like this really ever happens. So for me to do something like this really says a lot about my family. They kept me out of a lot of things and kept me straight. I thank God for that.”
http://www.thetoccoarecord.com/articles/2005/12/16/news/sports/01sportsravenssign.txt
