— By Bill Cornwell
No Marshall players heard their names called last weekend when the three-day NFL Draft took place in Pittsburgh.
For some, going undrafted didn’t shut the door on a professional football opportunity.
Defensive back Cam Smith and wide receiver/returner Floyd Lacey have since been invited to rookie camps.
The Kansas City Chiefs invited Smith, while Lacey is going to the New England Patriots’ rookie camp.
Smith spent last season at Marshall and had his most productive sseason in Huntington after stops at Eastern Michigan and Jackson State. He collected 69 tackles, six tackles for loss, a forced fumble and three quarterback hurries in 2025.
Lacey spent one season at Marshall and made a major impact through his game-breaking speed. The Jacksonville State transfer totaled 769 receiving yards and five touchdown catches. He was also used in the run game, gaining 157 yards on the ground. As a punt returner, Lacey compiled 218 yards on 18 return attempts.
Only two Sun Belt Conference players were selected in the drat — Georgia State wide receiver Ted Hurst and Louisiana linebacker Jaden Dugger.
Hurst, a standout on a 1-11 Panthers’ team last fall, was taken in the third round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while Dugger was a fifth-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers.
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Marshall men’s basketball senior Wyatt Fricks is making the most of an opportunity he hopes leads to a professional career.
An All-Sun Belt Conference first-team pick this season, Fricks recently took part in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in Virginia, where individual players who have completed their college eligibility are evaluated by pro scouts.
Fricks showed his leaping and shot-blocking ability in the event, collecting ten blocks across three games. He also averaged 14.3 points, along with four rebounds, shooting at a 42 percent clip in the process.
Along with his appearance in the Virginia-based event, Fricks has worked out for several NBA teams.
Fricks averaged 15.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and recorded a team-best 49 blocks in his final campaign with the Herd.