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Allen Park — Freddie McGee III stood at the corner of Rotunda Drive and Southfield Freeway, no more than 100 yards outside the entrance to Detroit Lions headquarters, hoping to catch the eye of someone who could give him a chance to make his childhood dreams into a reality.
McGee, a Canton native who attended Salem High School, is a former walk-on at Eastern Michigan, where he eventually was put on scholarship and played more than 1,000 defensive snaps from 2017-21. McGee, at 5-foot-9½, describes himself as a versatile cornerback with inside-out flexibility. He played mostly on the outside while at EMU, but he's gotten some work in as a nickel over the last few years while with the Iowa Barnstormers and Salina Liberty — a couple of indoor football teams.
More: 3 big takeaways from Lions GM Brad Holmes' pre-draft press conference
"I'm out here being my own agent right now. What better person to do that than me?" McGee said Monday. "Why not (me), man? I feel like it can happen. I just need that one person to take a chance. If they look at the film, they'll see I'm a dog, I'm hungry. How many people are out here doing this?"
Holding a sign that read, in part, "THIS IS GRIT. ... NEED 1 SHOT," McGee spoke with cleats draped around his upper body. When asked whether the cleats held any special significance, McGee, 27, explained he was keeping them handy, eager and ready to show what he can do. "If they want to work me out right here on this patch of grass ... I'm ready to go. ... I came out here looking for action, so I just want to be prepared for every opportunity," he said.
McGee hoped to break into the NFL immediately following his time at EMU. But after not hearing from anyone within the league, he realized he'd have to take an alternate path. McGee joined the Barnstormers, who are part of the Indoor Football League and were the same team Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner played for from 1995-97, before he was picked up by the then-St. Louis Rams.
Also on McGee's sign were his numbers from his time with the Liberty: 25 pass breakups and 14 interceptions. Those statistics earned McGee Defensive Player of the Years honors in the Arena Football League for the 2024 season (the Liberty now play in the National Arena League).
"I've kind of been counted out my whole life. ... I didn't have any offers coming out of high school. Had to walk-on, I earned a scholarship. I've always bet on myself," McGee said. "For me, it's always been opportunity. Every opportunity that I get, I tend to make the most of it."
McGee, who holds a master's degree in sports management and is looking to take the exam to become an NFLPA certified agent in July, trains multiple times a week, both in the weight room and on the field. When weather permits, McGee enjoys doing his work outside. When pushed inside, he'll find a local gym. He hopes those efforts will pay off into "a workout or a minicamp invite (in the NFL), something like that."
And ideally for McGee, that chance will come with his hometown Lions, who he grew up rooting for.
"I know at the end of the day, I'll be set (with) whatever I choose to do after ball," McGee said. "But right now, this is my prime time to chase it, and I feel like I'm right there. Production is there. Versatility is there. I'm ready to go, I just need that one opportunity."
[email protected]
@rich_silva18
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Freddie McGee III, former EMU CB, asks for chance with Detroit Lions
Continue reading...
McGee, a Canton native who attended Salem High School, is a former walk-on at Eastern Michigan, where he eventually was put on scholarship and played more than 1,000 defensive snaps from 2017-21. McGee, at 5-foot-9½, describes himself as a versatile cornerback with inside-out flexibility. He played mostly on the outside while at EMU, but he's gotten some work in as a nickel over the last few years while with the Iowa Barnstormers and Salina Liberty — a couple of indoor football teams.
More: 3 big takeaways from Lions GM Brad Holmes' pre-draft press conference
"I'm out here being my own agent right now. What better person to do that than me?" McGee said Monday. "Why not (me), man? I feel like it can happen. I just need that one person to take a chance. If they look at the film, they'll see I'm a dog, I'm hungry. How many people are out here doing this?"
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Holding a sign that read, in part, "THIS IS GRIT. ... NEED 1 SHOT," McGee spoke with cleats draped around his upper body. When asked whether the cleats held any special significance, McGee, 27, explained he was keeping them handy, eager and ready to show what he can do. "If they want to work me out right here on this patch of grass ... I'm ready to go. ... I came out here looking for action, so I just want to be prepared for every opportunity," he said.
McGee hoped to break into the NFL immediately following his time at EMU. But after not hearing from anyone within the league, he realized he'd have to take an alternate path. McGee joined the Barnstormers, who are part of the Indoor Football League and were the same team Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner played for from 1995-97, before he was picked up by the then-St. Louis Rams.
Also on McGee's sign were his numbers from his time with the Liberty: 25 pass breakups and 14 interceptions. Those statistics earned McGee Defensive Player of the Years honors in the Arena Football League for the 2024 season (the Liberty now play in the National Arena League).
"I've kind of been counted out my whole life. ... I didn't have any offers coming out of high school. Had to walk-on, I earned a scholarship. I've always bet on myself," McGee said. "For me, it's always been opportunity. Every opportunity that I get, I tend to make the most of it."
McGee, who holds a master's degree in sports management and is looking to take the exam to become an NFLPA certified agent in July, trains multiple times a week, both in the weight room and on the field. When weather permits, McGee enjoys doing his work outside. When pushed inside, he'll find a local gym. He hopes those efforts will pay off into "a workout or a minicamp invite (in the NFL), something like that."
And ideally for McGee, that chance will come with his hometown Lions, who he grew up rooting for.
"I know at the end of the day, I'll be set (with) whatever I choose to do after ball," McGee said. "But right now, this is my prime time to chase it, and I feel like I'm right there. Production is there. Versatility is there. I'm ready to go, I just need that one opportunity."
[email protected]
@rich_silva18
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Freddie McGee III, former EMU CB, asks for chance with Detroit Lions
Continue reading...
