By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – All Dontez Byrd wanted was a chance.
Through all the hard work on the field, in the weight room, in the classroom, the senior from Louisville, Ky., tried his best to get just one opportunity.
Then came the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, the pro days and as the days grew closer and closer to the NFL Draft this past weekend, the window of opportunity grew larger.
While he didn't hear his name through the event, he was still rewarded for his efforts. The Atlanta Falcons gave him his shot.
The Falcons announced Byrd's signing as an undrafted free agent on Tuesday along with 26 other players from different levels of college football, and the Tech standout is determined to show he belongs in the National Football League.
"I signed a contract with the Falcons, but nothing is guaranteed," Byrd said. "My main focus is to go into camp and show them that I belong and push towards making the 53-man roster."
That's not to say Byrd didn't have a nerve-wracking day waiting on Saturday.
"A couple minutes after the Draft, my agent called me and told me that I was going to be a Falcon and that the team would call me in a second," Byrd said. "They ended up calling me a minute or so after I talked to him and told me about the opportunity that I would have with the team.
"I was very excited and relieved during and after the call – I had been watching the last day of the Draft for six or so hours, waiting for my name to get called."
Byrd is the most recent Tech receiver to be picked as an undrafted free agent, joining Tim Benford in 2012 and Da'Rick Rogers in 2013. Quarterback Michael Birdsong was picked as a UDFA by the Seattle Seahawks in 2017, and has since joined the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League. Tech's last player to be drafted was Frank Omiyale, selected by the Falcons in the fifth round of the 2005 draft.
There's no question that Byrd made an immediate impact with the Golden Eagles after transferring in from Louisville. In his second season at Tech, he became the first Golden Eagle receiver to haul in passes for over 1,000 yards in a season. In 2017, he ranked 10th nationally in receptions per game (7.1), 15th in receiving yards (1,003) and 18th in receiving yards per game (91.2).
In both seasons at Tech, he broke the single-season catches and receiving yards records.
He finished his two-year Tech career with 152 catches for 1,936 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also returned kicks for 809 yards and had one kick return touchdown in 2016 against Mercer.
Byrd also excelled in the classroom, earning a semifinalist nod for the National Football Foundation's William V. Campbell Trophy, was inducted into the NFF's Hampshire Honor Society and was selected Academic All-District by CoSIDA.
Now the focus turns on getting ready. The NFL teams hold their rookie minicamp this weekend, then preseason training camp opens in July.
Byrd certainly hasn't slacked in his training and is prepared to keep working as hard as he can.
"Monday, after the Draft was over, I got back to the same heavy workouts I was doing before," Byrd said. "I want to make sure that I am in the best condition as I have ever been going into the camp, physically and mentally."
Photo by Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
