The NFL draft came and went this weekend, and there are four former Sac State players who fell through the seven rounds of selections unchosen, and now look towards standing up tall in the aftermath of draft day mayhem, as signed rookie free agents.

Charles Roberts, Ricky Ray, Lamont Webb and Anthony Daisley will all be in camp this summer, trying to do what few Sac State players have done, and make a profession out of their athletic talent. And, while the pressure isn?t overbearing, it would be a huge lift to Sac State?s reputation if even one of these guys can break into the league and become not only a player, but become a star that every fan in America will come to associate as having roots at Sac State.

Yeah, we have a few former Hornets in the professional ranks, but what we don?t have is the one guy who blue chip recruits look at, admire, and dream of following in their footsteps.

There isn?t a player who is the identity to Sac State the way that John Stockton is to Gonzaga, Randy Moss is to Marshall, Vin Baker to Hartford, or Steve McNair is to Alcorn State.

These guys symbolize sports at their former university. These are schools, much like Sac State, that don?t have reputations for great sports programs and they aren?t seen as a stepping stone of college talent into professional glory the way that UCLA, North Carolina, or Florida State are. But they do have the one player, the guy that became an all-star even though they didn?t play for a perennial powerhouse in college.

Take a look around the professional leagues, and you will find very few players who have worn the green and gold. You have Daimon Shelton, a starting fullback for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he?s a role player. Lonnie Paxton made the New England Patriots last year, but he plays what can be best described as a novelty position, the long-snapper. Not that Paxton is complaining about his NFL salary, but his legend at Sac State is limited. Unless the coaching staff wants to build a reputation as “the program to be in if you want to be a long-snapper,” there has to be a bigger name out there to be Sac State?s spokesperson.

It doesn?t have to be a football player, but it seems as though the best shot will be from one of John Volek?s boys. This is because it?s a long, hard look to find somebody from any other sport who is making a name for him or herself once they graduate from this campus.

And really, it will have to be either football, basketball or baseball, where the heroes of the sporting world are most prominent, to really gain anybody?s attention. Although it would be nice, providing a legend to the world of soccer, rowing, gymnastics, or tennis just won?t deliver the flare and attention to Sacramento that a member of the “big three” sports will. Not because the other sports aren?t as hard, or meaningful, but because those sports just aren?t a part of the American mainstream.

Will we ever see the player that makes every seventh grader with lofty dreams and a brilliant future realize that Sac State could be amidst the beaten path to glory?

Only time will tell, but count on this: If Sac State wants to become big time, it needs to create a reputation, and if it can produce a star that shines out over America to become a household name, there will be no turning back from there.

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