Rhett Bomar

OK, so this is totally unrelated to the Astros and baseball in general, but I just learned that Rhett Bomar has been drafted to play football for the Giants. Sure, I would have preferred that he play for the Texans; I'm just happy that the guy is going on to play pro ball. I've been following him since he started playing for Sam Houston State University. I was able to drive down to Huntsville a time or two to watch him play with the Bearkats during his first season but never found the time to go back this past year.

Congratulations Rhett!

Tom
SHSU '93



Now for a newspaper article:

NFL dreams realized

Bomar ready to compete for the New York Giants

By Gene Schallenberg
Staff Reporter

All he could do was just watch and wait.

After a stellar career at Sam Houston State, former Bearkat quarterback Rhett Bomar finally received the phone call that he had been longing for Sunday afternoon.

On the other end of the phone was the New York Giants and they called to inform him of their intentions to draft him.

“I hadn’t had much contact with them,” Bomar said. “The funny thing about it is that we really didn’t talk much into the evaluation process. There were some scouts for them that came to some games, but that was about it.

“They told me they were about to turn my name in. They said that they had a high grade on me and couldn’t pass up on me even though they had a higher need.”

Bomar couldn’t be in a better position. When he heads to minicamp in two weeks, he’ll be in the midst of recent Super Bowl champions.

“It really is a dream come true. It’s a great organization. They’ve got a great quarterback in Eli Manning and they’ve got some great coaches.”

Bomar waited longer than he had planned on for his name to be called.

Before the draft began, Bomar had an inkling that he might be selected in the third or early in the fourth round at the latest. Teams kept passing on him and before he knew it, both the third and fourth round had passed.

It wasn’t until the 15th pick in the fifth round, 151st overall, that Bomar finally saw his name scroll across the TV.

“It was tough,” Bomar said. “You never know what’s going to happen. I kind of thought I would go earlier, but I ended up in a great situation.

“I’m just so proud to be a Giant. I’m elated right now. This was my goal ever since I was a kid. With all the stuff I had to go through and having to prove my doubters wrong, the fact that I persevered through it all and still made it makes it that much sweeter.”

The former Bearkat quarterback is ready for a chance to prove himself further when he’ll compete for a spot on the Giants’ roster and get his chance to move up the depth chart. Currently ahead of him on the depth chart is starter Eli Manning, former Texans QB David Carr and Andre Woodson, who was a rookie last season.

“I can’t wait,” Bomar said. “They’re one of the best teams in the NFL and have a lot of good quarterbacks. I’m just ready to go up there and work hard and compete.”

In just two seasons at Sam Houston State, Bomar became the Bearkats’ all-time leader in offense with 6,159 yards. Bomar was also the first Kat to be drafted since Josh McCown in 2002.