By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
When the phone call came in the sixth round, Brad Roach could finally exhale.
While the former Williamston Tigers’ star never got to hear his name get called during this weekend’s NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens called Roach Sunday evening and offered him a free-agent deal. Roach, an All-American quarterback at Catawba College, quickly accepted.
Roach will join fellow rookie Joe Flacco of Delaware, who was selected with the 18th overall pick in the first round, second-year player Troy Smith and veteran Kyle Boller at quarterback.
The 6-6, 250-pound Roach, who completed 608 of 1,099 passes (55.3 percent) for 7,874 yards and 62 touchdown passes in his college career, is happy that he’ll be able to play relatively close to home.
During the two-day draft, which started with two rounds Saturday and was followed by five more rounds Sunday, Roach admitted to being jittery.
Prior to the draft, eight teams had been in correspondence with Roach. The Ravens, New York Giants, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets and Miami Dolphins all showed an interest in the strong-armed quarterback.
After attending Catawba’s fall sports banquet Tuesday, Roach will return to Washington and work out on his own. He’ll head to Baltimore for the team’s mini-camp May 8.
The Ravens will begin preseason play on Thursday, Aug. 7, against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Baltimore’s first home preseason game at M&T Bank Stadium will be Saturday, Aug. 16, against the Minnesota Vikings.
Baltimore will also play
The Ravens open regular-season play Sunday, Sept. 7, at home against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Roach is hoping to be a part of it.
PRESEASON SCHEDULE
Thurs. Aug. 7th at New England Patriots 7:30 PM
SAT. AUG. 16TH MINNESOTA VIKINGS 7:30 PM
Sat. Aug. 23rd at St. Louis Rams 8:00 PM
THURS. AUG. 28TH ATLANTA FALCONS 7:30 PM
REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
SUN. SEPT. 7TH CINCINNATI BENGALS 1:00 PM
Sun. Sept. 14th at Houston Texans 4:15 PM
SUN. SEPT. 21ST CLEVELAND BROWNS 4:15 PM
Mon. Sept. 29th at Pittsburgh Steelers 8:30 PM
SUN. OCT. 5TH TENNESSEE TITANS 1:00 PM
Sun. Oct. 12th at Indianapolis Colts 1:00 PM
Sun. Oct. 19th at Miami Dolphins 1:00 PM
SUN. OCT. 26TH OAKLAND RAIDERS 1:00 PM
Sun. Nov. 2nd at Cleveland Browns 1:00 PM
Sun. Nov. 9th BYE
Sun. Nov. 16th at New York Giants 1:00 PM
SUN. NOV. 23RD PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 1:00 PM
Sun. Nov. 30th at Cincinnati Bengals 1:00 PM
SUN. DEC. 7TH WASHINGTON REDSKINS 1:00 PM
SUN. DEC. 14TH PITTSBURGH STEELERS 1:00 PM
Sat. Dec. 20th at Dallas Cowboys 8:15 PM
SUN. DEC. 28TH JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 1:00 PM