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READ: BUCS DRAFT ALI MARPET1. He made DIII football history.
This spring, Marpet became the first Division III football player to be invited to the Senior Bowl. On Friday, he added to his legacy, becoming the first Division III offensive lineman to be drafted since 1996.
2. He ended up at a Division III school because he was undersized in high school.
As a high school senior, Marpet was 230 pounds, and he didn't have much interest from colleges. "I was an under-sized offensive lineman in high school," Marpet said. "Our high school wasn't heavily recruited in football or really in any sport for that matter. I think Hobart was huge for me. I honestly think that if I had went to any other Division III program I wouldn't be in the position I'm in right now."
3. Not one Division I school offered him a scholarship.
Marpet had interest from Fordham, Marist and Holy Cross, all FCS schools, coming out of high school – but they did not offer him a scholarship, only the opportunity to walk on.
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- He leads by example, not by words.**
Marpet's father Bill, in an article with Forward.com, described Ali as a "quiet person" who is "completely focused on the task at hand." In the same article his coach at Hobart, Michael Green, said, "I saw him as a leader by example. He was a two-year captain because he was so dominant on the football field and because of how hard he worked," Green said. "He was a mentor to other players and helped build their skills, their technique. And he's been humble – never a cocky guy or egotistical, but confident."
5. He models his game after Jason Kelce.
Marpet said that if there were any player currently in the NFL that he looks up to, it was Eagles center Jason Kelce. Why does he like his style of play so much? "Just because of how quick and explosive he is," Marpet said, "how he fires off the ball and how he's taking the fight to people. I try to pattern my game off of him."
INFOGRAPHIC: ALI MARPET
