Photo by Cari Dean.
Jake Ganus
Former Chelsea standout Jake Ganus is still hoping for his shot at the NFL.
Jake Ganus is living his life waiting for a call.
It’s an uneasy feeling, but one that the former Chelsea Hornet is certainly used to. After rushing for nearly 1,500 yards and throwing for 1,000 more as a senior, Ganus took his talents to UAB for three years before the program folded.
Being granted an immediate transfer following the shuttering of UAB’s football program, the Georgia Bulldogs linebacker competed in the Reese’s Senior Bowl, but was not invited to the NFL combine and eventually got passed over in the 2016 NFL draft.
A whirlwind offseason closed with an offer from the Minnesota Vikings and an invitation to training camp. That chapter closed with the final round of roster cuts, as the Vikings cut Ganus just before setting their final 53-man roster.
With a preseason worth of film added to his repertoire, Ganus is back in Birmingham. It’s not the ideal situation, standing on the sidelines watching his alma mater Chelsea instead of prepping for a Sunday night game against the Green Bay Packers, but it’s one the 23-year-old Ganus is making the most of.
“I love being from this town,” Ganus said. “It’s cool to come home and people recognize you. Everyone’s friendly here and that’s why I love it.”
Training daily to keep in shape, Ganus now spends his time working with his wife at Thirty One Boutique while waiting on any possible NFL offers. The 2011 All-State athlete remains close to breaking through and becoming the first Hornet to make an NFL roster.
“It’s no fun waiting around but I’ve just got to be patient and hope for an opportunity.”
