Small schools, big dreams
By PETE IORIZZO, Staff writer Times Union
Former NFL receiver Jerry Rice ranks as the league's all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He won three Super Bowls and played in 13 Pro Bowls. His college? Mississippi Valley State, a historically black school in Itta Bena, Miss., that competes in Division I-AA football.
"Thank God someone gave Jerry Rice a chance to play," University at Albany football coach Bob Ford said.
Rice stands as perhaps the most famed example of a small-school player who later enjoyed big-time NFL success. There are plenty of other instances as well: Walter Payton (Jackson State), Art Shell (Maryland Eastern Shore) and Merril Hoge (Idaho State), among them.
Advancements in scouting and film as well as the more frequent exchange of information through the Internet make it more and more plausible for NFL teams to find players in all corners of the collegiate landscape. Take this past draft: Teams selected players from schools like Tarleton State and Gardner Webb.
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