Jaevery McFadden set to workout for Vikings, Redskins

It looks like it will be a couple of weeks before former Badger linebacker Jaevery McFadden knows which NFL training camp he'll head to. McFadden went undrafted in the three day NFL Draft.

WKOW spoke with McFadden's agent, Travis Gavinski, on Sunday afternoon and was told McFadden has 2 workouts scheduled so far.

On April 30-May 2 McFadden will work out for the Minnesota Vikings and May 7-9 he will work out for the Washington Redskins.

Gavinski said that the Redskins have expressed the most interest in McFadden so far and would be the most likely landing spot at this point. McFadden hopes to be one of 4 rookie Badgers in NFL training camps. Tight end Garrett Graham was drafted in the 4th round by the Houston Texans. The Arizona Cardinals took linebacker O'Brien Schofield in the 4th round and safety Chris Maragos signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Francisco 49ers.

Standout Badger Linebacker McFadden Signs with ESM

Elite Sports Management is excited to announce the signing of former University of Wisconsin standout linebacker Jaevery McFadden. McFadden is currently training at MST Sports Performance in Miami, Florida, preparing for the UW pro day. McFadden has gained 12 pounds since the Badger bowl game, while improving his strength and speed.

"It will prove to be his day to show NFL personnel that he has the measurables to play at the next level," says Travis Gavinski of Elite Sports Management.

McFadden came to the Badgers as a tight end. After red-shirting his freshman year, he moved to linebacker. He served primarily on special teams his first two years but came into his own as a junior.

McFadden led the Badgers in tackling the past two seasons. In 2009, McFadden recorded 74 tackles in 13 games, including 8-1/2 tackles for loss and a sack. He recorded ten tackles and a sack against Fresno State, nine tackles against Purdue and eight tackles against Northern Illinois and Wofford. He spearheaded a rushing defense that ranks second in the Big Ten (90.5 yards) and did not allow an opponent to run for 100 yards in the last nine games of the Big Ten season.

ESM Sign Former Wildcat Johnny Jackson to CFL Contract

Johnny Jackson is a dominating force on the defensive line. He's going to show that ability in the Canadian Football League as the newest member of the Calgary Stampeders.

Following a tremendous high school career, Jackson began his education and college playing days at Sacramento Community College. While at Sacramento Community College, Jackson set the Junior College single season sack record, along with the record for the most sacks in a single game and the most sacks in a junior college career (55).

Following two seasons at Sacramento Community College, Jackson entertained offers from schools all over the country including Arizona, Texas, Ohio State and Nebraska.  He was also highly recruited by the PAC-10 and decided to go to California-Berkeley to stay close to his family.

When he began intense off-season workouts in January, he noticed his knee was still bothering him.  At that time, he was advised by the Cal coaches to undergo an MRI. That showed an anterior cruciate ligament injury and a decision was made to have surgery to repair the damage.  The surgery was successfully completed in late February 1999.  He stuck to a strict workout program and was able to lose a lot of body fat, eventually making him healthier.

New ESM Client Bryant Eteuati Signs with Calgary Stampeders

Elite Sports Management recently signed wide receiver/kick returner Bryant Eteuati. On the heels of partnering with ESM, Eteuati signed a contract with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League.

Eteuati was the 2007 NCAA Divsion FCS all-purpose yards leader with 207.5 yards per game. He led the FCS in total punt returns with 36, returning two for touchdowns. Eteuati is the Weber State career punt return leader with 93 returns for 915 yards.

In 2007, he led the Big Sky Conference, and ranked 10th in FCS with 43 returns for 1,199 yards and one touchdown. Eteuati was named First Team All-Big Sky Conference Return Specialist in 2007 and 2008.

ESM to Represent Offensive Tackle Derek Wooten

Elite Sports Management is proud to announce that they will represent offensive tackle Derek Wooten. The 6'-6", 303 pound former Wofford Terrier was named to the 2008 All-Southern Conference First Team in 2008.

Wooten was also named to the Associated Press FCS All-America Third team in 2008. He became just the ninth player in school history to earn Associated Press All-America honors since moving to Division 1-AA (Football Championship Subdivision).

He anchored an offensive line that allowed only five sacks all season, which was best in the nation. The Terrier rushing attack was first in the conference and second in the nation. The team also ranked second in the nation in total offense.

Ronnie Amadi Signs With Calgary Stampeders

Elite Sports Management client Ronnie Amadi signed with the 2008 Grey Cup Champion Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League.

Amadi (6' 0", 185), a defensive back from the University of Kansas, signed with the Stampeders on June 9, 2009. Since that time, he has made an impact on the coaches and was recently named one of the starting cornerbacks.

"I’m still learning about the CFL and the differences in the Canadian game," Amadi said on a team blog. "The game is fast and the field is big and there’s definitely still more for me to learn."

Amadi spent the 2008 season with the New York Dragons of the Arena Football League. In 2007, he played for the Green Bay Blizzard and led Arena Football League 2 in passes defended with 36.

Sykes has the ability to post big numbers

Based on his statistics from the 2008 season, Trumaine (Joe) Sykes belongs in a video game.

As a member of the Green Bay Blizzard, the 6-foot-4, 275-pound defensive lineman led af2 — the Arena Football League's satellite loop — in the regular season with 22 tackles for losses, 19.5 sacks and eight forced fumbles, and tied for the league lead with five fumble recoveries.

In the playoffs, he added 6.5 sacks — including an af2 postseason single-game record of five against the Lexington Horsemen — and two forced fumbles. Sykes subsequently was named the af2 defensive player-of-the-year and defensive lineman-of-the-year.

Harris' Long, Winding Road to the NFL

Many different player pedigrees go into making an NFL playoff contender. Big-money unrestricted free agents and big-money rookies join old reliable returnees and young reliable vets to make a dynamic, pedal-to-the-metal roster.

And once in a while, a player who's been on a pothole-filled career finds the on-ramp, merges onto the superhighway and helps in the drive to the title.

Perhaps for the Jets, Anthony Harris is one of those kinds of players.

"It's hard," Harris said today after working at the OTA practice in the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center fieldhouse. "It was a bumpy road trying to get here."

Anthony Harris Signs Three-Year Deal With New York Jets

Elite Sports Management client Anthony Harris signed a three-year contract with the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL) following three days of rookie mini-camp practice.

Harris was among 60 athletes competing for a handful of spots on the Jets 80-man training camp roster.

Harris plays defensive tackle but it is his long snapping abilities that secured his spot on the 80-man roster.

"No one ever taught me how to snap," Harris said in an interview while playing arena football last season. "I learned it doing it on my own and I just got better and better at it."

Elite Sports Management Client Anthony Harris Invited to New York Jets Rookie Camp

Defensive lineman Anthony Harris (6' 4", 310), an Elite Sports Management client, was invited to rookie mini-camp with the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL).

Harris worked out for several NFL teams over the past month before the Jets invited him to their rookie mini-camp, which begins this weekend.

Harris impressed a scout from the Jets at a recent workout and will now compete for a spot on the 80-man training camp roster for the team.

"He has a great shot at making the roster based on his ability to play defensive tackle, defensive end, and long snapper," said Mike Westhoff, special teams coordinator for the New York Jets.

Elite Sports Management Client Steven Jackson a "small school sleeper"

DraftDaddy.com has named Elite Sports Management client, Steven A. Jackson, a "small school sleeper" in the upcoming National Football League (NFL) draft.

Jackson, a defensive back from Fort Valley State University in Georgia, played in the Cactus Bowl all-star game in Kingsville, Texas. The game is billed as “the best players you’ve never seen” and that’s backed up by the fact that 16 players from last year’s game signed NFL contracts.

“There are a lot of great athletes out here,” Jackson told Macon.com in January. “There’s nobody here who’s not worth being in the game. It’s a challenge.”

Jackson led FVSU and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) with seven interceptions, tying a school mark with three against Tuskegee.

Visit http://draftdaddy.com/ranks/smallschool_DB.htm to see Jackson listed.

ESM Client Odell Willis Signs with 2008 Grey Cup Champion Calgary Stampeders

Elite Sports Management client, defensive end Odell Willis, has signed a multi-year deal with the 2008 Grey Cup Champion Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League.

Willis was a member of the Green Bay Blizzard in 2008.  The Blizzard defense ranked first in total defense (200.1 ypg), defensive pass efficiency (69.7), pass defense (178.7 ypg), sacks by (55) and second in scoring defense (38.1 ppg) and red zone defense (68.6%) last season.

In five total games with the Blizzard in 2008, Willis recorded 11 tackles, 9 sacks, 5 forced fumbles and 3 fumbles recovered. Willis set an af2 single game sack record with five sacks in a 32-20 Blizzard win against the Louisville Fire. Willis was named the ADT Defensive Player of the Game for his six tackles, five sacks for a loss of 37 yards, two safeties, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one quarterback hurry against the Fire.