Everett Golson lands tryout opportunity with Indianapolis Colts
Everett Golson is very much still chasing the NFL dream, per his agent, and that pursuit begins in earnest Friday in Indianapolis.
The former Notre Dame and Florida State quarterback wasn’t among the 15 quarterbacks selected in last week’s NFL Draft, nor was he signed as an undrafted free agent after the draft.
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound QB has been invited to try out at the Indianapolis Colts’ rookie mini-camp, Friday through Sunday, his agent confirmed on Thursday afternoon.
“There were other teams that were interested,” said Fletcher Smith, Golson’s agent. “We just opted to go with Indianapolis. If things don’t work out — and I’m optimistic they will — we have other options in the NFL. The CFL is not in the picture.”
The Colts’ quarterback picture beyond starter Andrew Luck consists of backups Stephen Morris (Miami) and Scott Tolzien (Wisconsin). Indianapolis did not draft a QB last week, nor were there any QBs among the 21 undrafted free agents the team signed after the draft.
UMass QB Blake Frohnapfel, who faced a Golson-less ND team last season, will also be at the tryout.
Golson was considered a draftable prospect during his final season at ND in 2014, but the two-year Irish starter was undone by turnovers late in that season and ended up losing his job to Malik Zaire.
The two then competed for the starting job the ensuing spring. And when that competition appeared set to extend into the summer, Golson in May of 2015 announced he was transferring. The two-year Irish starter landed at Florida State.
Golson’s passing efficiency rating in Florida State’s pro-style offense last season was actually his career best (149.3), but slightly below what ND redshirt freshman DeShone Kizer produced as a first-year starter for the Irish in 2015.
However, Golson threw for only about half the yardage (1,778) in 2015 than he did in his final season at ND (3,445), had 11 TD passes to his 29 in 2014, but threw only three interceptions at FSU compared to the 14 he tossed in his final season at Notre Dame.
His biggest falloff came in the running game. Golson rushed for almost 300 yards in each of his two seasons as ND’s starting QB (2012, 2014) and a combined 14 rushing TDs in those seasons. Last season at FSU, he logged minus-35 yards on 47 carries with 0 TDs.
Golson was sidelined during last season with a concussion and replaced by Sean Maguire. After Golson returned to the Seminole lineup, Maguire beat him out and finished the season as the Seminoles’ No. 1 quarterback.
Golson missed FSU’s Peach Bowl loss to Houston for personal reasons.
“Like most guys who anticipated hearing their name called, Everett’s disappointed,” Smith said. “But he’s resilient. And I think he knows if given the opportunity, he’ll show himself well.
“He’s optimistic things will go well in Indy, and we’ll take it from there.”
ehansen@ndinsider.com
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Twitter: @EHansenNDI
