In the fourth-round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Chad Ryland became the highest specialist Bill Belichick ever drafted in his New England Patriots tenure. Flashback to Ryland’s high school days, that would seem like a long shot — especially as football wasn’t even on his radar until his junior year.
Ryland was a four-year varsity starter on his soccer team as well as a three-year varsity pitcher in baseball for the Cedar Crest Falcons. But when his high school football team needed a kicker, he found his new love.
“The football team needed a kicker.