Despite not being taken in the NFL draft this weekend, two Sacramento State football players were signed by teams following the draft.

Former Sac State defensive lineman Zack Nash signed with the Arizona Cardinals and wide receiver Chase Deadder signed with the Tennessee Titans.

Nash, Sac State’s all-time leader in sacks with 29.5, said he was excited and relieved when he found out.

“It was awesome,” Nash said. “I was so happy that the whole pre-draft process was finally over. It felt like a load was lifted off of my shoulders.”

Nash has been busy this offseason as he was named to the All-Big Sky Conference first team and the American Football Coaches Association All-America team.

Nash was also honored by the Associated Press by being named a Football Subdivision All-America team. He was just the second player in school history to receive the honor (Charles Roberts, 1999). He also played in the Players All-Star Classic in February.

With classes still in session, Nash said he has to finish school before he heads out to Arizona full-time to begin the NFL life.

“I head out to mini camp in two weeks for the weekend, then back to Sac until I graduate,” Nash said.

As for Deadder, his senior season was injury-plagued, as he played in just six of Sac State’s 11 games. He caught 15 passes for 152 yards and four touchdowns.

In 2010, Deadder caught 37 passes for 788 yards and six touchdowns.

Deadder has NFL size at 6 feet 6 inches tall and 215 pounds, which is a plus for him.

Nash said that he was happy to see his teammate make it to the NFL as well.

“It’s awesome to see his (Deadder’s) hard work pay off as well,” Nash said. “He works his tail off, so it’s nice to see him be rewarded.”

And a third Hornet may be on his way to the NFL as well.

Quarterback Jeff Fleming said his agent was contacted by the San Francisco 49ers about being invited to the 49ers training camp.

The 49ers have not contacted Fleming himself, but his agent notified him of the call he had with the 49ers, Fleming said.

Nash, Deadder and possibly Fleming could join a small list of Sac State football players to make it to the NFL.

Long snapper Lonnie Paxton, now with the Denver Broncos, has seen the most success.

Paxton was apart of the Super Bowl XXXVI, XXXVIII and XXXIX championship winning New England Patriots.

But just like Nash and Deadder, Paxton was not drafted in the 2000 NFL draft and was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent.

Today, Paxton is the second-highest paid long snapper in the NFL after inking a five-year, $5.3 million deal with the Broncos in 2009.

 

Josh Stanley and Dustin Nosler can be reached at [email protected]