By RENALDO DORSETT
Tribune Sports Reporter
rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
Mavin Saunders will have his first opportunity to earn a roster spot in the National Football League with the franchise that has made some of this year’s most high profile acquisitions in the offseason.
Saunders received an invitation from the Cleveland Browns for rookie mini-camp tryout as an undrafted free agent.
The former Kansas Jayhawks tight end is one of 17 undrafted free agents and two tight ends either signed or invited to the Browns rookie mini-camp thus far.
Prior to last weekend’s NFL Draft, the Browns had an official roster of 73 players and drafted seven players over the course of the three-day event. That brings their current roster total to 80, 10 away from the league’s offseason roster limit of 90 players.
Among that 90 players includes active, inactive, practice-squad, exempt and reserve-list players along with unsigned draft choices and franchise free agents.
Rookie mini-camp for the Browns is scheduled for May 3-5.
Saunders had three invites to rookie mini-camps, including those from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans. “They called my agent immediately after the draft,” he said.
“It felt great knowing that all the hard work paid off, looking forward to put the work in to keep going.”
If he is unable to reach a contract agreement with the Browns, Saunders plans to continue to pursue his options with the Buccaneers.
Saunders’ preparation for the 2019 NFL Draft took him across the United States to bowl games and showcases as he looked to increase his stock at the professional level.
Saunders participated in the College Gridiron Showcase Symposium and the SPIRAL Tropical Bowl. Following his sessions at both events, he interviewed with the Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Chargers.
The 6’6”, 258-pound tight end said he looks to make the most of each opportunity to showcase his skillset for NFL franchises.
During his lone season at KU, the 6’6”, 258-pound tight end played in nine games, and caught four receptions for 32 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown. Saunders spent his first four seasons at Florida State before graduating and transferring to Kansas.
Prior to his final collegiate season, Saunders was named to the preseason watch list for the John Mackey Award - doled out to the top tight end in all of collegiate football. He caught the first touchdown reception of his NCAA career in the Jayhawks’ 38-22 loss to then No.8/9 West Virginia in October. He also had two receptions for 10 yards in an addition to a two-point conversion in a week one 26-23 upset loss in overtime to Nicholls State of the FCS.
Saunders transferred to the Jayhawks from the Florida State Seminoles and was ranked the third best transfer tight end by College Football Focus behind Thaddeus Young (LSU) and Jesse Conners (Syracuse). He did not record a reception in his final season at FSU and his Seminole stats for his career included 16 receptions for 234 yards.
In his sophomore season with 10 receptions for 182 yards - both career highs. As a redshirt freshman he totalled six receptions for 52 yards.
Saunders rose to prominence in the Tallahassee community for his work off the field. And he was one of 11 players named to the Allstate American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team based on his contributions to the surrounding community in Tallahassee, Florida, as a volunteer mentor at Riley Elementary School.
He was also named to the Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Honour Roll for two consecutive seasons. Saunders joined the Frank Rutherford Foundation Programme in Houston in 2009 as a basketball recruit and played the sport until his high school junior season when he made the transition to football.
Saunders, a Bimini Native, played basketball locally for the TA Thompson Scorpions before his matriculation to the United States where he attended the Kinkaid School in Texas. He committed to the Florida State during his junior season at Kinkaid Falcons and chose the Seminoles over Arkansas, Houston, Illinois, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Texas Tech and Utah.
At Kinkaid, Saunders was rated a four-star prospect by 247Sports, ESPN and Scout, and a three-start recruit by Rivals. He was ranked the No. 3 tight end in the country and No. 23 player in Texas (No. 187 player overall) by 247Sports; was rated the No. 7 tight end and No. 45 player in Texas by ESPN; ranked the No. 14 tight end and No. 32 player in Texas by Rivals and Scout’s No. 9 tight end prospect.
As a junior he had 40 catches for 590 yards and six touchdowns and in his senior season he caught 35 receptions for 468 yards and eight touchdowns.
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