Not everyone celebrated the same way as many draft picks you saw on TV.
Youngstown State receiver Jermiah Braswell was alone when he got the call from his agent, letting him know the Arizona Cardinals signed him as an undrafted free agent.
“It didn’t really process at first,” Braswell said.
Although he’s recovered, Braswell’s dad recently had coronavirus, which meant he couldn't return home during the draft, and instead had to deliver the news to his family on the phone.
The kicker? His dad didn’t answer the call. Then when he called him back, he thought his son was joking.
“I was like, come on man, that’s not something I would joke about right now.”
Another humble moment in his journey. A few years prior to going undrafted, Braswell was overlooked coming out of high school. Youngstown State was the only Division I program willing to take a chance on him.
“I’m not new to the ‘trying to prove myself’ thing,” Braswell said. "Coming into the NFL, I just want to show the Arizona Cardinals that I’m a sponge, I’m willing to learn and I’m an extremely hard worker.”
I suppose it hasn’t all been humble beginnings, Jermiah has a certain claim to fame. He helped his high school win a state championship his senior year. One of his big plays of the night, picking off a young quarterback named Joe Burrow.
Burrow would go on to win a national title with LSU and be drafted No. 1 overall.
“It was a pretty hyped up game. Joe Burrow won ‘Mr. Football’ that year, so you knew he was really good," Braswell said. "We were in a back and forth battle the whole game. I just read it and picked it off and we ended up scoring the next drive. That’s what helped us win the state championship.”
A story he’ll keep in his back pocket as he prepares for the next chapter in his football career.
“I can’t wait to be in Arizona to see what it’s all like.”
Braswell is among 21 undrafted free agents signed by the Arizona Cardinals following the 2020 Draft.
