The dream lives on.
Josh Peacock, who just finished his fourth year of football at Hiram College, was the No. 15 draft pick overall in this week’s American Indoor Football draft. Peacock was selected by the Cleveland Patriots, who were just invited to join the AIF this season.
The AIF also has been known as the Atlantic Indoor Football League and the American Indoor Football Association. The league has been going since the mid-2000s.
As a senior, Peacock tied for seventh in the NCAC with 85 tackles, 51 of which were solo hits and registered 3.5 tackles for losses. During his four-year career, he collected 319 tackles, 176 of which were unassisted while picking off seven passes. He blocked four kicks, forced a fumble and recovered four fumbles.
“Josh started at Hiram for four years and will be missed tremendously,” said head coach Randy Moore after Peacock was selected all-conference earlier this year. “Josh was one of the more physical, instinctive and athletic safeties in the NCAC. He is not just a very good football player but a great young man and leader that I know will have a fantastic future.”
Peacock, according to his father, Coy, is also playing for a semi-pro (outdoor) team in Cleveland.
Messages left for Peacock were not returned.
•••
This is an interesting time in the NFL. It’s a time where players find out that the sport is really a business. Players find out no matter how much success a team had, that only the best players are going to make the big bucks.
The Seahawks have already cut a couple of guys loose to save cap money, and it appears that the 49ers won’t bring starting center Jon Goodwin back. That could be a huge mistake. I’d at least like the team to approach Goodwin about playing for a little less money this season. The Niners will be working with QB Colin Kaepernick on a huge multi-year contract soon. The Niners would be best served to tie up as many as their offensive linemen and defensive players as possible. It will be interesting to see how NaVorro Bowman responds from his season-ending injury.
The Niners need to keep pace with Seattle. The rivalry between the coaches and the rivalry between the teams is the best in the NFL. This rivalry is better than Redskins-Cowboys, Packers-Bears, Raiders-Chargers, and Rams-49ers. Nothing beats it. Both Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll get it. They both know that defense will win championships, whether its the conference or Super Bowl.
•••
There has been a lot of talk about Johnny Manziel the past few days, and whether he’ll be the No. 1 overall pick. One analyst said he wouldn’t take him in the first three rounds. Mel Kiper has him as the No. 1 overall pick. The Texans need a quarterback, but a mistake drafting a quarterback can set the franchise back several years. I’d rather see Houston trade down, and maybe get two first-round picks for the No.1 pick. If the Texans keep the pick I’d take Clowney from South Carolina. Defensive ends or OLBs that run 4.53s are hard to come by. Manziel will go in the first round, and so will Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater.