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University of Louisiana's Delahoussaye an NFLer
The Sun Belt conference snappers are profiled below. Of this group, longsnap.com reader William Delahoussaye has the best chance for an NFL career and has earned the attention of many NFL clubs this season. The Western Athletic Conference will be featured next week.
Link with info on William Delahoussaye
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LOUISIANA La. - UL's William Delahoussaye has a special talent.
As the Ragin’ Cajuns’ deep snapper, the former Notre Dame of Crowley standout was expected to make every snap quickly, accurately and perfectly.
Now the hours of looking at life upside down have paid off with a free agent contract with the New Orleans Saints, signed shortly after last weekend’s NFL Draft was completed.
“Starting about my junior year, NFL scouts would come to look at people like Charles Tillman, and when they’d walk out on the field I’d be the first person they saw,” Delahoussaye said.
“They told me I had a special talent, and to keep working at it, and it occurred to me that I might be able to sign with somebody. I always felt I would get a tryout.”
Signing with a team 2 1/2 hours away added to the experience.
“To play in the state, in front of a home crowd, would be great,” Delahoussaye said. “First, though, I have to make the team. It’s been a nice experience, but nothing is guaranteed to me.”
The Cajuns seemed guaranteed of a smooth delivery whenever Delahoussaye was over the ball, a fact not lost on NFL scouts. The playoff exit of the New York Giants last season underscored what can happen when a snap goes awry.
“I was 100 percent on punts last year, and 100 percent on field goals,” Delahoussaye said. “But I also made eight tackles last year, which I think is more than I made the previous three years combined.
“Scouts told me that if I was agile and could get downfield that would make me more valuable. They’re looking for someone who can snap, block and cover.”
At 6-foot-1, 250 pounds, Delahoussaye is no bigger than many NFL linebackers. But the ability to get downfield after an accurate delivery is crucial.
“You don’t have to be big,” Delahoussaye said. “You just have to be smart and do your job correctly.”
The Saints took notice.
“The Saints didn’t talk to me at all at the beginning of the year,” Delahoussaye said. “Then two weeks before the draft they started showing interest.
“Their special teams coach knew my agent real well, and he said they were looking for a backup plan in case their snapper didn’t come back from injury. They like my technique and my snapping ability, and they knew my background and what kind of person I am.”
Delahoussaye and other Saints rookies report Thursday, trying to get their foot in the door for the chance to play on Sundays in the fall.
The April 29th 2003 article has been removed from the Advertiser web site. Original link below is broken. The entire story is now shown.
http://www.theadvertiser.com/sports/.3A3F31B9.shtml
Advertiser
Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com
id like to make an update of sorts, william is my second cousin, and i dunno if elsewhere on this site it has been updated, im new here so im running from the oldest posts to the newest to get updated, but he did sign with miami and was injured during training and was placed on IR last year or so, his mom said he was going back down to miami this offseason (2006) to see if he can make the cut or not
Good luck to him. I hope it works out. Keep us updated.Originally Posted by shasta
well i heard in the last few days that he was cut by miami upon his return, he was having trouble holding onto a spot because he only plays deep snapper and cant keep up speedwise at other positions, he played TE in high school but isnt fast enought at that level to be competetive at any other position, so if he can find anybody else in need of only a deep snapper he will try, best of luck to him
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