2 Kaua‘i football players out for new jobs by Lanaly Cabalo – The Garden Island Ikaika Alama-Francis. Vince Manuwai. Ashley Lelie. Jeff Ulbrich. Reagan Mauia. Could the next players from Hawai‘i to play in the NFL be Waimea’s Jordon Dizon
2 Kaua‘i football players out for new jobs
by Lanaly Cabalo – The Garden Island
Ikaika Alama-Francis. Vince Manuwai. Ashley Lelie. Jeff Ulbrich. Reagan Mauia. Could the next players from Hawai‘i to play in the NFL be Waimea’s Jordon Dizon or Kapa‘a’s Brennan Carvalho?
They are just two of several Hawai‘i players — including University of Hawai‘i Warriors Colt Brennan, Jason Rivers, Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullins — whose names are out there for today’s NFL draft.
Dizon has been busy juggling radio interviews, working out and studying for his final exams. On the weekends, he’d visit with teams.
Between working out and the anticipation of the draft, Dizon said the workouts are definitely more painful.
“The workouts are intense. They scrutinize everything at the workouts — you speed, your strength, everything,” he said.
One of the biggest factors surrounding whether or not he’ll get a shot in the NFL is his size. He’s 6-foot, 210 pounds.
“Everything is about size. In looking at all the sites (with information on me), my weakness is my size. (They say) I’m not big enough to play in the NFL, but someone’s going to have to draft me and see,” he said. “I played in the Big 12 and that’s a big conference.”
The Colorado inside linebacker led the nation in solo stops (120), was second in the nation for total tackles (160) and was named the Big 12’s Defensive Player of the Year. He was named to the first-team All-Big 12 and to the Walter Camp All-America First Team.
He finished second to Ohio State’s James Laurinaitis for the Dick Butkus Award.
Dizon said he will be on the golf course today and will not be watching the draft, however, he will have his phone on him just in case something happens.
“You’re either going to get a job, or you’re not going to get a job,” he said.
During the regular season, Dizon caught an interception and ran it for a 42-yard touchdown. For that, his mother, Darla Abbatiello, bought him a used car to replace his old one. If he does get a job, he might just be giving something back to his mother.
“If she’s nice enough, there’s a possibility I might take her to dinner,” he joked.
Abbatiello doesn’t really expect much though, she’s happier that he’s getting his college degree soon.
“I look at it as he’s getting a job,” she said. “I’ll be very happy for him, he deserves it. I’m very excited for him and I’m excited for Kaua‘i.”
For Carvalho, since his senior season at Portland State ended last winter, he has been training in Arizona and attending pro days in preparation for draft. Carvalho returned home on Monday.
“I’m not really nervous (for the draft),” he said. “I like playing football so, if I can make it work, than why not give it a try.”
He’s been in talks with several teams so far and has been advised that there was a “high possibility” that he will get picked up, if not this weekend, then later as a free agent.
However, he is aware that, like Dizon, his size is an issue.
“For one, I’m shorter than the average offensive lineman and I went to a smaller school compared to all the other guys,” he said. “That might make me fall to the later rounds.”
Carvalho currently stands at 6-foot-1 and 315 pounds.
Carvalho said getting an opportunity to play in the NFL would mean a great deal to him, not only because his father Bernard Carvalho played with the Miami Dolphins, but because it would give his family an opportunity to see him do well for himself.
The draft starts at 9 a.m. HST and goes on till tomorrow.
• Lanaly Cabalo, sports editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 237) or lcabalo@kauaipubco.com.
