Former Wisconsin Badgers' fullback Matt Bernstein might not have been drafted, but it did not take him long after the draft to find a home in the National Football League. Sunday evening Bernstein agreed to terms with the Detroit Lions and will get ready to join their mini-camp, which starts Friday.
We expected Matt to get drafted, but we always knew there would be questions given his injury history,\ Bernstein's agent, Justin Schulman, said in a phone interview Monday.
Bernstein sat out most of the second half of last season with a sports hernia. That left the fullback with more pressure to perform during his winter workouts to impress scouts.
Despite the lack of playing time in his senior season, Schulman said that Houston, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, New England, Arizona, Indianapolis and the New York Jets all showed interest before the draft. However, when Bernstein's name went uncalled over the weekend, Detroit emerged as the front runner to sign the fullback.
""They felt good about Matt's possibility of playing, not only at fullback, but on special teams as well,"" Schulman said.
Bernstein joins former running back Brian Calhoun as the second Badger to join the Lions organization this past weekend. Calhoun was drafted in the third round by Detroit Saturday.
""We were looking at a couple of teams and the fact that Calhoun is there is not the reason we chose Detroit, but it's an attractive thing,"" Schulman added.
Bernstein was given a lot of credit for the emergence of Calhoun last season opening up numerous holes before he went out with the hernia in the fifth game of the season. The fullback developed his own running threat during his career as well, finishing with five touchdowns at UW, including three during his freshman season.
Both Bernstein and Calhoun will start low in the depth charts, with Calhoun working behind running back Kevin Jones, and Bernstein behind 12-year veteran Cory Schlesinger and second year fullback Will Matthews, who was picked up by the Lions as an undrafted free agent a year ago after playing at the University of Texas.
Still, the possibility is out there for an eventual all-Wisconsin backfield in Detroit. A lot of questions will be answered for the Lions in the summer as they adjust to changes brought in by new head coach Rod Marinelli. Schulman was very optimistic with Bernstein playing for the first-year head coach.
""Marinelli is a tough, hard-nosed coach and I think that should play out well for Matt because that is who he is,"" Schulman said.
Three other undrafted Badgers found NFL homes after the draft was wrapped up on Sunday. Former center Donovan Raiola was one of ten undrafted free agents to sign with the Saint Louis Rams, defensive back Levonne Rowan signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, and Jason Palermo found a home with the Minnesota Vikings.
With the free agent signings Sunday and Monday, the number of UW players to join NFL teams this off-season is up to nine, with the possibility of linebacker Dontez Sanders joining that list as he looks for a deal.\
