“I'm very excited, this is a dream come true for me,” Patrick said. “It all probably won't hit me until I get to camp out in Arizona and put on the jersey. It was a long wait but I think it put me in a great situation. This is a great opportunity for me. Arizona has a high-powered offense with tremendous receivers. There are only two tight ends on the roster now so hopefully I'll have the chance to come and compete for a spot and contribute early.”
Patrick is the first UD football player to be selected in the NFL draft since 2004, when both quarterback Andy Hall and defensive end Shawn Johnson were selected in the sixth round.
Patrick, who transferred to UD from Duke University, caught 64 passes for 639 yards for the Fightin' Blue Hens. He also scored six touchdowns, and was a consensus All-America in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision.
The 6-foot 4-inch, 250-pound graduate student is just the third tight end in UD history to earn All-America honors and the first to earn first team honors. Former Hens Jaime Young (1979) and Jeff Modesitt (1986) earned Associated Press honorable mention.
Following the season, Patrick was invited to play in both the East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl, both all-star contests at which he excelled. He was later invited to participate in the NFL combine, where scouts get a close look at prospective players.
