Courtesy: Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment
College football stars and undrafted NFL hopefuls will be spending the rest of the season in Canton, Ohio training at an elite feeder program for a chance at pro ball.
Between the lines: The program is just one component within the Hall of Fame's elaborate plan for the former steel and automotive city to be the new resource center on all things football.
- By 2022, the company hopes to move the program from its initial location within the Hall of Fame Village to an 80,000-square-foot, indoor field house and training facility.
Driving the news: The NFL Alumni Academy announced its first roster of players and coaches last week and marketed as an invitation only.
Details: Coaches include Mike Tice, Anthony Muñoz and Jay Hayes. Auburn standout DaVonte Lambert, four-year Syracuse starter Evan Adams and Louisiana Tech tackle O'Shea Dugas will join the group of 15 players.
What they're saying: "The NFL Alumni Academy is designed to develop NFL-ready talent to become complete professionals, giving them exposure to all 32 NFL teams to generate the best opportunities to successfully sign with an NFL franchise," says NFL Alumni Academy executive director Dean Dalton.
The big picture: The NFL's preseason opener, which takes place in Canton and draws about 700,000 visitors in August, was canceled due to the pandemic and its enshrinement events were postponed to 2021.
- The coronavirus caused Stark County to miss out on $40 million for its local economy and $65 million for the state, per the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce.