Everybody has a dream to become something at a young age. Some people even change their minds and want to be the complete opposite of what they first wanted to be, but for one young man, his dream may soon be a reality.
Jeff Link was a fullback here at Robert Morris for 4-years, he now has a huge opportunity in front of him. He has a tryout for the Dallas Cowboys in Dallas, TX on Thursday, December 15, 2011.
“This has been a dream of mine ever since I was a child”, stated Link. “I didn’t know how much work it would be back then though.”
Growing up in Cumberland, Maryland, all Link did was think and live football. He attended Allegany High School and everyone in his town is behind him and is very proud of him.
“My family and friends have been behind me from the beginning, and I am very grateful for their support”, said Link. All he wants to do is make them even more proud of him by being on an NFL team.
He also has support from his RMU former teammates and coaches. “All my former teammates are behind me 100 percent and it helps me with my confidence going down to Dallas”.
Link has had a very successful four years at Robert Morris University. He has played in 37 games, carried the ball 102 times for 254 yards rushing, and 74 yards receiving. He is mostly known for his bruising blocks and his physicality.
“I am very proud of Link. He is the type of player who makes me proud to be a coach”, stated Sam Dorsett, Link’s position coach during his 4-years at RMU. “It’s an honor to have coached a kid like him”.
Some people may think that seeing Link or any other football player doing well on the field as a task that is easy to accomplish. “It’s more than just playing the game. You have to train so hard especially to prepare for the NFL”, stated Link.
“I got the chance to work out with a few Steelers like Ryan Clark and Willie Colon at this gym in Wexford, PA called Powertrain. They go real hard in the weight room and all they did was push me to go even harder”.
He believes all his hard work will pay off, and that if he gets to the league he will continue to work hard. “It is a relief to me to finally get a shot that looked like it was not going to come around”.