HUB Football Free Agent Hot List: Notable Players Confirmed For The April 18 CAMP In San Diego

Check out the players that are confirmed for The CAMP.

Author:
Kristian Dyer
Updated:
Apr 14, 2021 2:02 PM EDT
Original:
Apr 14, 2021

At HUB Football, the main objective is to provide elite football players with a platform to showcase their talents and connect them to professional teams. The next CAMP is scheduled for Sunday, April 18th in the San Diego suburb of La Mesa, California at Helix Charter High School.

Whether you’re a former NFL player, a college standout, or a JUCO product, The CAMP presented by HUB Football welcomes players from all backgrounds who are capable of competing at the highest level. The staff at HUB Football understands what it means to be overlooked and how difficult it is to remain unseen. CAMP is not only an opportunity for players to land on the radar of professional teams but also a chance to get their names out to the entire football community.

NFL Draft Bible will be on location with exclusive coverage of the OTA-style showcase, which saw running back Darius Clark agree to a contract on the spot with the Carolina Panthers during the most recent CAMP in March. There are several strong candidates who could enjoy a similar fortune who will be participating in the upcoming CAMP on Sunday. These are a few of the players that NFL teams will get an up-close look at who we feel could help contribute right away.

Erik Swoope -- Tight End

The 6-foot-5, 257-pound tight end didn’t start out on the gridiron. Swoope attended the University of Miami to play basketball and up until the last day of the season, his plans were to continue to play hoops overseas.

That was until a meeting with his basketball coach revealed interest from the Denver Broncos. Before then, football wasn’t even a blip on his radar. Instead, Erik’s size made him a force on the hardwood. His athleticism gave him the ability to play every position on the court and his bright mind made him a quick study.

Remember, Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates and Julius Thomas? All three were successful tight ends with basketball experience. Now, another was preparing to take the NFL by storm.

To better prepare, Swoope reached out personally to Jimmy Graham, a former two-sport star at Miami who went on to play tight end for the New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers. Although the two weren’t close initially, the Miami connection and the fact that coaches always compared the two made reaching out to Graham an easy choice.

Shortly after, Swoope began training with Graham, going through an intensive transformation from round ball-to-pigskin. Nobody within earshot understood the physical, emotional and mental grind better than All-Pro Jimmy Graham.

From there, Swoope learned to dissect film, study players with a similar background and train nonstop. While his workout with the Broncos didn’t pan out, Swoope’s performance earned further NFL interest, which led to his signing as an undrafted free agent with the Indianapolis Colts in 2014.

Swoope spent the next few years in the NFL catching passes from Andrew Luck, before eventually bouncing around the league on various practice squads. However, a recent return to form, along with re-dedication to his craft has led Swoope to believe The CAMP presented by HUB Football provides the best opportunity to showcase his talents in front of the league once again.

Leadership, maturity and an understanding of what it takes to overcome adversity, Swoope is ready to make another run at the NFL.

David Woodward – Linebacker

Another player who is sure to catch the eye of scouts in attendance is former Utah State linebacker, David Woodward. The definition of blue-collar, injuries and size concerns (6-foot-2, 235 pounds) unfortunately prevented Woodward from being drafted in 2020, but nothing about his on-field production should be questioned.

The list of awards is long, littered with multiple All-Conference teams, All-American teams and Defensive Player of the Week awards. Woodward led the Aggies with 134 tackles his sophomore year and was second on the team with 93 tackles during his junior season.

It should come as no surprise that coaches loved him:

“He’s a fantastic player,” Utah State head coach Gary Andersen said. “You can’t replace Woody on, quite frankly, most teams in the country. That’s just my bet from the teams I’ve been around. When a kid plays as many games as he played and he’s still first-team all-conference, that’s crazy. Those aren’t sympathy votes coming from the coaches. Those were votes because that dude changed the game, and they knew who he was. He’s a special player.”

Known for tenacity and his natural instinct to swarm to the football, Woodward loves to spend time in opposing backfields. He accumulated eight career sacks, 20 tackles for a loss, six forced fumbles and two interceptions during his collegiate career - all from the inside linebacker position. He viciously attacks the run-game and could be a perfect match for teams who play a 4-3 base. In addition, Woodward impacts the game on special teams by simply outworking his opponent on every play. Regardless of where you put him, he’ll put his head down and go to work.

A sure-tackler who gives maximum effort and has a high football IQ, Woodward would make an incredible addition to any team looking to add to their linebacker room. He comes to this week’s CAMP with hopes of showing how much training he has continued to put in despite not being drafted, proving that he is an NFL prospect deserving of a shot.

You’ll never have to question the heart of David Woodward. His production speaks for itself and his hard work goes unquestioned. He will be a superb addition wherever he lands.

Olive Sagapolu -- Defensive Line

Originally from Pago Pago, American Samoa, defensive lineman Olive Sagapolu was a three-star recruit out of Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) High School, before committing to Wisconsin. His family is no stranger to the sport, as his two uncles Tupe and Domato Peko both played at Michigan State before taking on the NFL.

An injury late in Sagapolu’s senior season at Wisconsin kept him from being considered for the 2019 NFL Draft, however, he eventually signed with the Packers for preseason camp. He was cut from Green Bay and later drafted by the XFL’s Houston Roughnecks before being added and then waived from the Detroit Lions practice squad.

Since then, everything was shut down due to COVID-19 and Sagapolu was unable to remain on an NFL roster. But this isn’t the end of his story. He has been fighting tooth-and-nail to get back on the field.

That’s where The CAMP presented by HUB Football comes into play. Sagapolu was supposed to attend CAMP in March, but due to a positive COVID-19 test, those plans were put on hold. Now healthy and ready to compete, he plans on showcasing his monster size, skill and athleticism this weekend in San Diego.

Just search his name and a video will appear that perfectly depicts his unreal athleticism in contrast to his inherently large frame. Here it is, showing Sagapolu on the beach, performing a standing backflip.

With his nimble movement, Sagapolu was able to win multiple honors at Wisconsin, including lettering each year while earning All-Big Ten honorable mention recognition. He appeared in 44 games, starting 22 and recording 66 total tackles, six sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery.

As an interior defensive lineman, he excelled against the run and was quick to get to the quarterback. Evaluators will be keen on seeing just what Sagapolu has to offer as he presses forward on another chance to get back on the football field.

For a full list of participants attending the upcoming CAMP presented by HUB Football this Sunday, click here. And be sure to follow @NFLDraftBible over the weekend for live updates and top performers. For more information on HUB Football be sure to visit their website at www.HUBFootball.com

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