After four years of training and two Southwestern Athletic Conference Championships, two former Braves football players will fulfill their dreams of playing professional football.
Warren Gatewood, a defensive back, signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Green Bay Packers. Jarvis Turner, a wide receiver, signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Washington Redskins.
The significant phone calls from NFL teams that Warren and Jarvis received are the first step into professional stardom. Both players are extremely grateful for the opportunity.
“It’s a great feeling that I would never forget,” said Warren. “The Packers had been in contact with me the whole time. When they officially selected me, it was a great feeling for my family and me. I’m really excited to get started so that I can prove myself. I appreciate the opportunity.”
“This feels amazing because I have been waiting on this opportunity every since I started playing football,” said Jarvis.”
Both players have had dreams of playing in the NFL since their younger days. They both plan to make the best of their life changing opportunities.
“Playing in the NFL has been a dream of mine. It became more possible during my final two years due to my success while playing for the Braves. Most young football players have dreams of playing in the NFL, but it’s surreal to know that my dream is coming true,” said Warren.
“When I started playing football at age 13, I knew I wanted to make a career out of playing the sport. So playing on the professional level has been my mission since then,” said Jarvis.
Warren and Jarvis are not only proud of representing the Braves on a professional level, but they are also proud to represent the SWAC. They hope that their selections will encourage other teams to look for talent in the SWAC in future drafts.
“I’m really excited to represent Alcorn on the professional level. I look forward to adding to the University’s sports legacy. I hope that our selections will lead NFL teams to selecting more SWAC players. There’s so much talent in the SWAC and they deserve the opportunity to showcase their talents on the professional level,” said Warren.
“It’s truly a blessing to represent Alcorn in the NFL because athletes from historically black colleges and universities rarely get the chance to compete in the NFL. I plan to take advantage of the opportunity by giving it my all,” said Jarvis.
This post originally appeared on Alcorn.edu.
