Garrett Fugate was a deep sleeper going into the 2017 NFL Draft out of tiny Central Missouri. In his final year playing for the Mules, Garrett threw for 3,657 yards, 31 touchdowns, and nine picks. A dual threat, he also rushed for 457 yards and 8 TDs on the year. He performed well at the school’s pro day, and scouts came away impressed by his ability to spin the ball. Ultimately however he was undone by the small school stigma and a previous ACL injury which he had fully recovered from, and went undrafted in 2017. At last count, at least 7 NFL teams showed interest in Fugate, but he was not signed. After going the whole 2017 season without football, Garrett found a home, signing a 2 year contract in early 2018 with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL.
Good looking card here of Garrett as Sage attempts to shy away from the sideline sans pads images. Overall it is a pretty decent looking set, but Sage seems to be digging deeper down the list of available player names which is troubling when you look back at your autographs 2 to 3 years later and they are all free agents.
Aaron Bailey played quarterback at Northern Iowa. A dual threat both in the air and on the ground, Bailey transferred to NI in 2015 from Illinois. In just two years he posted 2,538 yards passing, and 1,760 yards rushing (25 TDs) for the Panthers. Scouts were unsure as to where the untamed Bailey would be a fit at, however his pro day was impressive enough to garner interest. Aaron went unselected in the 2017 NFL Draft. He’d be signed to a free agent contract by the Baltimore Ravens, and converted to wide receiver. Unfortunately Aaron suffered an undisclosed injury during training camp, causing him to miss the entire season. Currently he is a free agent.
Dante Barnett is a great underdog story. A 3 time captain at Kansas State playing from the safety position- he missed nearly his entire Senior campaign due to injury. He opted to return for a 5th year, and posted modest numbers for the Wildcats. Over his 5 year run from 2012-2016, Dante posted 242 combined tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 fumble recoveries, 16 passes defended, and 8 interceptions for 160 yards. He was not invited to the 2017 NFL combine and was not selected in the following draft. Barnett signed with the Denver Broncos, but was among the final cuts before the regular season began.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
