Four Former Aggies Sign NFL Free Agent Deals Add Comment    Jul 28, 2011

Borel Inks With Packers, Coleman Joins Bills, Randle With Cowboys And Scales With Ravens  

    LOGAN, Utah - Four former Utah State football players signed free agent contracts with National Football League teams, now that undrafted free agents were able to do so after the end of the lockout.   Quarterback Diondre Borel inked with the Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers but will play wide receiver, while defensive back Rajric Coleman signed with the Buffalo Bills, cornerback Chris Randle signed with the Dallas Cowboys and long snapper Pat Scales inked with the Baltimore Ravens.

The foursome join fellow member of the Aggies 2011 senior class, cornerback Curtis Marsh, who was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles with the 26th pick of the third round, the 90th overall selection, in the NFL Draft in April.

Were very happy for these young men to earn the opportunity to go compete at the next level and continue their football careers, USU head coach Gary Andersen said.  I believe that they will represent themselves, Utah State and the Western Athletic Conference very well. We are extremely happy and proud of them.

With the signing of the four players, there are now 12 former Aggies on an NFL roster, joining Super Bowl champion Jarrett Bush (Green Bay Packers), Pro Bowlers, Chris Cooley (Washington Redskins) and Donald Penn (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), along with Kevin Curtis (Kansas City Chiefs), James Brindley (Seattle Seahawks), John Chick (Indianapolis Colts), Rob Myers (Indianapolis Colts) and Shawn Murphy (Denver Broncos).

In addition to being teammates with fellow former Aggie in Bush, Borel will join former USU assistant coach John Rushing, who is assistant wide receivers and special teams coach and was with the Aggies from 2003-08.  The Packers also signed former Utah wide receiver/returner Shaky Smithson.  With the Ravens, Scales will join former USU assistant coach Wade Harmon, who is the Ravens tight ends coach and was a USU assistant from 1988-91.

Borel, a native of Oakley, Calif. (Freedom HS), finished his Utah State career with several records, as he is the USU record holder for single-season total offense (3,343 yards, 2009), single-season rushing yards by a QB (632 in 2008) and career rushing yards for a QB (1,362 yards, 2007-10), as well as fewest INT thrown (four in 2009).  Borel become just the seventh Aggie QB to reach the 5,000-yard passing milestone and the fifth to 6,000, finishing his career with 6,698 yards.  He also ended his time as an Aggie with 8,096 career total offense yards, becoming just the second USU QB with 8,000 career yards, joining Jose Fuentes (1999-2002) with 8,791 yards.  With 1,398 career rushing yards, Borel ended at the No. 15 spot on USUs Career Rushing list. Borel also moved up to tie for the No. 8 spot on the Aggies career rushing TD list with 18 career scores, joining Roy Shivers (1964-65) for eighth with 18 career rushing scores. Borel also vaulted to No. 21 on the Western Athletic Conference Career Total Offense list, becoming one of 22 WAC QBs to top the 8,000 yard plateau.

While Borel played in 33 career games at quarterback during his USU career, he did play in eight games at wide receiver as a freshman in 2007, making one official catch for eight yards and five rushes for 10 yards.  He also had a 50+ yard pass reception called back due to a penalty at Hawaii.  Borel also had one catch for 14 yards in 2010.

Im excited and honored for the opportunity to prove myself, especially at a different position.  It has taken a lot of hard work to get to this point and is going to take a lot more hard work because the NFL is a different game and wide receiver is a difficult position, Borel said.  Im excited but a little nervous, but know that I just have to keep up the hard work that got me here.

Coleman, a native of Litchfield Park, Ariz. (Agua Fria HS/Glendale CC), was a two-year letterwinner, starting all 23 games of his two-year USU career posting 129 total tackles (76 solo, 53 assists), with three tackles for loss.  He added seven pass break-ups and five interceptions for his career, with two as a junior in 2009 and three in 2010.  Off the field, Coleman was a two-time Academic all-WAC selection.

Im just excited to get here and excited that someone took the chance on me and picked me up. To be able to play NFL football is a big step from college, so Im just ready to get after it and earn a roster spot, said Coleman, who will be given a look at both cornerback and safety by the Bills.  I just want to thank everyone at Utah State, all the fans and coaches, especially Coach (Bill) Busch.

Randle, a native of Merced, Calif. (Golden Valley HS), was a four-year letterwinner and two-year starter, making 27 career starts in 43 career games played, including all 12 games of both his junior and senior seasons.  He posted 154 total tackles (112 solo, 42 assists) with three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.  He posted 19 pass break-ups in his four years, and snared four interceptions.  Last season, he ranked 10th in the WAC and 79th in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) with 10 passes defended (eight PBUs and two INTs).  Randle was a fourth-team Phil Steeles College Football Preview all-WAC selection after the 2010 season.

Im extremely excited and grateful for this opportunity. I know I have a lot of work ahead of me, but I think Ive got a good shot, Randle said.  It is a huge relief to be done with this part of the process, but I know I have to work hard to prove myself and show what I can do.

Scales, a North Ogden, Utah (Weber HS) native, began his USU career as a tight end, but shifted to long snapper as a freshman in 2007 and appeared in all 48 games, earning four letters.  He was the long snapper on all punts, field goals and extra points, including snapping to two different punters, for two different placekickers and to two different holders last season. In the classroom, Scales was an three-time Academic all-WAC selection in 2007, 2008 and 2010, as well as a two-time Utah State Joe E. and Elma Whitesides Scholar-Athlete, and was named the Utah State ESPY Male Walk on Athlete of the Year in 2008.

I was extremely excited. I was speechless when I got the call. Im just really thankful and blessed to get the opportunity to come out here, Scales said. Its incredible, its like Im living a dream. Its just hard to explain, really.

Scales and the Ravens are one of the first preseason NFL games, starting on Aug. 11, while Borel and the Packers open the regular season on Sept. 8.

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Utah College Sports Wire