TCU Football: Dreams to Reality
"Ain't this what they been waiting for. You ready... I had to pray for times like this...So had to grind like this. To shine like this." Lyrics from Dreams and Nightmares by Meek Mill.
Four TCU football players from the 2021 team are headed to NFL camps.
Offensive tackle Obinna Eze (Detroit Lions), safety T.J. Carter (Los Angeles Rams), and safety La’Kendrick Van Zandt (Dallas Cowboys) are free-agent signings, while deep snapper Antonio Ortiz will attend mini-camps for the Cowboys and Chicago Bears.
These four Horned Frogs had themselves a excellent Pro Day as they proved they can stay healthy and consistent. Now, they are given chances to earn a spot to fulfill their childhood dreams.
Both Carter and Van Zandt stated, "This is something we been doing our whole lives. There is no pressure with this. We just having fun and want to get to the next level."
Indeed they did that. They have proven they got what it takes. Hopefully their impact last a long time.
At left tackle in his lone season for the Horned Frogs, Eze was one of just two TCU offensive linemen to start all 12 games. He was Honorable-Mention Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year and served as a team captain. Eze was invited to the NFL Combine and played in the East-West Shrine Bowl. Over his final two seasons (2019-20) at Memphis, Eze started all 25 games at left tackle and helped lead the Tigers to an American Athletic Conference championship and Cotton Bowl berth.
Carter also played one season for TCU after transferring from Memphis. Despite missing the final two games due to injury, Carter placed second on TCU with 63 tackles. He started the opening 10 games at three different positions (weak safety, cornerback, free safety). He totaled a TCU career-high and team-best 12 tackles, all solo, to go with a pass breakup in the 52-31 win at Texas Tech. He recorded six stops in the 30-28 victory over No. 12 Baylor and 34-32 win versus Cal. He was a three-time all-conference selection at Memphis.
Van Zandt played in 39 games at TCU with 23 starts, totaling 97 tackles in his career. As a junior, he tied for the team lead with three takeaways. He earned Jim Thorpe Award Player of the Week honors after making a game-saving tackle late in a 33-31 win at No. 9 Texas. He caught Keaontay Ingram from behind at the TCU 17 after a 52-yard reception with the Horned Frogs leading by two and less than four minutes to play. TCU then forced a turnover two plays later to preserve the victory. Van Zandt totaled a career-best seven tackles, including one for loss, with an interception in the win in Austin. He returned a backwards pass 24 yards for a touchdown one week earlier against Iowa State.
Ortiz was a semifinalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award, presented to the best FBS senior long snapper. He started all 44 games he played and was a three-time First-Team Academic All-Big 12 recipient. He was selected to play in the Hula Bowl and the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.
TCU currently has 24 active players in the NFL.
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